🍕 Founders & Pizza 🍕

Calling all founders in the Utrecht region: our third Founders & Pizza night is happening on February 12 at UtrechtInc offices, and you won’t want to miss it!

What to expect:
✅ Free pizza & drinks
✅ Inspiring speakers
✅ Great conversations
✅ Valuable takeaways
✅ A room full of fellow entrepreneurs

Our previous events were a hit, so we’re firing up the ovens again—serving fresh slices and even fresher connections. Whether you’re here to exchange insights, meet like-minded innovators, or just enjoy some relaxed networking, this is the place to be.

📍 Where: UtrechtInc (Vening Meinesz building C, Princetonlaan 6, 3584 CB Utrecht)
📅 When: 12 February 2026
⏰ Time: from 5.30PM

🔗 Grab your spot.

 IPON: 11-12 February 2026

IPON is the leading EdTech trade fair and knowledge platform in the Netherlands focused on educational technology (ICT in education) and innovation in teaching and learning. Its annual event brings together thousands of education professionals, school leaders, ICT coordinators, EdTech providers and policymakers to explore how technology can transform teaching and learning, from AI and digital literacy to VR/AR, gamification, privacy/security, adaptive learning environments and more.

At IPON 2026 you can expect:

🎤 Inspiring keynote sessions and theater presentations on the future of digital education and technology in classrooms.

💡 Hands-on workshops and expert breakouts covering topical themes like digital tools, inclusive & adaptive learning, professionalization, analytics, and privacy.

🧑‍💻 Exhibitor showcase and innovation floor, featuring more than 120 EdTech companies presenting the newest solutions and products for primary, secondary and vocational education.

🤝 Networking opportunities with peers and thought leaders to share best practices and build collaborations in the education technology ecosystem.

📅 11 & 12 February 2026, 10:00 – 17:00 each day
📍 Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, Netherlands (Halls 3 & 4)

Toasti Talk: How to Attract the Right Kind of Talent

With Robert Englmeier (CryoCloud)

Hiring the right people can make or break your startup.

Finding talent isn’t just about skills or CVs, it’s about mindset, culture fit, and people who truly believe in your mission. But how do you actually attract those people when you’re a small or early-stage company competing with big players?

At our next Toastie Talk, we’re joined by Robert Englmeier, co-founder and CEO of CryoCloud, to share his firsthand experience building a deep-tech team from the ground up. From early hires to growing a specialized team, Robert will talk openly about what worked, what didn’t and the lessons he learned along the way.

Expect an informal, interactive conversation with plenty of space to ask questions and exchange experiences with fellow founders and builders.

Grab a free toastie, join the discussion and leave with practical tips you can apply to your own hiring tomorrow.

📍 UtrechtInc Lobby (Vening Meinesz building C, Princetonlaan 6, 3584 CB Utrecht)
📅 26 February 2026
⏰ 12:00 to 13:00

🔗 Grab your spot.

Earth Valley Café #13: 26 February 2026

Building Digital Resilience in the Energy Transition

At Earth Valley Café #13, innovators, entrepreneurs and policymakers from the Utrecht region gathered to discuss a timely question: how dependent are we on the cloud and what happens if it fails?

As the energy transition becomes increasingly data-driven, digital infrastructure plays a critical role. This edition focused on cloud sovereignty, data sharing and digital resilience, exploring how organisations can reduce risks and build robust systems that remain reliable in times of disruption.

With insights from experts and interactive discussions, the event offered practical strategies and plenty of opportunities to connect with others working at the intersection of energy, sustainability and digital innovation.

Earth Valley Café continues to bring the ecosystem together to exchange knowledge and accelerate impact-driven collaboration.

UtrechtInc x PROUT present

Curious how your research could become a business? Join the Introduction to Science-Based Entrepreneurship workshop, organised by PROUT and UtrechtInc, and discover how to turn academic ideas into real-world impact.

This interactive session is designed specifically for PhD students and researchers who want to explore entrepreneurship as an alternative or complementary career path. You’ll learn what it takes to move from lab to market, how UtrechtInc supports science-based founders and what first steps you can take to validate your idea.

Expect practical insights, real examples from academic founders and plenty of time to ask questions and connect with the UtrechtInc team.

Whether you already have a business idea or are simply curious about your options, this workshop offers a low-threshold introduction to science-based entrepreneurship in Utrecht.

📍 UtrechtInc (Vening Meinesz building C, Princetonlaan 6, 3584 CB Utrecht)
📅 05 March 2026
⏰ 15:00 – 17:00

🔗 Grab your spot.

Biotech Booster Annual Event: 10 March 2026

The Biotech Booster Annual Event 2026 brought together over 500 members of the Dutch biotechnology community to explore how cutting-edge bioscience is moving from the lab to real-world impact. Themed “Beyond the Lab: Science into Solutions,” the event showcased pioneering projects, connected researchers with industry partners, and highlighted the innovations shaping the future of health, sustainability, and industrial biotechnology.

Attendees enjoyed a rich programme that included keynote insights, project spotlights, immersive showcases, and ample networking, all designed to accelerate collaboration between researchers, founders, investors, and ecosystem partners.

When & Where:
📅 10 March 2026
🕑 14:00 – 18:00
📍 De Rijtuigenloods, Amersfoort, Netherlands
💡 Cost: Free to attend

The Annual Event remains an essential moment for biotech innovators and supporters across the Netherlands to connect, learn, and contribute to translating scientific breakthroughs into practical, societally relevant solutions.

U-Forward Health Breakfast #20: 18 March 2026

U-Forward Health BreakFast #19 is a morning networking and pitch event for the Utrecht region’s health innovation community, taking place Wednesday, 18 March 2026, from 07:30 to 09:00 in Utrecht. Hosted by ROM Utrecht Region, this breakfast meetup brings together (digital) health entrepreneurs, innovation managers, care professionals,and advisors to connect, exchange ideas and help shape the future of healthcare.

What to expect at this edition:

🧠 Live innovation pitches: Three regional healthcare innovations, including an AI spraak-app (Bobbai), smart therapeutic textile (Bratelle), and ECG analytics software (Galvo™), will present live to a jury.

🏆 Regional competition: A winner will be selected on the spot and go on to represent the Utrecht region in the Nationale Zorginnovatieprijs 2026 and Dutch Health Week.

☕ Networking over breakfast: Attendees enjoy good coffee and breakfast while meeting peers, sharing insight, and discussing opportunities in care innovation.

This session blends inspirational pitches, regional collaboration and valuable connections to accelerate healthcare innovation in the Utrecht ecosystem.

Utrecht AI Event- Beyond Technology: 24 March 2026

The Utrecht AI Event: Beyond Technology is a key moment for anyone interested in how artificial intelligence shapes society, business and organisations. This full-day gathering brings policy makers, practitioners, educators, researchers and innovators together to explore what really matters beyond the technology itself, from ethical questions about human agency and resilience to how AI can be used responsibly for real impact.

Participants can expect a mix of inspiring talks, hands-on workshops and interactive demos, all focused on creating reliable, human-centred AI solutions. The programme also features opportunities to connect with Utrecht’s growing AI ecosystem, including AI Labs, innovative startups and regional initiatives showcased during lunch and networking sessions.

Whether you’re exploring AI’s societal implications or seeking practical insights for your organisation, this event provides a platform to exchange ideas, learn from experts and engage with peers.

📅 Tuesday, 24 March 2026
🕗 08:30 – 17:30
📍 TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
🎟️ Free (registration required)