They say as a conference comes together, there comes a point when the organizers finally let loose and decide to do something crazy and unforgettable. We’re no exception here at CoCities.

Our lineup thus far has exceeded our expectations, but we thought – why not more? Why not a final, mind-blowing surprise for everyone? So we sat down for about two seconds before we got the greatest idea ever:

Warren Ellis

There’s a good chance by now that you’ve stumbled upon his presence at some digital crossroads or landed on his Twitter or his blog, both of which enjoy tremendous popularity – and rightfully so. You may have read some of his comics or novels. Transmetropolitan ring a bell?

Well, now he’ll be our closing keynote speaker at Cognitive Cities. Truth be told, we didn’t expect any of this to happen – the guy’s one of the pre-eminent futurists of our generation, after all. But a tweet and a few emails later, the deal was done.

The lineup for Day 1 is completely set now while Day 2 is filling up nicely. We’ve got some cool things in store.

Looking forward to seeing you there!