Dutch start-ups in the spotlight
During the week of MWC and 4YFN, Future Network Services (FNS) organized a networking dinner with the theme: “How Dutch disruptors are changing the European ecosystem.” Organized together with our partners BTG, InnovationQuarter, and Innovally, the evening took place at the beautiful Restaurant Nuara overlooking Port Olímpic.
The event gathered start-ups, corporates and policymakers, to facilitate collaboration and help Dutch innovators take their next step in Europe.
Opening & introductions
The evening opened with a short introduction hosted by moderator Danny Frietman, followed by a short conversation with Paul Wijngaard, Petra Claessen and Lars Crama. Each reflected on the importance of this year’s Dutch presence at MWC/4YFN.
Paul Wijngaard (FNS) emphasized that for FNS: "MWC is the platform where connections start.”
Petra Claessen (BTG) celebrated BTG’s 40‑year milestone and highlighted BTG’s growing commitment to supporting early‑stage innovators: “BTG is proud to be part of FNS. Our theme this year is creating impact.”
Lars Crama (InnovationQuarter) shared his impression of the event: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Collaboration is key—and these first two days have shown how powerful that collaboration can be.”
Welcome by the Ministry of Economic Affairs
The audience then welcomed Angela van Diejen from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Angela shared insights into her role leading the digital infrastructure and innovation teams: “The innovation showcased here is incredibly inspiring. The ideas we see help strengthen our country’s digital future.”
Start-ups at the Heart of the Evening
After dinner officially kicked off, all start-ups introduced themselves in one sentence—name, company, and mission—followed by their critical ask, the concrete request for help with their next step.
The asks ranged widely, including support in end‑of‑line testing, support to enable construction of a factory, access to Nordic resellers and integrators, and partners to help scale globally. Several start-ups were seeking investment or additional funding .
Each table worked collaboratively to help start-ups refine strategies, identify partners, and to see if they can make relevant introductions to other comopanies.
Keynote by Nokia CTO Europe: Laying the groundwork for a thriving 6G future
A highlight of the evening was the keynote by Azfar Aslam, CTO Nokia Europe, who outlined why Europe must prepare now for the future of connectivity and intelligence.
He noted that 2026 marks the arrival of AI in Europe at massive scale, and that upcoming megacities—with populations of 20 million each, numbering over 100 worldwide in 2040 —will drive unprecedented demand for spectrum and new network architectures.
His key message:
- We are building networks for intelligence—not just for people, but for things, robots, and autonomous systems.
- 6G will move beyond connectivity to become AI‑native platforms.
Azfar Aslam emphasized Nokia’s commitment: “We are proud to be part of this program. If there’s a business fit, we will always explore how Nokia can support start-ups.”
Closing & Dessert
After a final round with several start-ups—each sharing their take‑away—Danny invited everyone to continue the conversation at the dessert buffet.
The FNS networking dinner showed the diversity of Dutch innovators. With the combined support of BTG, InnovationQuarter, Innovally, Dutch start-ups are to shape our digital future.