Blue Sky Showcase at IAAPA Amsterdam 2024
Last week our team was thrilled to attend IAAPA Expo Europe in Amsterdam. From meeting up with industry professionals to reconnecting with our alumni, it was an exciting and fruitful week for us.
Our main event was our annual Blue Sky Showcase held on Wednesday afternoon. This is the first opportunity for our participants to present their concepts, responding to the brief set for them in July. 36 participants from 6 teams travelled from around the world to meet one another, presenting their designs to over 200 Expo attendees.
Our Showcase events exist to give participants a chance to practise their pitching skills, and receive feedback on their concept’s development. This was the first opportunity for members of the public to learn about this year’s brief; a shopping mall in the USA looking for a unique new leisure concept to take over an existing space.
Now, let’s hear from the participants themselves!
Team 1 - Glo Creative Studio (L-R: Till Sponer, Lindon Evans, Davy Van Vught, Freddie Rogers, Tobias Pfliegensdoerfer and Tom Brennan)
Till Sponer described the “fantastic opportunity to present the results of our Blue-Sky phase during the expo”:
“It was especially exciting to meet my team members in person and to share our progress together. Participating in the Young Professional Reception and engaging with industry experts gave us valuable feedback and fresh ideas for the next phase of our project… I’m really looking forward to the next steps in the NextGen Showcase Program and to continuing to push our project forward!” - Till Sponer
Lindon Evans was excited by the opportunity of the Blue Sky Showcase to present to “such a broad selection of people from the industry…It was a great opportunity to learn and share, and we made some great relationships as a result.”
Team 2 - Carousel Creative Group (L-R: Leyla Suzuki-Toker, Mike Hoogeveen, Lirio Hardy, Erik Huijing, Oli Barnacle, Janek Richter and Max van der Krans)
Leyla Suzuki-Toker: “During our showcase at IAAPA, it was very valuable to have the opportunity to meet highly influential professionals in the industry and discuss our concept with them. It not only made us proud of what we have achieved as a group so far but also strengthened our bond as a team.”
Team 3 - Polyomino Studios (L-R: Gijs Hermans, Josh Wall, Manouk Kennis, Cami Korchi, Lizzie Pendleton, [MENTOR: Robert van den Boom], Sameeksha Bhatia and Tom Bowen)
Sameeksha Bhatia: "I joined NextGen Showcase to better my portfolio and to network with industry professionals to make sure that this is indeed the industry I want to be a part of. Meeting my teammates and the professionals during the IAAPA NextGen event was honestly such a treat. Everyone was welcoming and dare I say, up to critique- but through banter?! Laura, Emma, and Lars ensured that we had some of the best minds in the industry to talk to, who were able to guide us to the next steps in our projects by asking the teams the most interesting questions. I would love to do it all over again (minus the standing for 3 hours XD)!”
Team 4 - Solstice Studios (L-R: Serena Murray-Bruce, Kincső Madarász, Ryan-Sam Marshall, Sven Nibbeling and Zoe Macarewa)
“This was my first IAAPA, and wow, was it overwhelming but in the best way. I took the brunt of it all as I flew from California just for our showcase! It was nice to finally meet NextGen-ers in person and tell others about our concept. Doing the showcase and exploring the show floor alongside my team members truly made the experience worthwhile.” - Zoe Macarewa
Ryan-Sam Marshall: "Having been able to take part in Showcase is both an honour and a privilege. I am fortunate enough to be with not only a team of people creating a pitch for a realistic project we would likely see in industry. But also I am thankful for the opportunity to train & hone our skills in all of our respective skills and disciplines. But more importantly: to be able to work together and practice in a safe space; where if we screw up a budget, or point load calculation there is only learning - and no human or financial consequence. I am eternally grateful to the mentors, colleagues and friends I have met on this journey so far, and I can't wait to present to you dear reader what we as the next generation of Themed Entertainment professionals have to offer."
Team 5 - Mycelium Creative (L-R: Caspar Bijleveld, Rik Schatorjé and Mario Martínez Gil)
Mario Martínez Gil: “NextGen Showcase has helped me step into the themed entertainment industry, a sector that was new to me but one I've been passionate about since childhood. Thanks to this program, I had the opportunity to attend IAAPA and connect with fellow participants and industry professionals, gaining both knowledge and friends to share many experiences with.”
Team 6 - Onda Creations (L-R: Frank Ebert, Kristin Hillery, Fernando Martínez Gil, Jildou Bijker, Jesse Reker, Charlie Wickham and Leandro Nascimento)
Kristin Hillery, of Team 6, described it as an “unforgettable experience”:
“As one of six teams, we had the chance to connect with industry pros who didn’t just offer feedback—they engaged with us like true collaborators, treating us as fellow professionals. We walked away with fresh ideas, invaluable advice, and a clearer path to strengthen our concept. Plus, we gained a network of new connections and friends. It was an inspiring day that felt like a true meeting of minds and will shape the future of our project in big ways.” - Kristin Hillery
We’re thrilled to see the progress that our teams have made so far, and can’t wait to see their progress at the Concept Showcase at IAAPA Orlando next month.
We’d like to thank our sponsors, Simworx, Alterface, Creative Studio Berlin, FrankNDesign and P+A Projects, without whom this event would not have been possible.
This article was written by Rosie Willoughby, NextGen Showcase Lead Editor and alum.
