A techfest edition centred around digital autonomy and sovereignty, as well as European alternatives to Big Tech.
Europe and the Netherlands face a crucial choice: do we remain dependent on Big Tech, or do we take control of our digital sovereignty? Dependence on Google, Microsoft, Amazon and ChatGPT carries risks: privacy, security and control over our own data and infrastructure. But how do we make that change a reality?
We've seen just how quickly minds change about how important sovereignty is. The Dutch company DigID went from not worth buying to its sale being blocked by the Dutch government - as a matter of public interest and national security, no less - when an American company intended to buy the company - and its database of citizen's personal data. Europe's General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) are at the forefront of digital security, but dependance on Big Tech leaves us signing over our rights for convenience.
At EU TechFest, we're creating a unique experience where we bring the tech ecosystem together to get hands-on with European technology, learn what laws govern the tech world, and talk about how to break things off with Big Tech. From local cloud solutions to ethical AI, from open-source software to data management: we'll show you how to work locally, securely and autonomously.
Read more under video.
Speakers
Preventing and Solving Cloud Vendor Lock-In
By: Elmer Bulthuis, Platform & Software Architect and Engineer, Owner of LuvDaSun Software
All-in-One Office Suite, 100% European
By: Jan-Willem Menkveld | Co-Owner & CCO, Office.eu
Who Owns Your Digital Future? Governance as the Missing Layer of Digital Sovereignty
By: Neil Smyth | Co-Founder and CEO of Alkemio
Private Search and Private E-mail
By Alex van Eesteren | Director of Business Development, Startpage & StartMail
Soevereiniteit: wat kan ik er morgen zelf aan doen?
By: Jeroen Wouda | Open Cloud Alliantie
Ik vertrek!
By: Bart Turk, Sander Withagen & Corstiaan de Haaij | Open Cloud Alliantie
Good to know
Highlights
- 8 hours 30 minutes
- In person
- Doors at 9:30 AM
Location
The Hague Tech
5 Waldorpstraat
2521 CA Den Haag
How do you want to get there?

Agenda
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Walk-in (with coffee!)
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Plenary opening
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