Our 14 Highlights of 2025

1. True Price Coffee Dashboard

Every purchase leaves a trace—whether it's your cup of coffee, a new pair of shoes, or the ingredients for your evening meal. Behind every product lie hidden environmental costs, such as water consumption or air pollution, as well as social costs, like low wages or unsafe working conditions. In collaboration with Amsterdam Impact, True Price presented the True Price Coffee Dashboard—a tool that enables entrepreneurs to calculate and display their 'true price' to guests and customers.

2. Fawaka Entrepreneurship School

The Fawaka Ondernemersschool and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences introduce Amsterdam children to impact-driven entrepreneurship from a young age. Through special educational programmes, children aged 9 to 12 learn about sustainability and social enterprise. In doing so, they develop an entrepreneurial mindset and gain the tools to contribute positively to society.

3. Plant FWD 2025

Plant FWD 2025, the leading conference for the protein transition, returned in April with pitches from promising start-ups, six groundbreaking product launches, and insights from experts on the future of plant-based eating. Jubl Foods B.V, de Kolenkitkoks, Max&Bien, Sparckitchen, Tuintje van Adam, and GroenplatVorm Zuidoost represented the city in the Amsterdam pavilion.

4. Digitalisation and AI for Local SMEs

The digitalisation (including AI) of local SMEs is crucial for an economically resilient and future-proof region. As a municipality, we're fully committed to this. We help businesses make informed choices about digital tools and AI, so they maintain control over their own data and systems (digital autonomy). We do this both at local level with the Digitalisation Offensive and at European level with projects such as DIGISET.

5. Building Better Business

Building Better Business—a collaboration between Amsterdam Impact, B Lab Benelux, and Economy for the Common Good—helps businesses increase their social and ecological impact whilst remaining competitive. From iconic conference venues such as the Beurs van Berlage (pictured above) to creative hubs, innovative research firms, sustainable beverage manufacturers, mobility consultants, and impactful biscuit makers—the participants in the third edition of Building Better Business prove that impact-driven entrepreneurship knows no sector boundaries.

6. ESG and CSRD Support

What if sustainability could actually improve your business results and future-proof your company? To achieve this, the municipality has developed its ESG and CSRD policy to support the local economy—whether your business is obliged to comply or not. One example of direct support for local SMEs around ESG and CSRD is the European project Green at Heart. 183 social SMEs (99 of which in the Netherlands) received support through workshops and practical tools, with participating businesses seeing their sustainability scores rise by 34%.

7. Boost Your Neighbourhood 2025

From a supermarket that gives back to the community (TKRAMREPUS) to bold zero-waste fashion (Rentglam)—the participants in our Boost je Buurt 2025 programme show what's possible when impactful, innovative entrepreneurship and the neighbourhood come together.

8. Steward-Ownership Programme

With steward-ownership, control and economic ownership are separated, allowing (impact) entrepreneurs to remain true to their purpose. We are Steward and Amsterdam Impact joined forces and supported ten regional businesses exploring steward-ownership from September through to the end of January. This free programme includes personal consultations, practical workshops, and guidance from experts, helping these businesses transition to a new business model.

9. ChangeNOW Paris

During ChangeNOW, the annual summit that brings together impact entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and changemakers from around the world to present innovative solutions for a more sustainable and inclusive future, Amsterdam Impact travelled to Paris with impact start-ups including SeaO2, MycoFarming, Roetz Bikes, Solaq, Coding the Curbs, The Great Bubble Barrier, Grovero, Swell Electric, and Raddis Cotton to explore new ways to scale their impact.

10. Doughnut Economics Workshops

In the hands-on workshops by Doughnut Economics Action Lab and Regenalyze in collaboration with Amsterdam Impact (inspired by Kate Raworth's groundbreaking theory), entrepreneurs delved deep into the Doughnut Design for Business tool and explored the 'deep design' of their organisation—from social impact and ecological footprint to new business approaches and finance.

11. Global Forum for Social and Solidarity Economy

With 65 enthusiastic Dutch participants—from social entrepreneurs to policymakers—Amsterdam Impact travelled to Bordeaux for the Global Forum for Social and Solidarity Economy (GSEF), where 5,500 participants from around the world came together to work towards an economy in which cooperation and humanity are central. During the train journey, participants collaborated on the Impact Agenda 2030, a national strategy for impact entrepreneurship and the social and solidarity economy in the Netherlands.

12. Coalition of Impact Frontrunners

The 'Coalition of Impact Frontrunners' brings together Amsterdam creative communications agencies that genuinely want to prioritise social and ecological impact. BR-ND People, Amsterdam Impact, and a selection of Amsterdam agencies are working on ways in which agencies can share knowledge, inspire clients, and put impact at the centre.

13. Impact Entrepreneurship in Education Congress

On 24 November, Amsterdam Impact organised the Impact Entrepreneurship in Education congress, which offered teachers practical tools and inspiration to prepare students for entrepreneurship with attention to people, planet, and social value. The congress brought together education professionals with initiatives such as IDEEC, Master Challenge, and Futureproof, and called on impact entrepreneurs to contribute by sharing stories in the classroom or offering placement opportunities.

14. Operators for Impact

In December, Operators for Impact launched—the programme by Amsterdam Impact, Impact Hub Amsterdam, The Present, and Generous Minds in which impact entrepreneurs are paired with experienced 'operators'—mentors with bags of experience in impact entrepreneurship—to work together for six months on structural growth.

We wish you a lovely festive season and an impactful new year!