Open-Source Intelligence, or OSINT, thrives on curiosity, collaboration, and hands-on problem-solving. The most valuable lessons rarely come from lectures or conference panels, but from working together on real puzzles, testing ideas, and learning from one another. This spirit is at the heart of the OSINT Playdates—a format that has quickly become a staple of Switzerland’s OSINT community.
What began as a small experiment has grown into an event with real momentum. The Playdates are co-hosted by OSINT Switzerland and CYRENZH , the Cyber Resilience Network at the University of Zurich. The founders of OSINT Switzerland contribute years of practical OSINT expertise, supporting CYRENZH’s mission of building a more connected and resilient society.
simple. yet powerful
The concept is simple but powerful: on a Friday afternoon, OSINT enthusiasts gather in Zurich for two hours to tackle real or realistic challenges together. No lectures. No one-way presentations. Just a collaborative “playdate” with datasets, images, maps, open tools—and plenty of curiosity.
The first session in March 2025 was an immediate success. Around 20 people showed up: curious students, cybercrime professionals, journalists, analysts, and security hobbyists. Some were members of OSINT Switzerland, others students enrolled in CYRENZH courses. Many had never met before—but that quickly turned into an advantage. Teams formed on the spot, laptops lit up, ideas bounced back and forth.
Some tasks were fiendishly difficult, others more of a warm-up. The mix made it easy for everyone to contribute, whether they were complete beginners or seasoned investigators.
Each edition is deliberately designed to be practice-focused. For the second Playdate in July 2025, challenges were created by well-known OSINT trainers like Sofia Santos, who is active in building exercises for the global OSINT community. The theme, “Back in Time,” celebrated the tenth anniversary of Bellingcat and centered on historical research: reconstructing digital traces from the past, analyzing old websites, or extracting information from grainy image fragments. The buzz in the room when someone uncovered a promising lead was almost electric—though the crackle may also have been the cookies being crunched.
No Prior expertise needed
What makes these events truly stand out is their openness. No prior expertise is required. In fact, their strength lies in the diversity of participants. Someone skilled with image search tools might team up with a social media sleuth, while others contribute legal, historical, or geopolitical knowledge. This interdisciplinary approach is what makes OSINT so powerful—and at the Playdates, it’s brought vividly to life.
The initiative is driven by OSINT Switzerland co-founders Ivano Somaini, Elisa Nannini, Antonio De La Torre, and Roman Schneider, along with Leyla Ciragan, Head of Education at CYRENZH and member of the OSINT Switzerland Advisory Board. Together, they combine technical know-how, strategic thinking, and a passion for making complex methods accessible to everyone.
At a time when digital literacy and investigative skills are more critical than ever, the OSINT Playdates offer a fresh, human-centered way to engage with these tools.
They show that OSINT isn’t just about data points and metadata—it’s about real problems, real stories, and real responsibilities.
The next Playdates are scheduled for October and December 2025. Participation is free for OSINT Switzerland members and CYRENZH students, though space is limited. Further details and registration information are available from OSINT Switzerland.
Perhaps what makes the OSINT Playdates so unique is their atmosphere: equal parts curiosity, respect, and camaraderie. Participants aren’t competing against each other—they’re exploring together. And in the end, that spirit of collaboration may be the most important kind of intelligence of all.
P.S. Just so you know, CYRENZH also runs OSINT courses at the University of Zurich!