Why the Netherlands is a breeding ground for technology Tech is shaping the world around us every single day. It is an intrinsic part of the human leisure-work experience. The U.S has Silicon Valley; so what’s Europe’s answer to technological innovation?  Renowned for its fertility in terms of business regarding proficiency in the English language as well as its tax incentives, and after having earned almost 1 billion dollars in venture capital in 2019, all eyes are on the Netherlands. The country has unparalleled fluidity in terms of its registration process for businesses compared to its fellow European nations.  One thing is certain; the Dutch capital has startup fever. Since the last global financial crisis, the Dutch were proactive despite many people suffering job loss and redundancy. Instead they began creating their own, and so began the popularisation of startups in the country. Now, they’re a hotbed for new business given that tech companies from the United States highly regard their healthy ecosystem in terms of business.  In the last couple of years, we’re noticing …

Are you travelling to the City of Love?  Whether you’ve made the plans, or it’s on your bucket list, there are some things you should know about the French capital… Paris and the wider world are switching themselves on to the impact of humanity on the environment. The city is introducing green technology and initiatives like sea-bubble powered flying cars, renewable energy sources like silent wind turbines powering the Eiffel Tower and planting gardens around the area.  There are great Parisian companies that you can use to lower your carbon footprint and initiatives you can take personally to reduce your waste and impact the climate more positively.  Here are our tips for going to the European city and painting the town green, from the moment you leave your house to roaming around the metropolis: Travel Consciously  Before you even set foot out the door, you can make active decisions that immediately affect your impact on the planet.  How? It’s simple; travel by boat if you can, since its impact on environmental contamination is much less …

The Witcher world springboards between Nilfgaard and Cintra, Temeria and Aretuza, Blaviken and back to Cintra all over again. The series bounces to witchcraft then to humanity as much as it does from richesse to poverty. One second, you’re at the gaping mouth of a dragon’s lair battling the dwarves while trying to protect the mother’s egg; the next, you’re being propelled high above two bite-sized islands, watching the rope bridge quiver over the rocking ocean. The Witcher is a world full of fantasy, but on the other hand, reality too. Here’s a list of the tippity top 6 locations from the series, that you can totally visit (p.s be ready for spoilers):  La Palma Island, Spain The fictional Aretuza – a magical academy for young ladies. Image source: Netflix / The Witcher S1E2: “Four Marks” Bronze cliffs of La Palma. You can trek here, but you have to leave the house first. Image source: Julen Landa The magic, the witchcraft, the sorcery crashes to your mind-shore and bewitches you from the moment you wash …

It’s hard to know what to do when you’re missing that Christmas spirit. When the twinkly sprinkling of fairy lights around the mantelpiece just aren’t doing it for you this year. When the crackle of the fire just isn’t crackley enough to spark that holiday magic. When hot choco, reindeer pyjamas and Mariah Carey only frustrate you more because “why don’t I have the feeling this year?”. Good news. We have the answer to all your Yuletide spirit problems. Pack your mittens. Dig your fluffiest coat out from the back of the closet. Grab your passport. You’re going to a Christmas market! 1. Kraków, Poland What: Main Square Christmas marketWhere: Rynek Główny, Kraków, Poland / Google MapsOpen: 29 November to 7 January; 10am to 8pm (food stalls until 10pm)Hotel: Bonerowski Palace / Świętego Jana 1, Kraków, Poland Market: The scenic and very charming Rynek Glowny square in the old town makes Krakow one of the best settings for a Christmas market, the largest in Poland. Blacksmiths, jewellers, village artists and plenty of mulled wine, Polish …

Pau is the winner of Bidroom’s interactive game for Krakow’s startup community – Mission: Amsterdam. Her glowing enthusiasm led her through the challenge and into the busy city of a million bicycles. She’d like to tell us if it was fun. Mission: Amsterdam was organised on the 16th of August for all participants of the OMGKRK Summer Jam meet-up in Krakow. Startuppers, entrepreneurs, and networkers could become Agents in Bidroom’s covert operation stylised after the Mission: Impossible series. It started with a challenge to decrypt a coded message of 4 parts held by 4 Bidroom operatives that were hiding in the area. Further instructions remain classified to this day. The big win – for those who accepted the mission – was a visit to the Dutch capital with the flights and hotel stay covered. Overcoming the effort that needed stealth, espionage, and divine hearing abilities, Pau completed all objectives with no measurable effort. The world would like to know what happened. What was the hardest part of your mission? The hardest part, without any doubt …