AI and deeptech founders are moving faster than ever. They are expanding globally, entering new markets, and building products at a pace the ecosystem has never seen. What often holds them back is not the technology, it is the story.

Most Dutch and European tech companies still communicate too modestly or too technically for global audiences. In 2026, winning means learning to tell your story with clarity, confidence, and creative power.

Join us at Monks for a session on how to build a brand that travels. Victor Knaap will open with a candid conversation and Q&A on business model shifts and what modern tech brands must get right. You will then join small-group breakouts with Thomas Marzano (Former Global Head of Brand at ASML and Philips) and Mark Appel (Sendcloud), two of the top CMOs in the Netherlands, defining how Europe’s leading tech companies communicate.

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What to expect

Q&A: Winning in 2026

With Victor Knaap (.Monks)
How fast-growing companies can sharpen their story, communicate their value globally, and build a brand that scales beyond the Netherlands.

Breakout: Branding for Deeptech

With Thomas Marzano (Former ASML, Philips)
How to translate complex technology into a clear, confident narrative that customers, investors, and international audiences understand instantly.

Breakout: Creative Marketing

With Mark Appel (Sendcloud)
How to use creative storytelling and community to drive adoption, differentiation, and international growth.

Networking & Drinks

Exchange insights with founders, CMOs, and brand leaders shaping the next generation of Dutch tech.

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You’ll leave with

• A sharper understanding of what tech brands must do differently in 2026
• Practical tools for branding deeptech or complex technologies
• A clear view on how to communicate in fast-moving markets

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Who this session is for

Founders, CMOs, and marketing leaders responsible for brand, narrative, go-to-market communications, or community.

Especially relevant for:

• AI and deeptech companies preparing or in the process of international expansion
• Teams planning a rebrand or repositioning
• Companies struggling to translate complex tech into simple storytelling
• Leaders who are scaling fast and need a stronger narrative to match