TEDx event

TEDxCoolhaven Women

The New Builders

DateOctober 9, 20266:30 PM - 11:30 PM (GMT+2)
LocationRotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
FormatTEDxWomen

This event is open to the public.

Join us at TEDx Coolhaven Women 2026 for a bold exploration of “The New Builders”—the people reshaping how we design technology, lead organizations, and build systems that will define the next decade. Building on the momentum of our previous sold-out editions, this year marks a clear evolution: from navigating change to actively building what comes next. In a world shaped by AI, rapid innovation, and shifting power structures, the question is no longer whether transformation is coming, but who is building it—and how. At TEDx Coolhaven Women 2026, we explore how women are designing digital products, translating academic research into real-world impact, leading responsibly in complex systems, and embedding sustainability and inclusion into innovation itself. Expect sharp, research-driven talks and lived experiences that move beyond theory into action—challenging assumptions about leadership, technology, and progress. Rotterdam is the ideal setting for this conversation. A city defined by reconstruction, experimentation, and reinvention, it mirrors the spirit of the New Builders: pragmatic, future-oriented, and unafraid to rethink how things are done. Coolhaven, at the crossroads of industrial heritage and modern creativity, anchors the event in community while looking outward to global relevance. TEDx Coolhaven Women continues to serve an international, highly engaged audience of professionals, academics, entrepreneurs, and leaders who are not just responding to the future—but actively shaping it. In autumn 2026, we invite you to join us for a day of ideas, dialogue, and connection with people who are building new products, systems, and narratives for a more responsible and inclusive future. The future is being built—by design or by default. The question is: who are the New Builders?

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

  • Dr. Dominika Repcikova

    Scientist, Founder & CEO of The Iron Bar

    Dominika is a scientist and founder working at the intersection of women’s health, biology and data. As founder and CEO of The Iron Bar, she is confronting one of women’s most normalised health crises: iron deficiency. Her talk will explore how the problem became so widely accepted and what building a better solution actually takes.

  • Fiona McDonnell

    Global Executive & Leadership Author, former VP Booking.com, former Director Amazon

    Fiona is an accomplished senior executive, author and award winning advocate for diversity and inclusive leadership. She leverages her three decades of corporate experience with global brands across consumer goods and online marketplaces, along with her observations living in many countries and travelling widely, to bring fresh perspectives and help people to think differently about what is possible.

  • Kimberly Fuqua

    Director Customer Experience at Microsoft

    Kimberly Fuqua is a senior executive, speaker, and advocate with nearly 30 years in the tech industry. As Director of Customer Experience for Microsoft’s EMEA region, she leads transformative strategies that help global organizations convert ambition into impact. She’s also the founder of Luminous Leaders, a platform that equips executives and emerging leaders to own their narrative, communicate with clarity, and build cultures where inclusion and performance thrive. Known for her expertise in digital transformation, customer experience, and inclusive leadership, Kimberly helps navigate change with confidence and inspire high-performing teams across cultures.

  • Laurie Lancee

    Angel Investor, Entrepreneur & Co-founder of AtVenture Platform

    Laurie is an entrepreneur, angel investor and co-founder of AtVenture Platform. Through investor education, community and curated deal flow, she works to close funding and wealth gaps by expanding who can invest, who can access capital and who gets to build, own and influence the future.

  • Maria Bordallo

    Pilot, Parenting Coach & Founder of Mamamaria

    María is a Certified Aware Parenting Coach, advocate, has a Masters in Psychology and a pilot. Through Mamamaria, she helps parents and parents-to-be prepare emotionally for family life, break generational patterns and build secure, connected relationships with their children. Her work asks us to consider how changing the future begins with our earliest relationships.

  • Varinka Bouma

    Leadership & Relationships Coach

    Varinka Bouma is a leadership voice exploring the quiet connection between how we love and how we lead. Through her work with leaders and relationships, she has noticed patterns that don’t stay in one domain, they follow us everywhere. Her talk offers a grounded reflection on leadership: something shaped long before we step into a role.

  • Vassia Sarantopoulou

    Psychologist, Founder & Community Builder

    Vassia is a psychologist, speaker, entrepreneur and community builder with more than 20 years of experience in mental healthcare. Through AntiLoneliness and The Therapy Business Circle, she builds spaces that strengthen connection, support therapists and help people imagine a more human and sustainable approach to mental health.

Organizing team

This event is open to the public.

October 9, 2026

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