A Day at the Zoo 2026 is all about the Yes: Yes to serendipity, Yes to curiosity, Yes to playful exploration. Join Climate KIC for an all-outdoor immersive experience in the unique setting of Artis Park in Amsterdam.
We are dropping the stale format of slides and (male) speaker panels to focus instead on human connection and radical collaboration. Expect a day filled with serious fun where we deliberately mix moments of free form curiosity with action-oriented deal making. Don’t come alone, bring your decision-makers with you – we’re here to move the dial on climate action so we need the big boss, your trusted advisor and your allies too.
We’ve left no space for passive participation. There is no agenda. There are no microphones.
Here you have to work for the day! We offer only a beautiful open space where your two feet govern what happens next. We invite you to walk around and find the exact people you need to take the next step and level up your climate action. Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
A community passport and map will help guide your visit. Blue Economy in the Aquarium, Wellbeing in the meditation garden, Space tech at the Planetarium – you get the idea. But make no mistake – we won’t be there to host you! You are the host of this conference (that isn’t a conference). You are the one that opens the conversation that needs to be had.
We have taken great care to invite only the best of the best in climate innovation – you. Our friendly policy makers from the Commission, deep-pocketed investors from the private sector, our creative artists from the New European Bauhaus and our edgy innovators passionate for change. Oh, and it’s a public space so ‘average joe’ will be there too – why not ask them a question or two? Name tags and colour-coded sprout hairclips will help you differentiate between conference attendees and regular visitors.
Part conference, part policy workshop, part demo day, part work, part fun – a conference that’s not a conference, just a day at the zoo.
Come in bold pursuit of your personal passion about how the world needs to change. Be clear about what you need to succeed; and be mindful of what you can offer in reciprocity.
The Zoo’s ecosystem is your working space, move through it and use it as a setting to contemplate life at every scale – from microbial spores to the celestial views provided by the Planetarium – earth, nature and animals are here to remind you of what’s at stake. Here’s a map to get you excited.
