Upstream Festival eyes independent future with support from Rotterdam’s startup ecosystem and the municipality

A group of entrepreneurs and investors from Rotterdam is starting to explore how to make Upstream Festival independent. 

The Municipality of Rotterdam is supporting this plan and will stay involved as a strategic partner in the coming months.

Catalyst for growth and connection

Upstream Festival was started in 2020 by the municipality of Rotterdam together with several key partners from the regional innovation landscape.

The event connects startups, scale-ups, investors, corporates, and policymakers, and in six years has grown into an internationally recognised startup and innovation festival.

The programme is co-designed by a broad network of partners, including Rabobank, the municipality of Delft, and the province of South Holland.

Since its inception, Upstream has brought together over 10,000 startup founders, investors, innovative corporates, and other stakeholders in Rotterdam and the region.

In addition to the main programme, which takes place annually at a central location, the festival’s programme is shaped by dozens of co-creation partners from the ecosystem.

The goal of Upstream is to connect startup founders to capital, (international) markets, and talent – the crucial building blocks for the sustainable growth of innovative companies.

By facilitating these connections, Upstream actively contributes to the transition to a carbon-neutral, circular, inclusive, and digital economy.

Exploring an independent future

Lisette Braakenburg van Backum and Robbin Hoogstraten are working on making the festival independent, alongside the organisation that runs Upstream.

The duo has successfully organised several editions together in the past.

A group of well-known entrepreneurs and investors from Rotterdam’s startup scene is supporting this effort.

Notable supporters include Hans Scheffer (HelloPrint), Hendrik Halbe (Unknown Group), Jos Lazet (Blockrise), Michael van Lier (Builders), and Ohad Gilad (Keadyn). They are looking into how the festival can become fully independent.

This change will help the organisation grow sustainably and allow for more entrepreneurship and collaboration within the community.

Further steps are expected in 2025 to further professionalise Upstream and prepare it for a sustainable future as an independent driver of innovation.

“We believe that, as an independent organisation, Upstream will have more room to enter into sustainable partnerships and grow into an international player,” said Lisette Braakenburg van Backum.

Municipality remains a partner

The Municipality of Rotterdam welcomes this development as a logical next step in Upstream’s growth.

“We are proud of what Upstream has built in a short time. The step to take the initiative forward from the ecosystem itself shows that the festival has broad support. As a municipality, we remain a committed partner in this transition,” said Robert Simons, Rotterdam alderman for Port, Economy, Catering, and Governance (districts and small towns).