The 3-year mark and what’s ahead for ATECH

We have an exciting update to share with you! Our team has been busy behind the scenes in developing the program for the third edition of ATECH Conference…but more on this later.

The ATECH movement is making international waves

As part of our efforts to expand our global community of change-makers we hosted our Amsterdam meetup on May 20th. A group of more than 50 students, young professionals and entrepreneurs from Aruba and other parts of the world gathered at Rockstart’s headquarters on Herengracht (thank you, Oscar Kneppers!).

Being a startup organization we constantly seek feedback from our community and in this case we used this wonderful opportunity to engage the Aruban diaspora. A community that has grown and expanded exponentially over the past decade. We engaged in profound conversations and brainstormed on the key building blocks of a future innovation economy. The big question being, “what would it take for you to move back, give back or start a business in Aruba?”. The results are energizing and thought-provoking.

In a nutshell, everyone agrees that a vibrant innovation economy is the way forward. This comes as no surprise to us, especially coming from a group that is thorn between pursuing innovative international opportunities and going back home to contribute to their home country’s economic development. At the end of the day, home is where the heart is. Wherever home may be.

The beauty of an innovation economy is that the definition of home is what you make it. There are no boundaries when it comes to technology and where one works from or how one contributes. Better yet, “going back home”, can take an entirely new meaning in an innovation economy for those that see the world as their playground.

What’s next?

We couldn’t be more inspired by the results of our Amsterdam session and will incorporate the findings into our strategic plan going forward and/or supplement existing plans with the new insights gained. For those who have been part of this movement since the beginning, know that our philosophy to disrupt, innovate, and create hasn’t changed. Neither has our mission to develop the Aruba startup and innovation ecosystem. However, our plans and strategies are constantly evolving through trial and error. We continue to embrace a permanent beta model. This gives us the ability to adapt quickly to an ever-changing environment, leverage the knowledge gathered throughout the process and through our teams, and include the latest trends while we’re at it.

Our community is growing and our commitment is stronger than ever. We are confident that together with our partners, mentors and volunteers, we can drive innovation forward at the speed of light. The time is NOW!

Keep an eye out for our next update as we will soon share the ATECH Code that will drive our strategy and decisions for the years to come. Yes, we are here to stay…