The Vibe of the Future Festival is about to transform Nijmegen into a hotbed of innovation and inspiration. From September 21 to 28, 2024, you can spend a week getting acquainted with the most innovative ideas and impactful enterprises from our region. We spoke with Hilmer, one of the driving forces behind the festival, and Yvette, community manager and co-organizer, to learn more about the vision, program, and ambitions of this special festival.
"Nijmegen and the surrounding region have long been an incubator for innovation. Groundbreaking innovations are developed here that have a global impact. Think of the leading positions Nijmegen holds in the fields of Health, High Tech, and the cross-overs between them," says Hilmer. With The Vibe of the Future Festival, they want to give a platform to the entire spectrum of innovation beyond these focus areas and allow visitors of different ages and educational levels to experience the future in their own way. For 7 days, the festival brings the future to Nijmegen, where innovation, creativity, and collaboration are central.
The festival's program is set up as a kind of 'mosaic': different components, colors, and genres come together in a colorful week full of events, organized by various partners. This format is comparable to events like Dutch Design Week and Amsterdam Dance Event. "The idea is to stimulate cross-pollination between different sectors and disciplines. By bringing together people who normally stay in their own 'silo', we can take new steps in innovation," says Yvette.
The Driving Forces Behind the Festival
Hilmer Thijs (38) has been closely involved with INNOVATE since 2014, an organization that focuses on celebrating, promoting, and inspiring innovators in the Nijmegen and Arnhem region. This organization is known for events such as The Night of Space, The Most Innovative Student in the Netherlands, and since this year, the lead organizer of The Vibe of the Future Festival 2024. Hilmer has been the general director for two years now, after being the creative director for three years. "INNOVATE gives me energy because it's always beautiful to see how people dedicate themselves to a better world. Small or large, all innovators are working towards progress."
Yvette Akkermans (51) has been the community manager at the Noviotech Campus since February 2022. She has worked hard to put The Vibe of the Future Festival on the map. "It's great to see how many hidden gems from this region are now becoming visible. For me personally, it's important to always keep innovating and working towards a better society. Innovation goes beyond making life easier; it's about making progress together for people and nature."
An Invisible Energy That Connects Us
What exactly does The Vibe of the Future stand for? "We were looking for a name that not only focuses on innovation but also radiates the energy and atmosphere of the future. The Vibe of the Future is exactly that: a vibe, an invisible energy that connects us and gives us a glimpse of what the world of tomorrow could look like," says Hilmer. According to them, innovation is not just about technology, it's also about community thinking. "It's about something you feel, together with others, and that's what we want to emphasize with this name."
The Vibe of the Future Festival is a unique opportunity to catch a glimpse of the future and meet interesting people who are daily involved in innovative projects. The festival not only offers the opportunity to discover new things but also to expand your network and form collaborations. "We hope that innovators and changemakers will find each other here and that new ideas will emerge. Maybe a student will be noticed by a company, and a new collaboration will arise that leads to something big."
The festival collaborates with an enormous number of companies and players in the innovative sector. Think of companies on the Noviotech Campus like NXP. Knowledge institutions such as Radboud University, Radboudumc, HAN, and ROC are also involved because of their inventions and practical applications. The Technology Day is organized by ROC and VNO-NCW. In addition, they receive a lot of support from the government, such as the municipality of Nijmegen.
A Colorful Program
The festival week begins on Saturday, September 21, with a Technology Day organized for youth by VNO-NCW at the location of Technovium of ROC Nijmegen. Whether you want to do experiments, make something, program, or just play with technology – it's all possible! For students, there's the HERO Entrepreneurs event on Tuesday evening, September 24, at the HAN, where you can meet various entrepreneurial heroes.
For film lovers, there's a special film screening by InScience at LUX Nijmegen on Monday, September 23. Three films will be shown on the theme of the future of health. After the films, there's also an opportunity to ask questions. Also on Monday, September 23 there is a Collegetour met Julie Hoebink (MakeMyDay) organized by StartUp Nijmegen @the Meesterproef. During the Demo Day organized by Mercator Launch on Friday, September 27, startups, scale-ups, and innovators from Nijmegen will give special demos of their innovations. This event takes place on the Erasmus Square of the Heijendaal Campus.
Do you want to know what Nijmegen is currently working on, and where it's heading in the coming years? Then come to the INNOVATE Meetup on Thursday evening, September 26, at Noviotech Campus. A great place to network and get inspired!
It's a festival for everyone. The program is very diverse and is built from a target group perspective. Whether you're a student, an entrepreneur, or just an enthusiast, there's something for everyone. "We want to appeal to everyone, from experts to tech enthusiasts to curious citizens."
The Future of the Future Festival
"If successful, we'll continue with The Vibe of the Future Festival. We can grow the festival into an event that spans two weeks and two cities," says Hilmer. "We're thinking of a festival that connects Nijmegen and Arnhem, with Nijmegen focusing on Health & High Tech, and Arnhem on Energy & Creativity. By collaborating in this way, we can bundle the strengths in this region even more."
View the aftrermovie of the first festival edition in 2022 here: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BJNuO9G9xXI?si=mNuOApQMAzazc1wr" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Vibe of the Future Festival takes place from September 21 to 28 at various locations in Nijmegen. Curious about the full program? Check out the website: www.vibeofthefuture.com.
An Invisible Energy That Connects Us
