Join our Community Meetup in the U.S. in November!  ✦  Read our SDV Hackathon recap and check out the photos  ✦  Eclipse SDV featured in WELT article on software-defined vehicles

Join the community

Home / Community / Ambassador program

Recognising excellence in open innovation

Amplify
the signal.

The Eclipse SDV Ambassador Program recognises community leaders who promote open collaboration, mentor new contributors, and represent SDV at events. Ambassadors are the bridge between global open source innovation and local ecosystems.

Nominate or apply
Meet the ambassadors

What ambassadors do.

Each ambassador fulfils 2–3 core responsibilities a year, whether leading from the stage or supporting contributors behind the scenes.

Speak

Represent Eclipse SDV at events, online and in their region, from conference talks to booth space at trade fairs.

Promote

Promote SDV projects and initiatives globally, and share SDV activities publicly.

Grow

Help grow the community through local engagement and outreach to academic institutions.

Mentor

Mentor and support new contributors, and collaborate with EF staff and other ambassadors.

What you get back.

It’s a volunteer role, so there’s no direct financial compensation, but the program backs every ambassador with recognition, event access and staff support.

Recognition

A profile on eclipsesdv.org and public recognition as an Eclipse SDV Ambassador.

A ticket to OCX

Join the Open Community Experience, the Eclipse Foundation’s flagship conference.

Digital credentials

Show your ambassador role on LinkedIn and beyond.

Branded swag

Eclipse SDV gear for you and your events.

Exclusive support

Staff support and access to exclusive opportunities.

Meet the ambassadors.

Click a card to read the full bio.

Carlton Bale

Director - Strategy and Product Planning - SDV, Cummins Inc

Carlton is a technology-obsessed engineer and MBA working in the commercial vehicle space and focusing on collaboration between companies to create industry-changing advances. His experience spans from leading the tech-focused strategies for large companies to being the founder of an IoT startup. When not immersed in tech, he spends time with his family and enjoys building and creating electronics, automobiles, and motorcycles and activities such as camping and skiing.

LinkedIn

DK Jung

Vice President and Senior Fellow of the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Technology Division , LG Electronics’ CTO Organization

DK Jung is the Vice President and Senior Fellow of the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Technology Division at LG Electronics’ CTO Organization. A seasoned industry veteran with over 20+ years of expertise, he has been at the forefront of the automotive revolution, leading the development of advanced infotainment, telematics, and vehicle software platforms. His leadership is defined by a mastery of system architecture and large-scale software integration, which are critical to the evolution of next-generation mobility. Beyond his corporate role, DK is a globally recognized advocate for open-source collaboration, serving on the Eclipse SDV, SOAFEE Boards and korea OSS initiatives. As the lead for Korea’s OSS-based SDV platform initiatives, he contributes to the development and standardization of domestic open-source software technologies supporting the SDV ecosystem.

LinkedIn

Filipe Prezado​

Software Architect, Reycom AG

"ChatGPT seems to "think(*)" I'm an experienced software architect with a strong background in software engineering, architecture, and technical program management. Currently at Reycom AG, I'm focused on building platform components and toolchains for the field of software-defined machines (SDM). Before that, I spent over 25 years at Microsoft, working on the Software Defined Vehicle engineering team and representing Microsoft in the Eclipse SDV Working Group. I'm a passionate advocate for open source software, community-driven innovation and growth and actively contributing to Eclipse SDV initiatives. I'm also affiliated with 42 Porto, where we train the next generation of automotive and mobility software engineers leveraging Eclipse SDV projects. When I'm not at work ChatGPT finds me deeply engaged in cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the realms of edge computing, robotics and AI, and their applications to smart farming and agriculture. (*) can be a case of hallucination"

LinkedIn

Markus Rettstatt

Vice President Software Defined Car, Mercedes-Benz Tech Innovation (MBTI)

Markus Rettstatt is Vice President Software Defined Car at Mercedes-Benz Tech Innovation (MBTI), the largest software hub of the Mercedes-Benz Group in Germany. He leads the automotive software development stream, shaping the future of in-vehicle software. In addition to his core responsibilities, Markus actively promotes collaboration on non-differentiating software assets in the open source ecosystem. He represents Mercedes-Benz in both the Eclipse SDV Working Group and the VDA Working Group.

