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About
About Upstream
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Rotterdam
May 20, 2027
Tickets
Tickets

Connecting startups, capital and opportunities

Upstream is where early-stage startups find capital and opportunities. Founders and investors are invited to join us to spark growth through funding opportunities, strategic partnerships and peer-learning. Upstream brings in some special focus on three industry tracks being, Port & Maritime, Health & Wellbeing, and Climate & Energy, while continuing to welcome innovations from all sectors. Whether you’re raising, investing, or looking to connect with peers, this community-driven festival is your gateway to meaningful connections. Save the date: May 20, 2027

Climate & Energy, Health & Wellbeing, Port & Maritime

While the opportunity to connect with peers remains relevant for founders across all industries, Upstream puts a special focus on innovation happening in the the fields of Climate & Energy, Health & Wellbeing and Port & Maritime. These three tracks are not just themes – they are the core of the festival. Together with our partners, these tracks will be shaped into relevant content, bringing in specialized investors who truly understand these domains, and support the most innovative founders who are building solutions that move the needle.
LEARN MORE

This was Upstream 2026

2000+

attendees at the main and side events

Over 2000 startups, investors and ecosystem builders connected across 4 different industry tracks over the entire Upstream week. If you'd like to dive deeper into the numbers, download are full impact report. Want to join us next year? Save the date for May 20th, 2027.

Community

driven

You joined a variety of side events that took place over multiple days and included partner-created sessions for founders, investors and ecosystem builders.

28

speakers & workshop hosts

We hosted 28 inspirational talks, workshops and panels.

Download impact report 2026

View gallery

Catch a glimpse of Upstream Festival and check out all the photos and videos.

2026

View photos

2025

View photos

Speakers

Check out some of the speakers of previous Upstream Festivals.

Constantijn van Oranje
Special Envoy Techleap
Melissa Ablett-Jordaan
Founder Sibyl
Matthijs Welle
CEO Mews
Vicky Kuang
Investor Draper Associates
Siete Hamminga
CEO Robin Radar Systems
Sophie Heijenberg
Venture Capital investor Graduate Ventures
Hans Scheffer
CEO HelloPrint
Arosha Brouwer
Chief Impact Officer TrueTribe
View more speakers
Want to stay up to date with what we are doing? Subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to know.

Why attend?

Founders

  • Connect with other founders
  • Meet investors
  • Grow and scale your business

Investors

  • Find new deals
  • Meet (co-)investors
  • Showcase your expertise

Change Makers

  • Meet curated startups
  • Learn from other innovators
  • Highlight your impact

Program

Our founder-focused program consisted of carefully chosen speakers, active workshops, speeddating and engineered serendipity. And you enjoyed the best of what our Dutch ecosystem has to offer at official side events. Upstream provided the space to thrive and build companies that change the world for the better. Save the date for Upstream Festival 2027: May 20.

check out the program here

Updates

View all updates
November 4, 2026

Are Dutch founders playing it too safe? Building a European culture of ambition

What does it mean to win? It sounds like a straightforward question.

Read more
October 21, 2026

Too early, almost wrong, finally inevitable: Siete Hamminga on surviving before the market catches up

What happens when you build the right solution at the wrong time?

Read more
October 7, 2026

Recognising when it is time to exit: Arosha Brouwer on finding the right window

When should a founder consider an exit? For many entrepreneurs, it is a question that feels almost uncomfortable to ask.

Read more
View all updates

Partners

Meet our partners driving Upstream forward.
Learn more about becoming a partner
Main Partners
Program Partners