Celebrate Black Achievement

Hello all,

As October unfolds, the Netherlands gears up to celebrate?Black Achievement Month. This annual event shines a light on the incredible contributions and achievements of Black individuals throughout history. It is a time to celebrate, reflect, and take action to ensure that our community continues to evolve toward a more inclusive and equitable future.

Black Achievement Month is not just a celebration; it is a crucial reminder of the diversity of talent and innovation that enriches our society. It underscores the importance of recognizing and appreciating the myriad of voices, experiences, and perspectives that fuel our ecosystem's growth and potential.

Dive into the richness of Black culture and excellence and connect with local talents and changemakers of the African diaspora.?From dynamic performances to thought-provoking discussions, this month-long celebration pays tribute to the brilliance and resilience of Black communities in the Netherlands.?

Make sure to explore the wonders of Black Achievement Month and don't miss out on the chance to be part of something extraordinary.

Also:

?? In case you missed it, here are the 12 AI startups that will exhibit at the Amsterdam Pavilion at World Summit AI on October 11-12. ?See you there?

?? How is it already Q4 of 2023?.. Here are all the major startup events taking place in Amsterdam in the coming 3 months.

?? Last but never the least, get inspired by the story of our latest #FoundersFridays hero - Niels Baay, founder of Nxus.

Scroll down for more events, opportunities for your startup, main headlines from the last month, job opportunities and more!

Have a great read,

Alexandra.

PS. Find our full October update here and subscribe to our mailing list to receive these updates directly to your inbox.

Celebrating Black Achievers

Join the global community of biculturals of African descent and friends at the?Omek Summit . On October 27-29, Omek brings you a curated series of events (online and in-person) aligning with the theme of Imagined Futures and centering bicultural identities. Engage with tech visionaries, participate in mentorship sessions, and be part of a community that celebrates collaboration, innovation and collective growth.?Together with StartupAmsterdam, Omek is also hosting a Community Pitch Night on October 28, aiming to showcase Netherlands-based founders of African descent working on impactful tech. Check the criteria and apply to pitch before October 11.

Events

World AI Week (October 9-13) is the world’s only week dedicated to the global AI ecosystem: a bustling, thriving series of 50+ cutting-edge business, science, tech and networking gatherings showcasing how AI is transforming business and society, with a focus on automation, creativity, diversity, innovation, responsibility, and optimisation. The main event - World Summit AI - will take place at Taets Park in Zaandam on October 11 and 12. We will be there with our infamous Amsterdam Pavilion, exhibiting 12 Amsterdam-based AI startups. Come see them pitch each day at?14:00.?Use code WSAI20 to get a 20% discount on your ticket.

OCT 6?| Come join?Innofestival: Shaping the future of the city together , by AMS Institute and Gemeente Amsterdam.

OCT 6-7 | Roboat will be giving a free public demonstration of their electric autonomous boats on 6 and 7 of October, from 16:00 to 21:00.

OCT 6-7?| "C the Future" - a?two-day event about circularity, innovation, digitalization and skills at the C District in Haarlem. Check it out.

OCT 10 |?Join the first annual Women in AI Summit , which will showcase 35 incredible women in AI making an impact in the Netherlands.

OCT 10-12?| Join Europe’s best conference and exhibition for educators and EdTech providers, EduTech Europe.

OCT 11?| Join the Founders Circle - "Empowering Underrepresented Founders & Investors" event , hosted at AWS.

OCT 11 | Are you an AI startup looking for funding? Speed date with investors at Startup Roulette, World Summit AI edition .

OCT 11-12 | The most influential tech event?in procurement, DPW Amsterdam , is back in person and online.

OCT 11-12?| Social Enterprise World Forum will?bring together thousands of social enterprise leaders, policymakers and purpose-led people with one goal: to raise awareness of social enterprise as an expanding global mechanism for social change.?

OCT 12?|?At CES Unveiled Amsterdam , 70?Dutch innovative tech startups and scaleups will present themselves to the media, investors, and various stakeholders from the Dutch and European tech scene. CES Unveiled is the official pre-event of CES Las Vegas in January 2024.

OCT 12?|?Come find your next co-founder, get VC tips, and mingle with the broader AI community at AI Founders Labs: Same Slimmer Live.

OCT 16-17?| Join the European Cultural and Creativity Days - a vibrant platform for networking, collaboration and unleashing boundless creativity across Europe.

OCT 17?| Come join the second gathering of the Climate Tech Amsterdam Community .

