How do you ensure that innovation doesn't get stuck in plans and pilots, but actually leads to practical action? On 29 January 2026, 120 growers, startup & scaleup founders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers gathered at the NXT HeroFestival 2026 in KAS Woerden. With the theme "INNOVATION IN ACTION," one question was central: how do we accelerate innovation together in a sector under pressure from challenges related to energy, labor, plant health, water, and revenue models? This event was supported by the MIT Network Activities (MIT NA) programme of Holland High Tech.
The NXT HeroFestival was organized by HortiHeroes, RoboCrops by NXTGEN, and Division Q, in collaboration with impact partners World Horti Center, HortiScience Innovation Center, and Holland High Tech. Together, they brought together the innovation ecosystem of the Food & Flower industry, not to talk, but to act.
From talking to doing
While innovation often gets bogged down in good intentions, the NXT HeroFestival 2026 was explicitly about action. During Part 1, over 70 participants worked on current, practical challenges in interactive sessions. In small, diverse groups, issues surrounding technology, the sector's image, and data were linked to concrete solutions.
Inspiring afternoon programme with sharp insights
Part 2 welcomed another 50 participants for a plenary programme where insights from the interactive sessions were shared and explored. One of the highlights was the keynote address by Danny Makkelie, a professional football referee. In his presentation, he drew parallels between elite sports, leadership, and the business world.
Danny Makkelie:
True progress occurs when we dare to experiment, share knowledge, step outside our comfort zone, and collectively support investments where necessary. We're seeing the same movement in the Food & Flower industry, where HortiHeroes leads the way, but the championship is only won collectively.
In addition, participants from the HortiHeroes Class of 2025 presented pitches, presenting the results of their projects. Team Certiflow was selected as the audience winner. The programme was supplemented by a preview of the sector by the festival partners and Rik Pantjes, Team Lead Agrifood Business Development at Invest-NL, discussing choices, capital, and acceleration towards the future.
Collaboration as the key to acceleration
The NXT HeroFestival 2026 once again underscored that the major transitions in the Food & Flower industry cannot be solved by a single party. By bringing growers, technology, knowledge, and capital together within a single ecosystem, we create the momentum needed to truly put innovation into action.
Puck van Holsteijn, CEO of HortiHeroes:
The challenges in our sector are significant, but so is the willingness to collaborate. This festival demonstrates that innovation is not an individual project, but a collective effort. We provide the impetus, but the real impact comes from people taking responsibility and taking action together.
