For a long time, Amsterdam has been considered the heart of European startups, and in 2016, it was officially recognized as the European Capital of Innovation. Outperforming 35 other cities, Amsterdam became the leader, “due to the development of startup infrastructure, high standards of living, quick growth and implementation of digital technologies.” It is not surprising one of the largest European hi-tech event, The Next Web Conference, has been connecting the global startup community in Holland since 2006.
In less than a year, TNW Conference 2019 will gather over 15,000 respected guests and partners in Amsterdam. On the 24th and 25th of May, thousands of ingenious businessmen, managers, developers, marketers and other representatives of the IT sphere will tune their devices to record valuable information on innovative technologies, the latest inventions and tech developments for the future. At the event, revolutionary startups will be able to meet world-wise investors looking for exciting project ideas and ready to support their realization.
Like any other big event it’s surrounded with lots of buzz, however we wanted to gather unbiased opinion for anyone seeking the view if the venue is worth it.
Location
Each year the conference is held in the heart of Westerpark. Which is easily accessed by public transportation or you could always take a taxi or Uber. However, please note if you’re leaving the event and hailing a taxi, there is a specific Pick Up point for that. So make sure, to ask where it is.
Inside the venue
Basically, all the talks are splitted into themes that are being divided between tracks. At TNW Conference 2018 there were 19 tracks, like Growth Quarters, Creative Commons, Design Thinkers, Machine Learners and many more. Each area contains several tracks, see the venue map below.
Food & entertainment
Maybe not the most important detail, but a bite of a tasty burger(Burg!!!) and a good beer or coffee could seal some deals. No worries, variety of choice is pretty massive, starting from local cuisine(oh,the fries!) up to vegetarian ones. Aside from that, sometimes live music, you can play retro arcade games and there are some morning activities like running(not all of the time).
So here the Top 4 Reasons to Visit TNW
1.Knowledge
This would be a great opportunity for modern startupers, top managers or businessmen to gain inspiration and learn about the most effective practices created and tested by world-famous billion dollar corporations or individual entrepreneurs. Since we live in the digital era, when new technologies connected with Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Blockchain, Big Data appear daily, the task of keeping up-to-date with all these novelties is the highest priority. You’re ahead of the competition so long as you introduce trends and use only advanced tools and techniques. So it’s obviously important to be the first one to know the latest news and invaluable secrets of the tech world.You can definitely learn loads of things during the event, however make sure to split up with your team members, because there will be some ques before the talks. For instance, here is what people and our Marcomms expert has to say about it.
2.Networking
TNW has opened its doors annually to a great number of progressive specialists who move the whole IT sphere to the next level. Being a participant in this event, you not only get useful knowledge but also get useful contacts. There you are able to take part in different workshops, hackathons, and round-tables. Plan ahead and monitor the announcements to sign up for those(usually they will be booked pretty quick). Naturally, all these activities give you a chance to meet like-minded people, partners, potential clients and most importantly investors. We’ve heard a few startups closed the deals & series of fundings afterwards. After purchasing the ticket you’ll be able to access the whole list of attendees on the web via app. Right there you’ll be able to send the messages directly to anyone with whom you wish to cooperate(as an option build the connections & add them on LinkedIn). So it’s easy to expand your network of contacts and figure out how you can be helpful to each other during the event.
3.Side events
The conference is very much known for its side events that take place each day before, in-between and after TNW. They are being rolled-out prior to the conference launch, so you’ll be able to find the one that match your interest. It’s another interesting part of networking to find useful for business growth and building the right connections. It’s not a secret to anyone, that even in the business world, when you’ve previously met in person and socialized it’s with 90% guaranteed the person is likely to cooperate with you. So consider the opportunity to hang out, have a drink and even dance with managers, top-executives and investors.
4.Promotion
If you’re considering coming to TNW 2019, you have the opportunity to present your business or product to the world. An attractive stand, stylish brochures and unique performance guarantee no one will pass by you. If you don’t book an exhibition booth, you are still able to catch the attention of visitors with the help of handouts. Try to be active and even without a booth, speak with attendees, give business cards, agree to meet at the side events and with the full assurance you’ll spark their attention and sell your product. For instance, we at PublBox managed to agree on partnerships with world famous companies.
Catch The Moment
TNW 2019 Conference will bring together great content and great people in an incredible setting(see the video how it all went for us). Inject some custom-built networking technology, and top it off with an unrivaled feeling of intimacy to organize amazing businesses, and it’s awesome time. Learn more about the upcoming conference here or follow back the things from the last one.
