Congresses, seminars and webinars 
New Business Roundtable

The New Business Roundtable is a European network of executives in New Business Development and Innovation from companies such as Google, KPN, ING, Arcadis, Eneco, AkzoNobel, Achmea, IBM, Arcadis, Damen, Boskalis and Philips.  

Jan van den Ende, professor of Innovation and Technology Management at Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University, is the initiator of this. From 2018, VKOZ organises the events of the New Business Roundtable. Their conference takes place twice a year and a seminar three times a year.

The congress is organised every year in April and October, where we have been able to organise these congresses in a safe manner, even in times of Covid. Each time the congress has different topics, such as Agile portfolio management, Ecosystem innovation and Scaling up innovation projects. We often have our full day events at Karel V in Utrecht. This beautiful historic building is within walking distance of Utrecht Central station, but it looks like you are on an estate.  

The aim of each congress is to share ‘lessons learned’ related to the topics, regarding on in-depth discussions based on existing cases of the participants. The morning starts with a plenary session and guest speakers from (inter)national universities and large corporates. After lunch, the group is dived into several working groups in different rooms, facilitated by academics. The day ends with a reception in the beautiful courtyard.

The seminars are held throughout the year at various locations such as CIC in Rotterdam, Media Plaza, Creative Valley and Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. Each time the topic differs with a an appropiate cademic guest speaker. Names such as Professor Frank Piller from Germany, Erkko Autio from England and Professor Ashish Sood from California, United States have come over. The aim of the seminars is to exchange experience in an interactive way. The participants do assignments in which confidential information is discussed, of course in a safe place. The meeting is concluded with a networking drink, so that participants can talk to each other in an informal way.