'How To Get There’ Summit Stimulates Collaboration Between Corporations, Startups and Innovation Hubs

Henk Kamp, Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Neelie Kroes (StartupDelta) and the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE) of the Erasmus University Rotterdam will bring hundreds of startups and corporates together on the How To Get There Summit on 19 November 2015 in Rotterdam. During the largest innovation event of this year, the best entrepreneurial minds of the Netherlands come together: from startup founders to CEOs and from professors to the Dutch Minister. Combining the powers of these stakeholders on a national level will enhance the innovative capacity of the Netherlands.

The How To Get There Summit on 19 November is part of StartupDelta, of which HSD is one of the 10 key innovation areas. It aims to stimulate the collaboration between corporations, startups and innovation hubs in the Netherlands. Following the initiative of Minister Kamp, 500 experts on innovation and more than 50 researchers and professors are invited to share their knowledge and experience. Keynote speakers Ben Verwaayen (former CEO Alcatel-Lucent) and Kees de Jong (entrepreneur and investor) share their vision on innovation. Special Envoy for startups Neelie Kroes has also invited 20 CEOs of Dutch corporations to come together and formulate a roadmap that outlines how they can work together with startups to innovate faster together.

On the same day and at the same location, the Dutch final of the international startup competition ‘Get in the Ring’ will take place. 250 startups from all over the Netherlands will make their way to the Rotterdam Science Tower to attend workshops, pitch in front of investors and network through speed dating. In the evening, 6 of the most promising startups get in the ring and battle for a spot in the regional finals of Get in the Ring in London where they get to represent the Netherlands. 

The Getting Smart to Get There event will also take place at the same date and location. Participate in discusisions about Smart Industry, Smart Cities, Smart Education, Smart Economy, Smart Innovations, Smart building etc. HSD will be present and lead a break-out session about Smart Security.