Last week, the NextGen Tech Leaders Breakthrough Festival took place at LINKIT in De Meern. A beautiful arena-style setting, a warm welcome, and an energetic group of emerging and experienced technology leaders created the perfect backdrop for an inspiring afternoon and evening. Guided by Gabriëlle Lopes, the program flowed smoothly and energetically from one session to the next.

One of the highlights was the personal story shared by Joost Kamermans, co-founder of Seenons. Drawing on his entrepreneurial journey, he demonstrated that growth and success rarely follow a straight path. Perseverance, continuous learning, and staying the course proved to be essential ingredients for achieving a true breakthrough. The conversation between Elies Lemkes-Straver and her son, Valentijn Lemkes, also resonated strongly with the audience and prompted meaningful reflection. Through an open dialogue, they explored what it takes to create a breakthrough: curiosity, determination, the right environment, and people who challenge you to look beyond the beaten path.

The interactive fishbowl session with Carl Lens from Justdiggit brought great energy to the room. Thanks to the tap-in/tap-out format, spontaneous conversations emerged, generating valuable insights on creating impact, collaboration, and leadership. The open setup encouraged many participants to actively contribute to the discussion and share their experiences. The afternoon concluded with Jeroen Tas, who shared an inspiring vision of the changes awaiting organizations in the years ahead. His message centered on several fundamental shifts: from scarcity to abundance, from control to contribution, and from traditional value chains to ecosystems. It was a thought-provoking and inspiring conclusion, offering plenty of insights for everyone working to shape the digital organizations of tomorrow.

The Breakthrough Festival demonstrated that real breakthroughs happen when curiosity, courage, and collaboration come together. We hope the conversations, insights, and connections made throughout the event inspire participants to take new steps in leadership, innovation, and personal development.

Would you like to continue that journey? We warmly invite you to join the NextGen Tech Leaders Online Masterclass: Management under Extreme Pressure on 23 September 2026, from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, where you will learn how to remain effective as a leader and make sound decisions under intense pressure. We are also looking ahead to the Impact Festival 2027 on 28 January 2027, from 3:30 PM to 9:00 PM, where technology, leadership, and societal impact will once again come together around the question of how we can shape the future in a conscious and sustainable way.

We look forward to seeing you again at one of these upcoming events. Together, we continue building the next generation of technology leaders and the breakthroughs of tomorrow.