KVK Innovation Top 100

As an entrepreneur, you know that growth doesn’t happen by itself. It’s only possible if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves. Do you want to tackle your company's growth issues and are looking for concrete tools to get started? Then come to the KVK Innovation Top 100 Event in Rotterdam Ahoy, where growth and development are central.

In one day, we’ll zoom in on the ‘inevitable acts of growth’. These are the things you need to sort out sooner or later if you want to maintain the upward trend of your business growth. For example, what are the different routes to funding your growth ambition? How do you deal with the changing needs and expectations of your staff? What data are you collecting with your business, and how can you use this to become more productive? How do you set up your business so that you can step out of the daily operations and, above all, reach for the sky?

What can you expect?

KVK and its knowledge partners will help you answer these questions during the KVK Innovation Top 100 Event. Also take inspiration from the stories and experiences of other experienced entrepreneurs. They’ll share their insights on what it takes to maintain healthy growth.

Take part in the sessions that fit your situation. Listen to concrete and powerful advice during the Top Sessions (Topsessies), identify with the experiences shared at the Inspiration Arena (Inspiratie-arena), and spar with like-minded entrepreneurs at the Network Tables (Netwerktafels). While at the Top 100 Expo, you can get to know 100 of the Netherlands' most innovative SMEs and admire their innovations. And of course, from 16:15,  we’ll also announce the winner of the KVK Innovation Top 100 for 2024. Read more about the programme below.

Inspiration Arena

Thijs Swinkels of Brownies&downieS on the power of formula thinking

Thijs Swinkels knows better than anyone how to make the most of the unique strengths of your business. He turned Brownies&DownieS into a solid franchise formula, enabling it to grow to 60 branches throughout the Netherlands. An adventure accompanied by growth spurts. Swinkels now helps entrepreneurs build distinctive business formulas that are scalable and future-proof.

Evelien Remmelts of Whoppah on conquering Europe with designer furniture

Remmelts shares Whoppah's inspiring story. From the first steps to the moment the first millions were raised. She tells how the team invited customers to the office for valuable feedback, experimented with a showroom, and always kept dreaming of more. Because their ambition is clear: Whoppah must become the largest marketplace for second-hand designer furniture. What steps do you take when scaling up abroad? How do you deal with the established order and what challenges do you encounter during rapid growth?

Bart Dingjan of De Koffiejongens on making an unsustainable industry sustainable

De Koffiejongens are pushing hard to change the traditional coffee landscape. What started as an idea from 2 friends at the kitchen table has grown into a successful business that is conquering the European market. Based on their sustainable mission, they are experimenting: shipping coffee on sailing ships, fossil-free roasting, or delivery by bike or on foot wherever possible. They show that they really go the extra mile, which results in a solid brand and loyal customers. CEO Bart Dingjan shares what challenges they have encountered in their growth adventure, how they are moving the coffee market, and what the secret of their PR strategy is.

Top sessions

Subsidies to feed your growth ambition

Many entrepreneurs do not know that you can also finance growth ambitions with subsidies. And that a grant application is less complex than many people think. Sander de Klerk of The Good Roll, a producer of sustainable toilet paper, had a dream of doing business internationally with a positive impact. However, raising traditional funding proved difficult. With help from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency's knowledge and grant schemes, de Klerk got the production of bamboo toilet paper in Ghana off the ground.

Doing more with fewer employees

A growing business generally also requires more productivity. But because the labour market is under pressure, it is increasingly difficult to find good staff. How do you get more done with fewer people? And how do you make sure your business and employees keep developing? Goedele Geuskens of TNO is an expert in the field of safe, productive, and sustainable working. Today, she maps out what the employee of the future needs.

From 20 to 2000 orders per day

What do you do when your product goes viral and your sales go through the roof? Millions of views on TikTok gave De Bonte Koe Chocolade an explosion of online orders, while long queues stood in front of the shop in Schiedam. To keep up with the sudden demand, they had to make tough choices. What data helped them make those choices? How did they keep a grip on productivity? And how do you maintain the effect of such an unexpected spike? Amy Klein of De Bonte Koe Chocolade explains.

Controlled delegation

Anyone who works in the fitness industry knows that consistency leads to the best results. Joery Jansen of Reset Trainingscompany uses this mindset to realise their growth ambitions together with his partner Sjoerd Breedveld. No ‘go with the flow’, but sticking to a carefully developed strategic growth plan with iron discipline. This is how they ensure that the business and its employees are in top shape to achieve major growth ambitions.

Network Tables

In 20-minute rounds, you will engage in a conversation about a recognisable entrepreneurial issue with a small group of like-minded people and experts. Build on each other's ideas and learn how to tackle your pitfalls. The networking tables are organised by theme.

• Hoe krijg ik toegang tot financiering (How to access funding)
  Wouter van der Kley, ROM Nederland

• Groeien door te verduurzamen (Growing by being sustainable)
  Adviser from Qredits

• Zakenpartners vinden in het buitenland (Find business partners abroad)
  Lambêr van Nispen, Enterprise Europe Network

• Je bedrijf uitbreiden (Expand your business)
  Thijs Swinkels, Brownies&downieS

• Delegeren kun je leren (You can learn to delegate)
  Joery Janssen, Reset Trainingscompany

• Zo krijg je innovatie van de grond (This is how you get innovation off the ground)
  Jorus Everaerd, TNO Fast Track

• Winstgevend én mvo (Profitable and a CSR)
  Sander de Klerk, The Good Roll

• Subsidie voor je groeiambitie (Subsidy for your growth ambition)
  Simone Stubenitsky, Netherlands Enterprise Agency

• Zo willen mensen voor je bedrijf werken (This is what makes people want to work for you)
  Judith le Fèvre, Ferr-Tech

• Een sterk (mvo) merk bouwen (Building a strong (CSR) brand)
  Bart Dingjan, De Koffiejongens

• Tijd voor inclusie en diversiteit (Time for inclusion and diversity)
  Adviser from Het Versnellingshuis

• De grens over (Crossing the border)
  Evelien Remmelts, Whoppah