News
Smart Citizens Lab
Eight initiatives start the MeentCoop acceleration programme!
On Tuesday 27 January, eight initiatives will start the MeentCoop acceleration programme for the community economy.
public stack
Letter to the Dutch informateur: invest in the development of digital public space
Waag sends a letter to the informateur with a coalition of different organisations to make sure the development of digital public space is a priority in the formation of the new government. Read the letter.
grip op technologie
Marleen Stikker geeft Den Uyl-lezing 2026
Welke antwoorden zijn er op geopolitieke machtsontwikkeling door big tech? Daarover gaat de 31ste Den Uyl-lezing die dit jaar wordt gehouden door Marleen Stikker, oprichter en directeur van Waag Futurelab.
social socials
Marleen Stikker spreekt bij EenVandaag over overheden op X
What are governments still doing on X (formerly Twitter), and why are they using it? On NPO Radio 1's EenVandaag, Marleen Stikker discussed the government's presence on this platform.
digital autonomy
Call to action: DigiD must not fall into American hands
The planned takeover of Dutch company Solvinity by American multinational Kyndryl is causing great concern among experts. They are calling on BTI to be transparent about the matter.
Future Matters Hackathon 2025
Vocational students design the social platform of the future
On 30 and 31 October, Treehouse Amsterdam Noord hosted the first edition of the Future Matters Hackathon: a two-day creative design event where more than 60 vocational students from ROC Noord (NDSM) worked together on a social, digital challenge: design the social platform of the future that stimulates creativity and connection among young people.
Care for water: methods for water management
Waag advocates a broader approach in which technology and society are used to strengthen water resilience and ecological health. By focusing on principles such as regeneration and shared care rather than extraction.
digital autonomy
Marleen Stikker on DC-Edic in Trouw
The Netherlands, France, Germany and Italy are jointly launching DC-Edic: the Digital Commons European Digital Infrastructure Consortium. Trouw interviewed Waag director Marleen Stikker about this important step.
Open Design Lab
Creating Responsible AI Tools with Artists at PublicSpaces 2025
On 13 June 2025, HAMLET’s Waag team organised a panel at the PublicSpaces Conference in Amsterdam, titled Creating Responsible AI Tools with Artists, where questions about AI ethics, copyright, originality, and artist credit were discussed.
elections 2025
Responsible and sustainable digitisation instead of a narrow focus on AI
The AI economy must serve our society, not the other way around. Marleen Stikker, Roel Dobbe and Daniel Mügge explain how and provide focus points for the formation.
elections 2025
Organisations call on new government to make digitisation high priority
It is important that the new government makes digitisation a visible and integral part of their “positive agenda for the Netherlands”. On the initiative of KB, Waag Futurelab and more than 2.000 organisations are advocating for this. Together, they sent a letter with this appeal to informateur Sybrand Buma.
Urban Ecology Lab
Hello world: a new startingpoint for regenerative technology
Waag werkt aan regeneratieve technologie, maar wat is dat eigenlijk? En waarom is regeneratieve technologie belangrijk?
Maker Education Lab
Escape Fake wins the European Digital Skills Award in the Education Category
Smart Citizens Lab
A stronger connection between practical and scientific knowledge
There is a lack of a knowledge infrastructure that shares practical knowledge with science in the long term. During the yearly event Stadskenners, Waag discusses with researchers and social initiatives how to strenghten the connection between science and society.
Urban Ecology Lab
Warming Up festival 2025: Regenerative technology
Waag Futurelab is participating in the Warming Up festival in November. Together with FIBER, Waag is organising a workshop and panel discussion on the theme of regenerative technology.
30 years of Waag
From baseband modem to gigabit: how Waag helped shape the history of the internet
Did you know that Waag Futurelab is actually a physical and material part of the internet? Discover why there is a fibre optic cable running through our monumental building and how we helped build an internet that did not belong to Silicon Valley, but to everyone – including creators, thinkers and dreamers.
2025 elections
Waag comments on the need of digitisation in election programmes
Next Wednesday the Netherlands will be able to cast their votes in the 2025 general election. How has digitisation been included in the election manifestos?
conection lost
Stop doomscrolling: how Mastodon can help you to reconnect (with yourself)
We all know the feeling: you pick up your phone to look something up, and two hours later you're still scrolling through an endless stream of videos, comments and headlines. How can you regain control of your free time?
connection lost
Your Mastodon feed is empty, and that's good news - here's how to fill it yourself
Without the algorithms we are used to from big tech social media platforms, your feed will remain conspicuously empty. Building your own feed means more control and more freedom of choice, but where do you start?
Waag tips
Alternatives to big tech: things to read, watch and listen to
In our collective search for alternatives to big tech platforms, it's nice to be able to learn from each other. Waag helps you on your way with a few things to read, watch, and listen to, with practical tips for alternatives, interesting background stories, and experiences.
DIY biotechnology
The BioHack Academy
Are you interested in DIY biotechnology? Sign up for the BioHack Academy!
artist in residence
'All the Tyres from Iceland' by Michael Pinsky on display at NDSM
From 23 September, Waag presents Michael Pinsky's new work “All the Tyres from Iceland” at the NDSM shipyard. Pinsky is artist-in-residence at Waag.
artificial intelligence
Waag signs City Deal on AI
Waag signed the City Deal on AI in the city. With this deal, governments, companies, knowledge institutions and social organisations agree to use artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly in their operations.
city heritage
100% Amsterdam Textile: craftsmanship and sustainable textiles in the city
The 100% Amsterdam Textile project demonstrates how circular textiles can be revived in Amsterdam. How does this process work?