Our world is in transition. We no longer live in an era of change, we are witnessing the change of an era. We are on the eve of the greatest social and economic challenges since the 19th century. Global trends such as climate change, growing inequality, depletion of natural resources and disruptive technological innovations steer this transition in the direction of a system change, towards the next exonomy. We must anticipate this change. We need entrepreneurs to fasten this transition to the new economy. 

During this opening event a wide variety of change makers will explore with us the opportunities of how we can boost innovation, scale businesses and combine business with purpose and responsibility, how we can accelerate an economy that incorporates wellbeing and a better future for all of us, and what we can do to start tomorrow.

Expect to learn from practical thinkers and visionary doers, like elderman Barbara Kathmann of Rotterdam, Constantijn van Oranje from TechLeap, Katherine Trebeck of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, Michiel Muller from Picnic. Ryan Gellert of Patagonia, Mesbah Sabur of Circularize and Tim Houter of Hyperloop.

Upstream connects change makers who want to scale their business and impact and drive the transition to a digital, carbon neutral, circular and inclusive new economy.

Program

• Setting the scene

Katherine Trebeck from the Wellbeing Economy Alliance will tell us more about the wellbeing economy. What does a healthy, resilient economy look like, what is needed to achieve it and what role can entrepreneurs play?

• Resetting the economy

Michiel Muller from Picnic, Ryan Gellert from Patagonia and Nathalie Nijhuis-Lam from Philips will join us for a panel discussion about the definition of sustainable growth, what is already happening and what needs to be done to move towards a new economy.

• Time for action

Scale-up founders Tim Houter from Hardt Hyperloop, Mesbah Sabur from Circularise and solar designer Marjan van Aubel will highlight how their companies are contributing to a better future as part of “The Next Economy”.

• What now?

Techleap special envoy Constantijn van Oranje, Vice Mayor Barbara Kathmann, and Private Lead Up!rotterdam Lars Crama discuss how the region can work together to provide the ecosystem with what’s needed to achieve positive change and stimulate innovation, entrepreneurial ambitions and funding.