Using semantics to build context around the Mesh — Juha Korpela | Data Mesh Live 2026

ABOUT THE TALK Building technically usable and available Data Products within the Data Mesh is one thing, but making them understandable for both humans and AI and interoperable between domains is a whole other challenge. At the core of this challenge is semantics. Semantics is the missing piece in many Mesh implementations. Governed business metadata (as opposed to purely technical metadata) is needed to build context around the data - and human users and LLMs alike are hungry for context. In this talk, Juha Korpela, an expert in data modelling, metadata management, and Data Products, explores ways to capture and share the semantics of a Domain or a Data Product. We will discuss the differences between solution-level and domain-level semantics, and look for ways to cross the gap between ubiquitous domain languages in order to achieve true semantic interoperability. Data models, ontologies, knowledge graphs - it's all about context! ABOUT JUHA KORPELA Juha is an experienced data professional from Helsinki, Finland. For many years, he has been working in high-profile data leadership positions in a variety of industries. Since the beginning of 2024, he has been running his own one-man consultancy Datakor Consulting. Prior to this, he was e.g. the Chief Product Officer at Ellie Technologies (a start-up working on a data modelling tool) and the Head of Data Platform at UPM-Kymmene (a forest industry company). His main areas of expertise are data modelling, data product management, and data architecture, and he likes to emphasise understanding real business needs over technological details. Juha can be found participating actively in all kinds of data discussions on LinkedIn and speaking at various events around the world. 🔗   / jkorpela   RESOURCES 📄 Session page: https://2026.datameshlive.com/program...