What began as an innovation campus in the Groot Handelsgebouw has grown into one of Europe’s leading startup hubs, now home to hundreds of founders, scale-ups and international companies proud to call Rotterdam their home.
And we couldn’t have done it without you.
Now it’s time to celebrate! Join us for our Community Anniversary Party as we raise a glass to everything we’ve built together, and to the exciting future ahead.
This month, we are partnering with MKB Rotterdam Rijnmond on Thursday, September 3, to bring Rotterdam's innovation community together with regional SME entrepreneurs.
Program
- 15:30 — Doors open (Kaleidoscope)
- 15:50 — Speed dating: CIC participants matched exclusively with MKB participants
- 16:30 — Q&A with Brent Kunnen & Patrick Schilperoord
- 17:00 — Talk: Corporate meets Startup by Ulric Taylor and Edwin Jong (Deloitte)
- 17:45 — Drinks and networking (Venture Café)
- 19:00 — End
Two ways to join (registration required for both):
- Full program: Access to the Kaleidoscope sessions. Please note that these sessions will be held in Dutch.
- CIC Monthly Networking: Join us in the Venture Café starting at 17:00 for our usual monthly gathering.
On June 4, 2026, CIC Rotterdam and Rotterdam Sqaure will host an interactive roundtable event for entrepreneurs, innovators, educators, and ecosystem partners. An afternoon focused on meaningful exchange, practical insights, and building stronger connections across the community.
Roundtable Topics
Education
Bridging the gap between academia and industry, continuous learning, and specialized skill development.
Led by August Papadopoulos, Director Impact & Engagement at Erasmus University.
This roundtable focuses on how startups and universities can work together to drive innovation and talent development. Topics that can be discussed include how startups can partner with universities to access real-world evidence for regulatory filings, what an effective entrepreneurial fellowship could look like for PhD candidates building a company while completing their research, and how startups can collaborate with students through internships, including both the opportunities and the challenges this brings.
Recruitment
Attracting talent, retention strategies, and building a diverse, mission-driven workforce.
Led by Leon Commissaris, Principal Consultant at Spring Search.
This roundtable focuses on attracting, sourcing, and retaining toptalent in a highly competitive and fast-growing market. It covers the Value Proposition: beyond salary, what is the “hook” that attracts top-tier scientists and engineers in a global talent landscape. It also explores Niche Roles, focusing on how startups can source highly specialized profiles such as Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance, and Bioinformatics through unconventional channels. Retention in High-Growth looks at how to maintain a strong culture and keep early-stage talent engaged as the company scales beyond the “honeymoon” phase.
How to Build Your Company
Scaling operations, navigating regulatory hurdles, and securing sustainable funding.
Led by Bart Voorn, one of the founders of Ditto Care; a fast-growing healthcare startup that uses AI to clarify care.
This roundtable explores the balance between Infrastructure and Agility, focusing on when a lean startup should begin transitioning into a more structured organisation. It addresses the challenges of introducing processes, systems, and governance without losing the flexibility and speed that drive early-stage innovation. The discussion looks at how startups can scale responsibly while preserving the mindset and creativity that made them successful in the first place.
This edition of the CIC Monthly joins forces with Upstream Festival for a “Get Ready for Upstream” session. Expect a quick preview of what’s ahead, from program highlights to side events, and plenty of time to connect with founders, partners, and the wider ecosystem ahead of Upstream 2026.
This special edition gives founders, builders, innovators, and community members the opportunity to take the stage and share their story within 3 minutes max., all while networking with Rotterdam’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, our originally scheduled keynote speaker is no longer able to join us. Instead of canceling the evening, we’re turning this edition of CIC Monthly into something equally valuable and even more interactive.
Welcome to our Open Mic Edition.
This special format gives founders, builders, innovators, and community members the opportunity to take the stage and share their story within 3 minutes max., all while networking with Rotterdam’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Have a critical ask?
Raising funding?
Looking for a co-founder?
Hiring?
Launching something new?
Or simply ready to share an update?
This is your moment. Join us on Thursday the 5th!
The legal industry is at a turning point.
While AI promises a new era of efficiency, it faces a market defined by heavy regulation, low risk appetite, and the widespread fear that "robots will take our jobs".
How do you lead innovation in a sector defined by risk aversion?
For this edition of the CIC Monthly series, we are stripping away the hype to look at the reality of AI in the legal sector.
We’ll be inviting the co-founder and CEO of Zeno, Raoul Bouchrit, a legal-tech leader navigating the friction between tradition and transformation.
We will explore how to win over customers who are inherently risk-averse, how to compete with global giants like Harvey and Legera AI from a European base, and the logistical hurdles of scaling a product across borders where the law changes at every frontier. The discussion will be moderated by Lisette Braakenburg van Backum, Co-founder of Upstream Festival.
The CIC Community Meetup Grow, learn, collaborate
Join us for the first edition of CIC Rotterdam’s Community Meetup Series in 2026, this time in collaboration with Rotterdamse Uitdaging!
Our quarterly meetups spotlight some of the themes that define CIC’s identity — Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB), Ethical & Green AI, Social Impact, and Sustainability — and bring our community together to learn, connect, and celebrate innovation.
This February, we’ll dive into Social Impact, with a dynamic matchmaking session connecting CIC client businesses with social organisations spotlit by Rotterdamse Uitdaging. This is a unique opportunity to explore how your skills, products, and services can directly support social impact initiatives in the city — while building meaningful partnerships that create shared value.
These gatherings are an opportunity to share knowledge, spark collaborations, and strengthen our innovative community.