From Footpaths to Ecosystems

In a world obsessed with platforms, ecosystems, and technology stacks, sometimes the boldest innovations are deceptively simple, and profoundly human. In this keynote, Miguel Cuñat, founder of the Pekoe Trail, will explore how building a 300km hiking route through Sri Lanka’s tea country became a case study in “platformless modernization.”

The Pekoe Trail was not built with code but with collaboration: mapping landscapes, connecting communities, and forging partnerships across government, private enterprise, and local people. It’s an analogue infrastructure project designed to serve digital-era needs, community empowerment, sustainable development, and regenerative tourism.

Miguel will share lessons from the trail’s creation, drawing parallels to the open, interoperable spirit of modernization beyond proprietary walls. He’ll also spotlight WSO2’s support for trail-based community initiatives, illustrating how tech companies can help build real-world ecosystems, no software license required.