From the Netherlands to Austin: NDW Takes the SXSW Music Festival by Storm

New Dutch Wave is bringing its A-game to South By Southwest (SXSW) this year. The showcase will feature innovative Dutch ideas and talents that focus on making the world better for people and the planet. Mayor Aboutaleb, VanMoof, Altin Gün, and Dutch startups are among the highlights of the program. The showcase will also feature a range of talents from the creative sector, including designers, photographers, policymakers, and more. NDW aims to accelerate international cooperation and innovation and offers Dutch participants opportunities to make new international contacts. The premiere of the showcase will be available to watch live, and interested parties can register via the NDW website.

Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb, VanMoof, Altin Gün, and Dutch startups on the SXSW stage

The city of Rotterdam is gearing up to showcase its energy transition, creativity, and innovation capacity on March 18th. Mayor Aboutaleb will be leading the charge, along with Dutch CTO of Amazon, Werner Vogels, and VanMoof’s Taco Carlier, who are set to speak at SXSW. But it’s not just the tech industry that’s getting in on the action – the SXSW Music Festival will feature the Turkish-Dutch psychedelic folk band Altin Gün and Amsterdam’s own bassist and singer-songwriter Nana Adjoa.

But the real stars of the show are the Dutch startups selected for the SXSW Pitch. Dayrize.com, AlphaBeats, and VideoWindoW are all on deck to showcase their innovative products and ideas. Whether it’s Dayrize.com’s sustainable e-commerce platform, AlphaBeats’ AI-powered music therapy, or VideoWindoW’s interactive digital signage, these startups are a testament to the Netherlands’ thriving tech scene.

It’s clear that Rotterdam is a city on the rise, with a strong focus on sustainability and innovation. From electric bikes to cutting-edge startups, the city is leading the way in the energy transition. But it’s not just about the tech – Rotterdam is also home to a vibrant arts and culture scene, as evidenced by the talented performers selected for SXSW.

In the New Dutch Wave showcase, startups, artists, designers, photographers, policymakers, and talents from the creative sector come to the fore, startups and the following talents, among others, participate:

New Dutch Wave at SXSW

Barbera Wolfensberger is a force to be reckoned with in the Dutch creative scene. As the Director-General of Culture and Media at the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, she’s involved in a wide range of initiatives including Creative Holland, House of Denim, Niet Normaal, Dutch Design Foundation, Dutch Digital Design, and more.

But that’s not all. Wolfensberger is also a supporter of rising talents like Solar Designer Marjan van Aubel, Designer Matilde Boelhouwer, DJ Lady Bee, and DJ Jennifer Cooke. On top of that, she’s involved in organizations like DuPho, de Melkweg, School of House, The Creative Chef, Eurosonic Noorderslag, Dutch Music Export, and municipalities like Amsterdam, Groningen, Rotterdam, and Zoku.

And if that wasn’t impressive enough, Wolfensberger is also involved in the New Dutch Wave, a virtual booth at the SXSW Exhibition that brings together the world’s top creative innovators and leaders. This offers Dutch participants the chance to make new international contacts and showcase their talents on a global stage.

With Wolfensberger at the helm, the Dutch creative scene is in good hands.

Collaboration and creativity go hand in hand when it comes to driving innovation and societal change. As Barbera Wolfensberger puts it, “culture, creativity, and imagination are the bedrock of renewal and innovation.” By working together and sharing ideas, we can harness the power of design and storytelling to tackle pressing social challenges like the energy transition.

Speaking of creativity, the New Dutch Wave (NDW) is set to showcase its latest work at SXSW. If you’re interested in catching the premiere, you can register on their website. And for those who can’t make it in person, fear not! The NDW team will be hosting a Clubhouse session live from Amsterdam during the screening. So sit back, relax, and get ready to be inspired by the power of collaboration and creativity!

Register Premiere NDW showcase

NDW will broadcast the premiere of its showcase in full, live from the SXSW stage. Interested parties who want to attend the virtual screening can register through the website.

The New Dutch Wave team will organize a Clubhouse session during the launch, “live” from Zoku Amsterdam at 17:00 CET on March 18.