The annual BASE Conference in Amsterdam will return this October with the theme Systems That Create Flow, focusing on how small business owners can build practical structures for growth without losing flexibility or creativity.

Small and medium-sized enterprises account for 99% of all companies in the EU and employ nearly 160 million people, according to Eurostat.

Yet too often, the conference organisers say, they’re excluded from the big conversations about growth, sustainability, and innovation. Funding and policy tend to flow toward corporates and scale-ups, leaving early-stage founders and micro-businesses overlooked.

Community

“BASE Conference is about more than business growth, it’s about community and building relationships as the foundation for sustainable growth,” said founder Veronica Guguian.

“A vision alone is not enough; businesses need systems, procedures and automation to truly thrive. At BASE 2025, we’ll explore how entrepreneurs can design structures that support resilience while treating relationships as a renewable and ongoing source of business.”

BASE describes itself as both a conference and a year-round community for founders, freelancers and entrepreneurs. Its aim is to foster collaboration rather than competition, encouraging what organisers call “a more circular way of doing business.”

Four pillars

The focus is on four pillars – Build, Advance, Sustain, and Elevate – and this year’s  programme will explore practical tools for smooth onboarding, streamlined marketing and sales, financial resilience, and space for innovation. Automation will be reframed not as impersonal, but as a way to unlock human potential, freeing founders to focus on solving creative, complex problems.

BASE combines workshops, talks and networking sessions designed to create long-term connections between participants. ” And through our SPIN Community, attendees continue to collaborate throughout the year,” says Veronica. “They are sharing resources and forming partnerships well beyond the one-day event.

The BASE Conference will take place in Amsterdam on 30 October 2025. Dutch News readers can get a 50% discount by signing up here.