As of the beginning of January 2025, we are pleased to welcome Saskia Bosnie as the programme director a.i. of Amsterdam InChange. Saskia brings valuable experience from her previous role as director of Zuidoost City, where she successfully built strong connections between residents, businesses, educational institutions, and local entrepreneurs. Taking over from Francien, Saskia will work closely with the team to shape the programme’s future vision.
Together with the team, Saskia will focus on operationalizing this vision, developing concrete activities, and strengthening our proposition for partners and funding structures. A key priority will be to further strengthen and solidify our collaboration with Amsterdam Economic Board.
Saskia looks forward to contributing to innovative solutions for the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area together with our diverse partner network. Her passion for innovation, collaboration, and tackling complex challenges aligns with the ambitions of Amsterdam InChange.
[for English, scroll down]
Al 15 jaar zetten we als Amsterdam Smart City netwerk innovatie en digitalisering in voor betere straten, buurten en steden. We groeiden uit van het realiseren van energieprojecten, naar aanjagers op het gebied van digitalisering, naar een open innovatieplatform gericht op sociale innovatie. Altijd met de mens centraal. En we blijven groeien en ontwikkelen. Innovatie en digitalisering (lees ‘Smart’) zitten nog steeds in onze kern, maar de aandacht is verschoven naar hoe we de complexe maatschappelijke opgaven samen kunnen aanpakken, hoe iedereen hiervan kan profiteren en hoe we dit duurzaam en toekomstbestendig kunnen doen. En daar past een nieuwe naam bij. Een naam die beter aansluit bij wat we al doen en waar we naartoe onderweg zijn. We nodigen je uit om met ons mee te doen, op weg naar een duurzame toekomst voor iedereen.
InChange staat voor dynamiek, verschuiving en transformatie vanuit creatief denken. Het impliceert dat innovatie niet alleen gaat over nieuwe ideeën, maar ook over betekenisvolle veranderingen die gemeenschappen, bedrijven, individuen en de samenleving beïnvloeden.
‘In’ geeft aan dat innovatie momentum heeft; het is gaande, we zijn aan de slag! Het zegt ook dat het een gezamenlijke inspanning is, we hebben elkaar nodig. Het benadrukt dat elke belanghebbende, van de kleinste start-ups tot de grootste bedrijven, een cruciale rol speelt in deze transformatie.
‘Change’ versterkt het beoogde doel en resultaat van waar we met elkaar aan werken. Het gaat niet om innovatie omwille van innovatie, maar om innovatie gericht op tastbare, betekenisvolle veranderingen. Daarmee staat Amsterdam InChange voor een netwerk dat zich inzet om zichtbare en betekenisvolle verandering teweeg te brengen. En zo samen te leren hoe het anders kan.
Er is de afgelopen tijd veel veranderd: een nieuwe naam, een nieuw logo, nieuwe kleuren en een website die er anders uitziet. We leggen je graag meer uit over dit proces.
Wat betekent dit voor jou? Voor de online community verandert er voorlopig nog niet veel. We hebben een nieuwe website, die we later gaan samenvoegen met ons online Amsterdam Smart City platform. Je behoudt gewoon je account en je kunt het platform blijven gebruiken zoals je dat gewend bent.
Mocht je verdere vragen hebben over onze rebranding en online community, neem gerust contact op met ons team via info@amsterdaminchange.com.
For 15 years, the Amsterdam Smart City network has been using innovation and digitalization to create better streets, neighborhoods, and cities. We grew from realizing energy projects to becoming leaders in digitalization, and now to an open innovation platform focused on social innovation. Always with people at the center. And we continue to grow and develop. Innovation and digitalization (read 'Smart') are still at our core, but the focus has shifted to how we can tackle complex societal challenges together, how everyone can benefit, and how we can do this sustainably and future-proof. This calls for a new name, one that better aligns with what we already do and where we are headed. We invite you to join us on the journey towards a sustainable future for all.
InChange stands for dynamism, shift, and transformation through creative thinking. It implies that innovation is not just about new ideas, but also about meaningful changes that affect communities, businesses, individuals, and society.
‘In’ signifies that innovation has momentum; it is ongoing, we are taking action! It also suggests that it is a collective effort; we need each other. It emphasizes that every stakeholder, from the smallest start-ups to the largest companies, plays a crucial role in this transformation.
