It's rare to receive a physical letter nowadays, let alone a letter that's addressed to you and to Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops from the X-Men. But that's exactly what happened to the X-Teamers who had signed up to this year's X-Summit.
The letter was wrapped in a bright red plastic and, with a message that read “We Are Hybrid: Weekdays in the Office, Weekends at Home”, seemed like something that ShadowCorp had sent. But not all was as it seemed.
On the back of the letter it read “For Your Eyes Only”. And the letter had been sent by someone named Matthew Ian Vicinati. An anagram for... The Watchman Initiative. When you placed the red plastic over the letter, you would find the coordinates for X-Team's most epic event of the year. The X-Summit 2023: Prove Them Wrong. And so it began.
Over the weekend of November 17 to November 20, more than a hundred and fifty X-Teamers traveled from all corners of the world to a five-star hotel in Florianópolis, Brazil. It promised to be three days full of activities and parties, but most importantly an incredible opportunity to turn X-Teamers from colleagues into friends.
“Can't find the words to describe how special my first X-summit was.❣️It was amazing to get to know so many incredible people.”
— Giulia Martins
All attendees were split in ten teams that competed against each other across 28 (!) games. There was something for everyone, from air hockey to beach volleyball to foosball to karting.
Every X-Teamer received a custom portrait of themselves and, depending on how their team performed, could earn prizes in an exclusive X-Summit Vault, which included the Amazon Echo Dot, the iconic Watchman Duck, a Keep Moving Forward hoodie, and much more.
X-Team has been a fully remote company for nearly two decades now. We strongly believe that, for software engineers, remote work is the future of work. It allows for a flexible lifestyle that, in turn, makes people more productive because they're happier and more fulfilled.
But that doesn't mean you should never meet your colleagues. The X-Summit is a crucial element of our remote strategy because, no matter how great remote work is, there's no replacing meeting someone in person. That's why the X-Summit isn't about work. No meetings, no strategies, no work. It's about getting to know each other.
“I never quite understood the concept of 'building connections', especially when it comes to remote work, but the X-Summit showed me just how real and valuable it really is. This X-Summit was truly unforgettable.”
—Laura Grassi
And it works! We're happy to say that everyone who attends an X-Summit loves it. They come back energized and motivated, and they feel part of a strong community of likeminded individuals. It takes a lot of effort to organize an event as large as the X-Summit, but it brings our community together like nothing else.
It was great to get to know such amazing people in person. I am already hyped for the next X-Summit and X-Outposts!
—Caio Teixeira
I left this experience feeling like I was dreaming with my eyes wide open, so I thank every single one of you who made it memorable and impossible to stop smiling through the whole thing. It's a happy memory I'll cherish deeply. 🥰
—Gabs Vega