TNW 2025’s best side quests

Qubits, entanglement, superposition, trapped ions, Schrödinger’s cat. These terms sound strange because the world of quantum mechanics — where things can exist in multiple states at once — is strange. 

Thankfully, a group of students from TU Delft are bringing these powerful sub-atomic phenomena to life at TNW Conference through an exhibition of abstract artworks.

Their project, Emergence Delft, blends science and creativity into a mind-bending exploration of quantum reality. A centrepiece of the exhibition is Coexist — a mesmerising light installation that captures the elusive nature of quantum mechanics through colour, interaction, and design.

At its heart, Coexist tackles superposition, the ability of a quantum system to exist in multiple states at once. For instance, a qubit — the quantum version of a classical bit — can be both 0 and 1 at the same time. But it doesn’t stay that way forever. The moment it’s observed, the qubit collapses into a single, definitive state — a phenomenon known as the act of measurement.

Inside Coexist, a glowing white light — which contains all visible colours — symbolises superposition. Around it, oversized polarisation filters are arranged like futuristic portholes. As visitors peer through and rotate these filters, different colours are revealed, depending on how the filters interact with the light waves. Just like in quantum mechanics, the act of looking changes what you perceive.

Still don’t get it? Don’t worry, we don’t either. That’s why we’ll be heading to the exhibition on the business floor of TNW Conference on June 19-20 to uncover the quantum mystery. It’s one of many weird and wild activities on the sidelines of the event.

Fun and games at TNW Conference 2025

The quantum art exhibition is just the start — TNW Conference is packed with epic side events to fuel your fun. Test your sporting prowess at our padel court, try out a mixed reality game called Multiball, or belt out hits at the KPMG Karaoke Trailer. And don’t miss DataSnipper’s GenAI photo booth, where you can transform into an AI-generated fantasy character in seconds. 

Talking of photography, while you’re exploring the event, networking, and engaging, don’t forget to capture the moments in the TNW Photo Challenge. 

Simply choose three to five of our photo challenges, snap your shots, and share them on social media using the right tags. You’ll then be entered for a chance to win 2 free tickets to TNW Conference 2026.

You can find the full rules here — and check out our floor plan to navigate your way to the prize.

Here’s a full list of the challenges:  

• Where’s Boris?
  Snap a photo of our Founder, Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten.
• On the Ferry
  Snap a pic on the way to NDSM — our venue for the event.
• Dutch Mode Activated
  Take a photo riding a bike or e-scooter to the conference.
• Lawn Legends
  Post a pic of you cheers-ing with new friends.
• Pitch Perfect
  Catch the action at one of the three pitch battles and tag your favourite startup.
• Karaoke Superstar
  Film yourself singing at the KPMG Karaoke Trailer — no stage fright allowed!
• Game On
  Show off your multiball score — bonus points for high scores!
• Masterclass Moment
  Capture your participation at a Blue Stage Masterclass, which offers expert advice on everything from turning startups into global powerhouses to leveraging AI agents (sign-up required).
• Human TNW
  Spell out TNW with a group of people — creativity encouraged!
• Court-side Click
  Take a picture playing on the EY padel court (sign-up required).
• One Stage, One Story
  Snap a pic at your favourite stage and tag the speaker who inspired you most.
• Bridge the Moment
  Snap a pic on the TNW Bridge.
• Tech Tour Treasure Hunt
  Capture a moment from a TNW Tech Tour — our guided expeditions to the startup booths — and tag your favourite company booth (sign-up required).
• Driven by Innovation
  Snap a pic behind the wheel of the KIA car cruising around the venue.

Whether you’re here to unravel the mysteries of quantum physics or to join the karaoke fun, TNW Conference promises a mix of mind-expanding ideas and unforgettable moments. Over 95% of the tickets are now sold out — but we’re still offering a discount for our loyal readers: use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the ticket checkout to get 30% off.

See you at the show!