At restaurant ‘Techilicious’, young promising tech startups and corporates meet over a dining table. Making deals over fine dining, that is what incubator YES! Delft, Venture café and StartUp Delta aim for. This way, startups and corporates will get to know each other better and share new technologies. Of course the ultimate goal is to set up successful business collaborations. Special Envoy for Startup Delta Prince Constantijn van Oranje announced the first corporates for the 2017 edition at the ‘How To Get There Summit’ in The Hague last week. Leaders of Shell, KPN, Port of Rotterdam and TBI are going to be companies that startups can dine-to-deal with in the second edition of Techilicious!
What’s the deal?
The first edition of Techilicious in May 2016 was part of a larger event, namely the Startup Fest Europe. With over 30 events in only 1 week, it turned out to be a big success that spread out over 16 Dutch cities and attracted attendees from 49 countries. This first Techilicious event was a big success, as organisers claim that around 130 deals were made between 50 CEO’s, CFO’s and CTO’s and 50 innovative tech startups, who joined forces and made use of the opportunity. The informal setting turned out to be a perfect ingredient for pilot projects, funding and unique collaborations.
Delicious tech
Last year success inspired YES!Delft, Venture café and entrepreneurship Rotterdam to set the tables again for Techilicious in 2017. For one night only on Wednesday the 10th of May, a unique pop-up restaurant at YES!Delft’s headquarters will provide the essential ingredients for making a deal: Good food, good wine, a maximum of four people at a table and a matchmaking process which guarantee the best combinations of business flavours. The top of Dutch tech and startups will get together in an informal setting to share ideas and possibilities.
Ideas and possibilities on the menu
Paul Smits, CFO of the Port of Rotterdam, explains why he looks forward to participating in 2017: “By talking with entrepreneurs we look beyond our own walls, which inspires us and teaches us new insights. This brings innovative opportunities closer and enables you to swiftly bring a new technology to the market”. With the formula of Techilicous, beginning entrepreneurs will be treated with the level of same attention as the more experienced ones. Ideas and possibilities will be on the menu, as startups are offered a space to pitch their product while corporates encounter new business ideas! If all goes to plan the night will set some brilliant business deals in motion.
The hosts
YES!Delft, Venture café and StartUp Delta join forces to make Techilicous another great succes. With YES!Delft as the biggest tech incubator of Europe and Venture Café as the largest weekly innovation event in Rotterdam, their common goal is to help entrepreneurs with building and growing leading technology companies, and to mentor them along the way. Therefore YES!Delft offers guidance and support to graduates, scientists, engineers and professionals in their startup journey. Venture café gathers every Thursday to connect large national and international business communities and to make things happen!
Techilicious will take place on Wednesday the 10 May from 17:00 at the Restaurant Techilicious – YES!Delft. For more information about this exciting and unique event look at the website of Techilicious.
