ImpactFest, Europe’s biggest impact meetup, announces first speakers
21 October 2022
— PRESS RELEASE —
On 15 November 2022, ImpactCity will bring together innovative entrepreneurs, impact investors, NGOs, policymakers and corporates from around the world in The Hague for the seventh edition of ImpactFest. The first speakers have been announced: progressive organisations such as Patagonia, Too Good To Go and Naïf Care are part of the programme.
The presentation of ImpactFest is in the hands of Ikenna Azuike, known from BBC World. Azuike won the Dutch Media Week Award just earlier this month. Werner Schouten is also part of the line-up. The presenter of BNR Koplopers and chairman of the Impact Economy Foundation opens ImpactFest. Furthermore, Geert van der Veer, co-founder of Caring Farmers, board member of Herenboeren and initiator of Aardpeer, is part of the programme. Caring Farmers was earlier this month named the most sustainable initiative of 2022 in Trouw’s Sustainable 100 list.
Seventh edition ImpactFest: Creating the future of impact
This year, ImpactFest is dedicated to “Creating the future of impact”. The event will focus on four themes: food transition, energy transition, circular economy and climate adaptation. A selection of the programme:
- Four talk shows on the main themes of ImpactFest with inspiring speakers, including Geertje Zeegers of Too Good to Go, Carol Gribnau of the DOEN Foundation and Wouter Staal of YoghurtBarn.
- From concrete opportunities for entrepreneurs in the sustainable transition to steward ownership, and from methods to measure impact to cutting-edge technology that can help to make better business decisions: the programme includes 40 different meetups, knowledge sessions hosted by ImpactFest partners, such as the Province of Zuid Holland and Oxfam Novib.
- Key figures in the global impact market will be announced: Dealroom presents its annual data analysis of investments and jobs in the impact market.
- In the dozens of ’roundabout’ sessions, participants can engage in small-group discussions on, for example, boosting business growth by hiring international talent, current trends in social entrepreneurship, financing opportunities in the green transition and what does success looks like as a mission-driven organisation.
- Announcement of the winners of the Hague Innovators Challenge, the annual award for startups with innovative ideas for a better world. Previous winners of the Hague Innovators Challenge include Naïf Care and Seepje.
- Reverse pitching: the tables are turned! Investors, including Draper Richard Kaplan Foundation, DOEN Foundation and 4Impact, pitch an idea or business plan to the entrepreneurs who attend. In addition, the eight pitching investors will be available for questions during the ‘Meet the Investor’ sessions.
- InnoFest Test Square: Products from three innovative startups will be tested in a real life setting. Visitors provide feedback that will help the entrepreneur bring the product to market more successfully.
- Euclid Network launches the European Social Enterprise Monitor, a study on the development of social enterprises in the Netherlands.
- Get in the Ring – Global Final: the finalists of this global competition for startups run by the Unknown Group, take on the pitch battle in the boxing ring.