HAPPENING 28–29 May 2024 | At Upstream, the Rotterdam Metropolitan area transforms into a place where startups, scale-ups, investors, corporates, policymakers, and students come together to make a positive impact on the world. Upstream aims to enable innovations that will drive the transition to the next economy; an economy that is digital, carbon-neutral, circular and inclusive.
What is Upstream Rotterdam?
Upstream is a three-day event, co-created with over 40 partners dedicated to supporting the growth of companies committed to accelerating the transition to a future-proof economy that is digital, carbon-neutral, circular, and inclusive. The festival gives its attendees access to an international ecosystem of talent, funding, markets, and exposure opportunities. As changemakers from different backgrounds and industries come together to leverage their innovations, they highlight the position of the Greater Rotterdam Metropolitan Area as a fast-evolving tech environment for businesses to grow.
3 days, 40 co-creators, and countless reasons to join
Every year, Upstream invites the Dutch innovation community, as well as international corporations and investors, resulting in over 45 different events happening throughout the festival. Past editions attracted over 2000 attendees. Every edition of Upstream Festival continues the tradition of aligning its core events around three themes: talent, capital, and growth.
The festival's program is rich with opportunities for networking and learning, featuring a variety of formats such as roundtables, workshops, and keynote speeches. Side events will also play a crucial role, with over 20 different gatherings planned across Rotterdam and neighbouring cities. These events are designed to enhance collaboration and feature discussions on critical topics like capital access, market expansion, and talent acquisition.
Lars Crama at Upstream Festival Rotterdam 📷 Bart Heemskerk
Upstream 2024 details
This year's event focuses on driving sustainable growth and innovation within the digital, carbon-neutral, circular, and inclusive economy sectors. It will feature more than 25 speakers, including influential founders, thought leaders, and corporate change-makers from various European startup communities. The program includes a mix of fireside chats, panel discussions, and networking events designed to facilitate deep connections and collaborations.
Significantly, the festival will extend beyond the main event days with over 20 side events across multiple cities, enhancing the opportunity for attendees to engage in more personalized and targeted interactions. These side events are co-created with various partners and focus on essential themes such as access to capital, market expansion, and talent acquisition, crucial for startup and scale-up growth.
For those interested in attending, tickets and further details about the specific events, speakers, and agenda updates are available on the festival's official website.
