The Soonicorn Summit 2024
Where Scaleups Become LegendsNovember 28, 2024 from 13:30 to 18:00 • TNW City
What is The Soonicorn Summit
Many of the legends in Dutch tech owe a part of their journey to the community, insights, or partners they discovered through TNW. Now it's their turn to help us uncover the next wave of emerging scaleups that will make headlines.
The Soonicorn Summit is an exclusive invite-only community for Benelux founders, CEOs, and executives to propel tech scaleups toward unicorn status.
The Summit will be the first meeting point for TNW's Unicorn League, a select group of executives from high-potential scaleups. This group will meet regularly, including at TNW Conference 2025, to exchange insights and advice, helping each other reach their full potential.
With The Soonicorn Summit, our goal is to empower emerging startups, and soon-to-be Scaleups, to achieve sustainable growth, enabling them to make a significant impact on the Benelux markets.
Event details:
- When: November 28, 2024 from 13:30 to 18:00
- Where: TNW City, Singel 542, Amsterdam
How to apply
The Soonicorn Summit is an application-based event, limited to 150 participants, happening on November 28, 2024, from 13:30 to 18:00 at TNW City.
Who should apply:
Scaleups matching the below criteria:
Founders, Co-founders, CEOs, CPOs, CFOs, CMOs, Heads of Departments in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Product, Finance
Located in the Benelux region
Raised external funding between Seed (must be €1m+) to Series C within the last 2 years
Build or market tech software or hardware products
A Select number of tickets will be opened for:
Investors: Managing Directors, SVP, VP, General Partners, Investment Directors
Government and Policy Makers: Government Representatives, Government Agency Senior Officials and Senior Policy Makers
If you do not fit the criteria above but would like to be a part of this event, we encourage you to apply as a Future Star on a review basis.
Future Stars: We will allocate a portion of tickets to those not representing one of these senior categories, but are emerging stars working in the field of tech.
Agenda
-
13:50-14:00 - Introduction
-
14:00-14:25 - From Scaleup to Unicorn: Navigating the Human Side of Growth
We’re kicking off by exploring the most important aspect for scaling and leading successful ventures - building a high-performing team. Join Mollie CEO, Koen Köppen, and serial entrepreneur Anna C Mallon, as we dig into technical leadership skills, the importance of assessing and predicting entrepreneurial talent within your team, and how leveraging data and benchmarking can help you refine your strategy. This session helps you with the building blocks for scaling your business, and is perfect for ambitious founders seeking actionable insights on driving business growth and fostering resilient leadership.
-
-
14:25-14:45 - Scaling Soundwaves: Mayht’s Journey from Startup to Acquisition
In this fireside chat, we’ll catch up with Mattias Scheek as he shares valuable insights into scaling and refining your vision through entrepreneurial thinking. Discover how Mayht's founders redefined audio with their unique transducer design, navigated technical and business challenges, and seized market opportunities that culminated in the successful acquisition by Sonos. Gain practical advice on how to steer your scaleup towards strategic growth, attract investment, and capitalize on product innovation for long-term success.
-
-
14:45-15:25 - Scaling Up: Conquering the Challenges of Growth
This panel discussion brings together seasoned entrepreneurs and industry experts to dissect the hurdles faced by high-growth businesses. Gain invaluable insights on navigating critical scaling challenges, from preserving company culture amidst rapid expansion to securing funding and conquering new markets. Learn from the successes (and failures!) of those who have scaled their businesses to extraordinary heights.
-
-
15:25-15:30 - Introducing TNW Conference 2025
Hear from our Event Director, Zach Butler, on our plans for TNW Conference 2025 and how our event is changing to better support scaleups on their growth journey.
-
15:30-16:00 - Networking Break
-
16:00-17:00 - Workshops & Roundtables
Workshop: Exit Strategies – From Scale to Sale
For scaleups, having a well-defined exit strategy is essential, and while the image of ringing the bell at the stock exchange is iconic, M&A is also a very likely exit route. Join A&O Shearman’s workshop designed for scaleups and startup founders focused on the critical considerations for exit strategies. Learn from experts in the field who will share their firsthand experiences in navigating these high-stakes transitions. They discuss how to optimally prepare for an exit, manage the board, stakeholders, and cap table throughout the process, and ultimately position your business to achieve maximum value.
Moderated by Jort de Groodt, Senior Associate and Will Samengo-Turner, Technology Sector Lead
Roundtable: Funding the Next Big Leap
Join Marc Wesselink, Founding Partner at Venturerock, for an engaging roundtable on funding pathways beyond Series A. We’ll explore diverse options like venture capital, strategic partnerships, and more, as investors and founders discuss strategies for securing investment to fuel long-term growth and sustainability. This session provides key insights for scaleups and startups navigating their next financial milestone and investors looking to help them plan for the future.
Moderated by Marc Wesselink, Founding Partner, VenturerockRoundtable: Netherlands to Global: Going International
Expanding beyond the Dutch market brings both significant opportunities and complex challenges for scaleups. Join this roundtable to gain insights into strategies for seamless regional growth, covering compliance hurdles, market entry tactics, and effective customer acquisition. Share experiences and learn best practices from peers who have navigated these obstacles to take their startups from local success to global impact. Equip yourself with the knowledge to scale confidently and sustainably in diverse international markets.
(Moderator) Kimberly Ofori, CSO, Zarttech -
-
17:00-19:00 - Networking Drinks Reception
Who will be attending
Be in the room with the leaders and decision makers of: Accel Club, Alleo, Angara DX, Avi Medical Operations, BlackRock, Chargetrip, Clear.bio, Delmic, DeMonchy, Fectar, Flowview Diagnostics, Holland Capital, Imec.xpand, Indite Ventures, Inuka, KPN Ventures, Maesn, Mediahuis Ventures, NOWATCH, Secret View, Slingshot Ventures, Soolutions, Spotr, TRANSFERZ, TreasurUp, Voyc, Wizenoze, Workwize, and Wundermart.
Get in-front of this top tier, hand-selected crowd and become a thought-leader in the industry.
Partner today
Increase your brand's visibility, generate quality leads and position your brand as a top-tier player in the tech ecosystem.
The Soonicorn Summit is the ideal place to promote your business in front of scaleup founders in Benelux tech. Learn more about our sponsorship options below.