The Vibe of The Next Web

Back in 2006 Boris and I begun thinking about organizing a conference. That thinking lasted exactly 1 minute and the decision was made, a domain name was registered and the first speaker (Michael Arrington) was contacted. I’ve discussed the history of TNW in an earlier post.

Since the first conference up until now, preparing for the fifth conference (3 times as long and 4 times as big as the first one), we’ve learned a great deal about how to one.

Sometimes when look back at the good old days I think “OMG we were so young, unprofessional, but what a fun did we have”. We’ve grown older, not a big surprise, I dare to say that we’re very professional and the fun and passion has only grown. That is THE secret of The Next Web.

We started the conference out of pure passion and love for the web and the people behind it. That love and passion has continued to grow over the last couple of years.

Every year we want to improve, give even more value for money to our visitors and sponsors, better organization, more fun, more business.

I believe we’ve done a pretty good job (but there is always room for improvement). Take for instance our pricing model. Back in 2006 a ticket was 550 EUR for a 1 day conference, today you can buy a ticket for 575 EUR (early bird, limited availability) for a 3 day conference (normal ticket price 999 EUR). More value for money then ever.

For the people who have been to our previous conferences the next things are probably not new, but here are a few things that explain the vibe of The Next Web:

• All Next Webbers are passionate about the web. The web is the main driver for our businesses.
• All participants, speakers and organizers are easily approachable and open for new business opportunities and fun stories. There are no VIP rooms during parties: TNW people love to get in touch with each other.
• We supply a conference business network, so you can see who else is coming, search for potential new business contacts and make appointments during the conference. If used correctly you’ll get those extra contacts you miss out on other conferences.
• We want you to leave with at least 10 times the value you invested in the conference. Therefore we put a lot of effort into creating an inspiring and fun atmosphere.
• It is a very intensive conference full of interesting and inspiring talks and networking events and parties. Expect to be exhausted after your trip to TNW and Amsterdam.
• More vibes on the conference website

So I hope to see you all in Amsterdam, for a great conference in a great city with magnificent people