OCT 26 | Wish to gain insights on funding, hiring talent and incentives for your startup's employees? J9in the Startup Success Blueprint event by Innovation Funding, Seedrs, Latam Recruitment, Sharesquare and supported by AMS Institute and StartupAmsterdam.

NOV 19 |?Chemical Utopia: How Amsterdam Chemistry Network’s ChemAI aims to upend Dutch Chemistry. Learn more.

NOV 21-22?|?Learn valuable solutions, be inspired and meet the leaders in the Digital Marketing Ecosystem at Digital Marketing World Forum Europe in Amsterdam ! Use our code 'STAMS20' for an exclusive 20% discount.

Editor's picks

? Unlocking opportunities: Dutch New Narrative Lab’s Launchpad paves the way for inclusive entrepreneurship. Read more.

?? Founders on Bootstrapping: How Swapkaart is disrupting the business cards game being?bootstrapped. Know more.

?? Invest-NL secures €350M in guarantees for Dutch sustainable ventures through InvestEU partnership: Know more.

?? 6 ways Amsterdam is building a smarter city. Learn more.

Opportunities

Contribute to the State of European Tech Report. Help map out the Dutch Tech Ecosystem by participating in Atomico’s survey for their upcoming State of European Tech report. If you're an entrepreneur, investor, or part of the Dutch ecosystem, your input is incredibly valuable! Your contributions will play a significant role in shaping the performance of the Netherlands and strengthening our knowledge base. Moreover, this survey will be a vital source of data for Techleap's annual State of Dutch Tech report. The data collected will enable Techleap to provide better support and offer improved advice to the government.?

Vote your favourite innovative idea to the AmSIA stage! Which innovative idea will make it to the stage of the?Amsterdam Science & Innovation Award 2023??This Innovation Award is the Amsterdam competition for research-based innovative ideas that contribute to a better world.?Check out the website and watch the pre-finalists'?one-minute videos ?in which they present their innovative ideas and?vote?for your favourite !?During the finale on November 21st, the jury will award € 10,000 to the three best ideas in the categories of Society, Health and Environment & Climate.?

Academic Startup Competition: applications are open! Are you an academic spin-off or do you have a strong partnership with any of the Dutch research institutes? Do you have at least two founders and raised initial funding? Do you have a strong technical foundation or are you a social-based science disrupting outdated systemic processes? Then apply to compete for a spot in the top 20 of the most promising upcoming science-based startups in the Netherlands 23/24. Deadline to apply: November 10.

Last day to apply for Rockstart Energy 2024! Are you an energy startup targeting Circularity, Installation efficiency, Climate risk mitigation, Long-duration energy storage or other critical solutions in renewable energy? Apply now for a chance to receive an initial investment, customized workshops, and an incredible opportunity to pitch your innovative idea to the Rockstart ecosystem. Apply before October 6

Grow your university spinoff with ACE Incubator! ACE Incubator turns entrepreneurial academics into academic entrepreneurs. Are you a student, recent graduate, researcher or academic with a brilliant business idea? Join one of their online info sessions, either on October 11 or October 17 , or apply?for the 10-week incubation program directly.

Techleap's peer-to-peer scaling programme, Rise, is back. Rise is an exclusive programme for serious tech players.?In a trusted environment, scaleup founders share and discuss their growth challenges during tailor-made sessions with experienced entrepreneurs and scaling experts. It’s fully subsidised, and Techleap doesn't seek equity. Deadline to apply: November 28.

Future-proof artificial grass fields. Are you an entrepreneur with a sustainable product or service and do you really want to make an impact??On Tuesday, October 10, the Municipality of Amsterdam, in collaboration with the Municipality of Haarlem, is organizing a matchmaking event for the tender process "Scale Up Future-proof artificial grass fields". ?Any entrepreneur who can contribute to innovative and sustainable applications on and under artificial grass fields is welcome.

Exhibit at Digital Marketing World Forum. November 21-22, RAI Amsterdam, showcase your madtech (marketing/ advertising) solution to the attendees of DMWF Europe . Consult the floorplan and get a 20% on your startup pod by emailing Rachael Reid at?[email protected]

#FoundersFridays

Our latest #FoundersFridays hero is Niels Baay, founder of Nxus -?a matchmaking platform that connects young professionals with the right internships or entry-level jobs - based on their skills, without bias. Learn what moved Niels to found his spinoff exactly 14 hours after graduating and what piece of entrepreneurial advice never fails to keep him motivated to keep going.

Find the rest of our October update - headlines, funding rounds announced in September and job opportunities - here and subscribe to our mailing list to receive these updates directly to your inbox.