The Trial And Tested Method: Amsterdam Part 3

Every entrepreneur knows that trialling and testing is a must, and anyone working to help startups grow should know this applies to them too.

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That's why last month we put on our third Amsterdam popup – a tried and tested method of getting curious brands to collide with our incredible startups – this time with Nike, TNT/FedEx and Scotch and Soda.

We were joined by 10 startups across all of our cohorts and Booster Programme: Cablato, RTObjects, Unrival, Release, Duel, Storymail, Locomizer, Scoop Retail, Seenit and CampaignAmp, and just like before, trial budget was up for grabs, as each brand chose three or more startups to explore projects with.

Hosted at The Student Hotel in Amsterdam, we saw an incredible energy from the brand teams, with a number of high level executives taking part.

The brand experience first hand

Cesar Garcia, VP/GM of Western Europe Running at Nike said: “It was a great day, not just because of the result and opportunities ahead but also personally to be exposed to the thinking, entrepreneur mindset and solution oriented work style of the startups.”

Don't forget, we're open for applications to our first Amsterdam cohort! If you're a MadTech startup looking to change the world, or know someone who is, make sure you apply here.

Launching in Amsterdam with a bang

We couldn't just launch in Amsterdam without something pretty special, which is why this week some of our team headed out to the Dutch capital for our second popup.

Bringing brands and startups together is what we do best, and so this time round we were joined by a number of senior team members from both KPN and NS, hosted in Deloitte's iconic The Edge building.

Working with Ellen, Amsterdam Collider's co-founder to help establish their challenges, we identified the best startups to select for the popup and work directly with the teams.

Joined by a number of Collider startups including Pixoneye, Scoop Retail, Syncspot, Locomizer and Seenit, Collider Booster startup Duel, we also welcomed three startups from Belgium and Holland – Cabture, Social Seeder and Storymail.

Trial funds were up for grabs, so the popup meant business and gave both the startups and brands the chance to really knuckle down to see where they could work together.

But KPN and NS struggled to only pick one each, and so with Social Seeder and Storymail picked as the number-one-let's-do-this, there were many other promises of future conversations for others.

Ellen said: We designed the popup as a highly interactive session, where the corporates shared their challenges and topics of interests, allowing to identify together relevant applications of the startups’ technologies. KPN and NS have each chosen a startup for a trial project and invited several startups for follow-on conversations."

You'll be hearing much more from us in Amsterdam as we're now open for applications, as we scour the globe for the very best startups to join our first ever programme in Amsterdam. You can apply right here.

It's official! Collider set to launch in Amsterdam

We officially announced our big news today – Collider will be launching in Amsterdam next year! Below is our official press release. Please feel free to share to all, and if you'd like to get involved with our next step, we'd love to hear from you.

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For Immediate Release

Collider to launch new madtech accelerator in Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s startup scene continues to draw interest from overseas, as London’s leading marketing and advertising tech accelerator announce their plan to launch in the city.

Now onto their fifth cohort, Collider invests in early stage, madtech startups to help them become sustainable, rapidly growing businesses through investment, a highly structured programme and access to a wide, relevant network.

The accelerator focuses on the sweet spot between startups and brands and the commercial benefits they bring to one another.

Amsterdam will be the company’s first office outside of the UK.

Rose Lewis, Co-Founder and CEO of Collider said: “Amsterdam has a huge marketing and ad presence – the third largest in Europe – and many big brands have their global or European HQs there.

“The startup ecosystem is growing thanks to some great initiatives in the city, so it makes perfect sense for it to become Collider’s second city.”

The accelerator saw their first exit in 2016 with Class of 2013 cohort member, Avocarrot, selling to Glispa for $20 million.

The way the business works with corporates sees startups scale up with significant speed, reaching product market fit and ultimately secure deals. Collider UK partnerships include Unilever, Ogilvy, Haymarket and The Financial Times.

Ellen Bark-Lindhout, who's heading up the Amsterdam branch said: “Collider UK has a proven track record of accelerating marketing and ad tech startups and I am convinced there is lots of potential to do the same beyond London.

“One, because this year again we received a record number of startup applications from all over Europe, and two, because there are many great brands around Amsterdam that want to be close to the latest digital tech to innovate in marketing and e-commerce.”

Earlier this year, Collider hosted a popup in Amsterdam, connecting companies such as Heineken, Philips, NN Group and Ahold with a group of Collider startups.

Ellen said: “The positive reactions from both corporates and startups strengthened our plan to launch a programme in Amsterdam next year.”

Amsterdam’s Deputy Major, Kajsa Ollongren said: “I am pleased to welcome Collider and feel confident that their office in Amsterdam will be an excellent addition to the London office.

"Not only is Amsterdam Europe’s most connected tech city, it is also home to a vibrant creative industry. Collider's presence will lead to even more innovation in our marketing and advertising sector and attract entrepreneurial digital talent."

For more information Tazz Gault tazz@collider.io 07828672000