🍕 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)

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.

Toasti Talk: Trends in the (Dutch) Startup Ecosystem

With Stefan Braam (UtrechtInc)

What’s really happening in the Dutch startup ecosystem?

At the Toastie Talk, Stefan Braam from UtrechtInc will share key insights and updates from the latest State of Dutch Tech 2026, from funding trends and sector shifts to emerging opportunities for founders.

What’s changing? Where is capital flowing? And what does it mean for early-stage startups building today?

Expect a concise update, honest reflections from inside the ecosystem and room for questions, all in our usual informal Toastie Talk setting.

Grab a toastie and get up to speed on Dutch tech.

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

🔗 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 #12: 26 March 2026

U-Forward Health BreakFast #12 is a morning networking and pitch event for the Utrecht region’s health innovation community, taking place Wednesday, 26 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.

This will be the Innovation4Health edition.
Expect the familiar U-Forward Life Sciences BreakFast format, including the needs & leads round, and a mix of U-Forward Breakfast and Innovation4Health participants, bringing together the Utrecht and national life sciences ecosystems.

Please note that it is not required to have an Innovation4Health ticket to attend the breakfast, you are very welcome to join us for the breakfast only.
Registration for the breakfast is possible via this link.

For those who do plan to visit Innovation4Health, we will also share a discount code that can be used to purchase a ticket for the conference. For €50 discount: UFORWARD26HEALTH

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

Register here

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)