IPinfo 2026 Retreat: Panama

To describe this retreat, we have to begin at the ending. The Friday many of us were set to depart, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Panama. 

We both managed to get out anyway. (Alex’s flight left before the earthquake, while Alexa’s was one of only two planes that departed after the earthquake struck – after 4 hours of delays!) 

Many of our colleagues experienced long waits on delayed planes and unexpected additional overnight stays, where aftershocks continued throughout the weekend.

And the retreat was already memorable enough without that dramatic ending! We just first want to acknowledge that everyone is safe. 

Now, here were some of the highlights, from two marketing team members: 

A Growing Team With Bigger Ambitions

Last year at our Croatia retreat, we had 64 employees and now we’ve grown to 78. Now that we’ve built the team to what it looks like currently, it’s time to really coalesce and act on every opportunity. 

Salim from our engineering presentation shared a few especially compelling accomplishments: 

• 12 new products, apps, and integrations.
• 78 engineering-led projects completed in the past year.
• ProbeNet expanded from 1,166 to 1,384 points of presence.

The overarching theme of the retreat this year was that understanding the internet requires observing and measuring it. That’s something we continue to improve on. 

Understanding the Internet Together 

Our company shares the ambition to build the world’s best understanding of the internet, and that extends far beyond geolocation. AI agents, residential proxies, decentralized VPNs, and other developments are making internet activity increasingly complicated to interpret. But they’re important to understand for a multitude of applications, from fraud detection to advertising. 

Our colleagues shared updates about Places, our research program, and our new ProbeNet partnerships, illustrating how different teams contribute to that improved understanding. 

Breakout sessions gave everyone opportunities to ask questions, exchange ideas, and contribute to the company's direction. The retreat helped connect the work happening across different teams to a larger shared purpose.

Outside the Meeting Rooms

As in years past, it was the time we spent together being tourists that really made the retreat memorable. 

Colleagues chose between an adventure park (with ziplining, trust falls, and swings!), an open-air Volkswagen tour of Panama City, or coffee or chocolate tours. 

Open mic sessions gave colleagues a chance to share their personal interests and talents (hunting, building devices, and a specialized movie website!).

Perhaps most importantly, the traditional retreat boat ride returned, this time aboard a pirate ship with a DJ and dancing.

Getting to know our colleagues beyond their roles – and Zoom screens – is always a joyous experience! 

Looking Forward

It was impressive to see just how much we’ve grown and evolved over the past year. The retreat really reinforced our sense of shared ownership over the company’s future.

Spending time together strengthened the bonds that will make future collaboration all the better. 

We might remember this year's retreat for the earthquake and the journeys home that didn't quite go to plan. But we'll also remember the conversations and the excitement about what we're building together.

Here's hoping our next year is eventful… but natural disaster-free.