After a spectacular introduction, where the entire audience joined in to recreate the “Big Bang,” LeydenJar gave an inspiring presentation about the past, present, and future of batteries. An interesting fact: the very first battery comes from Leiden! The famous Leyden jar, which is even named after the city, marked the starting point for this fascinating journey through the world of energy storage.

In the hall of the past, visitors could take part in an interactive workshop about failed innovations.
It became clear here that not every innovative idea has to be an instant success. In fact, failures can teach us valuable lessons for the future. This fit perfectly with the central theme of the festival: learning, growing, and pushing boundaries together.

In the Future Room, engaging panel sessions took place where inspiring speakers and the audience discussed big questions such as: What will the world look like in 100 years? and How can we ensure that technological progress remains ethically responsible? Experts from NL Space Campus, Erasmus MC, Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, Infecta, TK Advocaten & Notarissen, and Leiden University guided visitors through future scenarios, societal dilemmas, and groundbreaking ideas about technology and society.

In the future zone, visitors could also learn more about the universe in the planetarium of One Space Hub!
Here, participants were taken on a journey through space and gained unique insights about life on Mars.

In restaurant MIDI, also known as the present during the festival, startups participating in Startup Play and Venture Academy presented their prototypes to the festival attendees.

Of course, there was also space for relaxation and meeting new people.
The festival ended with a lively BBQ, drinks, and a DJ on the sunny rooftop terrace. Visitors, speakers, and entrepreneurs from the region met each other and made new connections.

Curious to see what this innovative festival looked like? Check out the photos below!