LinkedIn

Martin Schleicher

Consultant focusing on Software Strategy, Business Models and Ecosystem development

Martin Schleicher is an independent consultant focusing on Software Strategy, Business Models and Ecosystem development with more than 25 years of experience in Automotive. From 2021 to 2025 he was "Head of Software Strategy" in Continental Automotive. Before, he held various management roles in Elektrobit, including responsibility for company strategy, product and portfolio management, and partnerships. Martin has been contributing to industry associations, such as AUTOSAR, SOAFEE, and Eclipse SDV. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and member of automotive conference advisory boards.​

LinkedIn

Pete LeVasseur

Staff Software Engineer, Woven by Toyota

Pete LeVasseur guides Rust adoption efforts at Woven by Toyota and its suitability for the highest levels of safety-criticality. Of course, Pete’s involved in the Eclipse SDV WG: as host of the Rust Special Interest Group, Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee, and where he started out in open source, as a Committer member of Eclipse uProtocol. Elsewhere, Pete’s lead of the Safety-Critical Rust Consortium where there’s a broad base of support for working to make Rust a suitable first-language choice for safety-critical domains such as Automotive, Aerospace, and Industrial. Pete is also involved with the Rust Project, guiding goals for making the language even more suitable for safety-critical systems. In the Rust Project he is co-lead of the Rust Project’s Content Team, a member of the Rust Vision Doc Team, lead of the FLS team and loves chatting with those that are doing interesting things with Rust.

LinkedIn

Yoshiyuki Kawashima

CTO for the Automotive Industryv, IBM Japan

Yoshiyuki (Yoshi) Kawashima, an IBM Industry Academy member, serves as the CTO for the Automotive Industry in Japan and as part of the Industrial Center of Excellence at IBM Corporation. He has over 25 years of experience supporting a wide range of business and IT systems in the automotive industry worldwide as an IT architect. Since 2014, when the concept of the “connected car” emerged, he has expanded his expertise to cover end‑to‑end vehicle systems which begin with cloud technology and evolving toward Software‑Defined Vehicles (SDV) around 2019. He continues to challenge the industry by leveraging his broad full‑stack capabilities across software, E/E hardware, and enterprise architecture, including business architecture. He has also contributed significantly to the automotive industry through his work in ITS‑Japan and JASPAR, particularly in the areas of ITS technologies, automotive software, and architectural.

LinkedIn

Who should apply?

People already moving SDV forward.

We’re seeking highly engaged individuals who have already demonstrated their commitment to our working group.

01

A strong passion for open source software in the middleware domain.

02

A proven track record of actively supporting our working group by:

Inviting us to speak at conferences

Hosting our events

Serving as project leads

Contributing to our committees

To ensure close collaboration with the SDV Eclipse Foundation team, we will select a maximum of three ambassadors per year.

Nominate or apply in three steps.

01

Apply or nominate

Self-nominations and community nominations are both welcome.

02

Selection

A committee of EF staff and current ambassadors reviews every nomination.

03

Start your term

One year, with the option to renew based on contributions and mutual interest.

Can’t access the form? Email membership.coordination@eclipse-foundation.org.

Frequently asked questions

Have more questions? We’re happy to answer them — don’t hesitate to reach out.

What is the Eclipse SDV ambassador program?

A recognition and support program for SDV community leaders who drive visibility, mentorship, and regional outreach.

Who can become an ambassador?

Anyone actively involved in the Eclipse SDV community who meets the selection criteria — whether through events, working groups, mentorship, or public speaking.

What’s the term length?

One year, with the option to renew based on contributions and mutual interest.

How are ambassadors selected?

Through a combination of self-nominations or community nominations, reviewed by a selection committee made up of EF staff and current ambassadors.

What’s expected of an ambassador?

Represent the community, attend key events, mentor others, and share SDV activities publicly. Each ambassador fulfills 2–3 core responsibilities annually.

What benefits do ambassadors receive?

Recognition, a ticket to OCX, digital credentials, branded swag, and access to exclusive support and opportunities.

Is there a cap on the number of ambassadors?

Yes. For now, we select a maximum of three new ambassadors a year.

Can I nominate someone else?

Yes! Community nominations are welcome and encouraged.

Is there a budget for ambassador activities?

While this is a volunteer role, the program provides swag, event access, and staff support — but not direct financial compensation.