Hacks/Hackers Connect, Brussels, June 1-2

Hacks/Hackers Connect is a global launchpad event series for growing media entrepreneurs and technologists.

It lands at La Tricoterie, in Brussels, Belgium on June 1-2.

Hacks/Hackers has brought thousands of journalists and technologists around the world together over the past five years, united in a belief that we need to work together to build the future of media. Now, we're launching a series of global events to seed new media ventures, grow deeper connections within the community and attract new collaborators.

Connect is built on a belief that the information ecosystem of tomorrow will be heavily influenced by entrepreneurial and upstart activities: new experimental products in market, new risk-taking enterprises, and never-attempted-before civic undertakings. Read more about our vision on Medium.

SCHEDULE

Please note: Some schedule details may change to best accomodate all guests.

Wednesday, June 1, 6PM - 9PM
Registration, reception (drinks & snacks)
18:00 Reception, networking, and media startup demo party.
18:45 Welcome & introduction
19:00 Choreographed networking (aka “Co-founder speed dating”)
19:45 Media startup demo party: meet six local media startup companies
20:50 What to expect tomorrow

Thursday, June 2, 9AM - 5:30PM
09:00 - 09:30 Breakfast & registration / “Brain Date” sign-up
09:30 - 09:45 Welcome & schedule overview
09:45 - 10:00 Introduce mentors & sessions
10:00 - 10:30 Bootcamp sessions (round one)
10:35 - 11:05 Bootcamp sessions (round two)
11:10 - 12:10 “Live Ask Me Anything: Google Digital News Initiative with Christian Heise & Isa Sonnedfeld

12:15 - 13:30 Lunch sessions with partners: Google News Lab, Next Media Accelerator, lab.davanac, OpenVRT, and Media Lab Bayern

13:35 - 13:55 Post-lunch choreographed networking
14:00 - 15:30 Lean Canvas workshop OR Brain Dates
15:30 - 15:40 Coffee break
15:45 - 16:00 Lean Canvas: Team pitch prep with mentors
16:00 - 16:40 Team pitches/presentations
16:40 - 16:55 Team feedback integration & documentation; closing remarks
17:00 - 17:30 Closing talk: Drunken Walk of the Entrepreneur
18:00 Post-event networking & drinks

CONVENING TEAM

Ezra Eeman, OpenVRT
Mark Jansen, Google Benelux
Camille Pollie, OpenVRT
Damien Van Achter, lab.davanac

Event producers: Phillip Smith, Federica Cherubini, Ashley McCorriston, and Burt Herman

CONFIRMED INDUSTRY MENTORS

Leen Segers, COO Tech.eu and Co-Founder EEYOU
Samantha Castano, Producer, VPRO Medialab
Roland Legrand, Digital News Manager, De Tijd
Isabelle Sonnenfeld, Lead News Lab DACH, Google
Tim Verheyden, Chief of Storytelling with VRT News
Stefan Vandegehuchte, Co-Founder, HeyHey Apps
Filip Fastenaekels, producer at VRT research and innovation
Wim Forceville, Co-founder, Fisheye
Kimball Felix, Mentor, KBC/StartIt.be

More to announce!

ENDLESS GRATITUDE

Connect is made possible through a partnership with Google News Lab.

We are very grateful to have amazing local and international industry partners helping to make Connect a success, including Betabook, John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University, Matter Ventures, Medill University’s Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship program, Wantoo, The Public Society, OpenVRT, and lab.davanac.