‘Change’ reinforces the intended goal and outcome of what we are working on together. It is not about innovation for the sake of innovation, but about innovation aimed at tangible, meaningful changes. Thus, Amsterdam InChange represents a network committed to bringing about visible and meaningful change. And so, together, we learn how things can be done differently.
In the last weeks, a lot has changed: a new name, a new logo, new colors, and a different website. We are pleased to tell you more about this process.
What does this mean for you? For now, the online community remains the way it is. We have a new website, which we will later merge with our online Amsterdam Smart City platform. You will keep your account and can continue to use the platform like your used to.
If you have any further questions about our rebranding and online community, please feel free to contact our team via info@amsterdaminchange.com.
Imagine a world where everyday objects are imbued with the power of generative AI. What possibilities and challenges would emerge? ThingsCon aims to explore this frontier by inviting designers to create provotypes of the near future “generative things”.
To ignite imagination and foster meaningful discussions, we like to use the concept of “provotypes” – provocative prototypes of generative things. These tangible glimpses into tomorrow are catalysts, opening up critical dialogues about our impending relationships with AI-infused objects.
The exhibition “Generative Things” premiered at TH/NGS 2024 on 13 December 2024 in Volkshotel Amsterdam and will travel to other places in 2025, sparking conversations and imagination. ThingsCon organizes this initiative in collaboration with the Master Digital Design of Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and Waag Futurelab.
15 April. Speculative Design Workshop; An Immersive Future Zine
Connected to Salon, we organize a speculative design workshop where we create a Future Zine that brings the provotypes to life using speculative design methodologies. The outcomes will be used to create immersive experiences with the provotypes that can be presented and discussed with the visitors of the future fest in June.
Preliminary program of the SDW
09:30 Introduction and icebreaker
10:00 Inspirations from the future
10:30 Discuss in groups per provotype possible future scenarios
11:30 Share and sync the different narratives
12:30 lunch
13:30 Create a contribution to the Future Zine
16:30 Share and wrap-up
The Future Zine is proposed as an online publication with immersive capabilities, the framework will be prepared by ThingsCon.
Location
The Speculative Design Workshop will take place Tuesday 15 April at the location of Master Digital Design, Theo Thijssen Huis building, 4th floor, Wibautstraat Amsterdam.
Read more on the backgrounds of the project on the website.
Imagine a world where everyday objects are imbued with the power of generative AI. What possibilities and challenges would emerge? ThingsCon aims to explore this frontier by inviting designers to create provotypes of the near future “generative things”.
To ignite imagination and foster meaningful discussions, we like to use the concept of “provotypes” – provocative prototypes of generative things. These tangible glimpses into tomorrow are catalysts, opening up critical dialogues about our impending relationships with AI-infused objects.
The exhibition “Generative Things” premiered at TH/NGS 2024 on 13 December 2024 in Volkshotel Amsterdam and will travel to other places in 2025, sparking conversations and imagination. ThingsCon organizes this initiative in collaboration with Master Digital Design of Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Waag Futurelab, and is part of the Amsterdam 750 futures program.
14 April: exhibition and workshop
Next up, we’re taking Generative Things to Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Our next public event, scheduled for late 14 April, will feature:
We’re revisiting the provotypes to create “situated designs” that respond to Amsterdam’s unique context. By partnering with local societal organizations, we’ll develop specific scenarios to test our provotypes in real-world settings, bringing the future of Generative Things to life in our city’s streets and spaces.
The outcomes will be an inspiration and a point of departure for a speculative design workshop on 15 April to create a future zine. We have a separate RSVP for this workshop day.
The program of the Salon:
14:00-15:00 Visit the exhibition with provotypes
15:00-17:00 Workshop to sketch out interactions in the city with each provotype
17:00-19:00 Share results, drinks
If you can not make it to the workshop but like to see the results, feel free to drop by at 17h.
Location
The Salon and the Makeathon will take place Monday 14 April at the location of Master Digital Design, Theo Thijssenhuis building, 4th floor, Wibautstraat Amsterdam.
Read more about the background of the project on the website.
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with our esteemed Patron member Validata, cordially invites you to an exclusive networking event on The Ins and Outs of Employment Background Screening in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Europe.
Join us as Harm Voogt, Managing Director of Validata Group, shares insights into the company’s journey, its expansion into Sweden, and strategies for navigating an undeveloped market. He will also discuss key industry trends shaping the future of employment screening. Following this, we will explore the latest developments, challenges, and best practices in employment background screening across Europe, providing valuable insights for businesses and professionals alike.
