The Rotterdam Experiment: The Future of Events 2030 - The Rotterdam Way

Under the title of The Rotterdam Experiment, the city of Rotterdam explores what the future of the event industry will look like. In a series of seven hybrid collaboration experiments, innovative solutions within and outside the sector are shared and tested with the industry. All this takes place under the guidance of Rotterdam futurist and bestselling author Yuri van Geest. The Rotterdam Experiment is an initiative of the Rotterdam Partners Convention Bureau.

The corona crisis has had an enormous impact on the events industry. The consequences are felt not just in Rotterdam but worldwide. Work came to an abrupt halt, conferences and events were cancelled or postponed and creative online solutions were needed fast. The long-term consequences for the sector are unclear and not only influenced by COVID-19. An awareness of the impact of the industry on the climate and the digitisation of events and conferences has been a trend for a while. Now is the time to innovate, experiment and investigate what the future holds.

Yuri van Geest: “We are entering a new world: from control to trust, from scarcity to abundance, from separation to unity and from short to long term. In our hearts we are connected to ourselves, each other, nature ánd the universe. We  allow necessary imagination for the transformation of the system that is now revealing itself. For the event industry this means, among other things, space for co-creation, longer content driven sessions, deep, personal and professional stories, retreats and new forms of being together.”

The Rotterdam Experiment meets that challenge head-on. Rotterdam is internationally renowned for its innovative drive and willingness to experiment. It’s a city where residents and entrepreneurs contribute to the new, resilient, circular economy with their initiatives and sustainable solutions and thus offer solutions to global problems. Even in times like these, the city’s desire for innovation remains strong.

Each Experiment takes place at a different location and is organised in a hybrid form. This means that a select group is physically present, and a larger audience can interactively ‘experiment’ with it at home or elsewhere. Each Experiment focuses on one theme and holds a panel discussion with relevant guests. The primary goal is to find solutions for the event of the future with seven different Experiments and seven different themes. All acquired knowledge is, as befits a true experiment, shared online. The data and themes of the upcoming Experiments can also be found online.

The first edition of The Rotterdam Experiment focuses on mixed reality and connecting the ‘real’ and virtual world within networking. It will take place both online and in the Postillion Hotel & Convention Centre WTC on Thursday 3 December. VR expert Freek Teunen is one of the experts involved in this first experiment.