Tech for good on stage
I take audiences on an adventure to Gabon, Zambia and Zimbabwe and show how technology makes the world a little better. No buzzwords: I build these things myself, so I really know what I'm talking about — and turn it into a story that sticks. Inspiring for anyone who cares about impact, and substantive enough for the engineers in the room.
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Tech for good, no hype
Real stories about how technology protects nature and people — from elephants in the rainforest to young people online.
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Inspires and activates
The audience comes along on the adventure and leaves with one thought: I can contribute something with my own talent too.
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Actually knows the tech
I build this technology myself, from firmware to cloud. So the substance holds up — while staying easy to follow for a non-technical audience.
On work that matters, elephants and Celine Dion
It starts in a remote ranger camp in Zambia, at sunset — until Celine Dion suddenly blasts across the savanna. From that bizarre evening I take the audience to the biggest question underneath our work: am I actually doing something that matters?
I tell how a die-hard nerd went from millions of lines of code to protecting elephants in Africa, and why meaningful work turned out to be the key to job happiness. Honest, with humour, and with cameras and an elephant deterrent as proof from the field.
The biggest investment of your life isn't your house or your car. It's your time — and you spend a third of it at work. So you'd better spend it on something that truly matters.
Two ways I bring it to the stage
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Tech for good — from techie to techie
For a tech audience. Feeling stuck, always after something different without ever quite landing? My story is recognition — and a nudge to go looking for more meaning in your own work.
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Business for good — corporate altruism
For entrepreneurs and leaders. Why altruism isn't just feel-good but pays off in the long run. With stories from my non-profit work at Hack The Planet, and how you can put your business to work 'for good' too.
Documentaries & conversations
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Hack The Planet — The Documentary
A feature documentary by Floris Tils about our work in Gabon, where AI camera systems track forest elephants in the rainforest.
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Living with bears in the Carpathians
Field footage from Romania — AI cameras and Smart Deterrents keeping brown bears out of mountain villages.
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I changed course and headed into the African jungle
A candid conversation about switching from code to conservation, and what that does to you.
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Rick-rolling elephants for a good cause
On scaring off elephants with music and tech that genuinely matters — with the necessary nerd humour.
What I talk about
- Tech for good: how AI and technology make a positive impact
- Stories from the field in Gabon, Zambia and Zimbabwe
- How to tackle the biggest problems with simple solutions
- What drives an engineer to do this work
Suitable for a technical and non-technical audience — so, basically everyone 😇
Three questions to take home
Not an abstract story: the audience leaves with three concrete questions to ask themselves.
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01
What does the world need?
Look around and there are more than enough problems worth sinking your teeth into.
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02
What truly fires you up?
Something you genuinely care about — and the realisation that you can actually do something about it.
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03
How will you put your talent and time to work?
Start small: call a non-profit, join a hackathon, and see where it takes you.
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Still feeling inspired after recently seeing Thijs present at the UX Strat conference in Amsterdam. Thijs is an enthusiastic and energising speaker with a fantastic story to tell!
Shaun van Oorde-Grainger
Snr. UX Designer @ Philips -
Thijs really has a story to tell! With his experience he shows how keeping things simple leads to the most brilliant solutions — technical answers to societal problems. Afterwards you genuinely start thinking about your own work: am I doing the right things, and am I doing them as effectively as possible? Highly recommended.
Esther van der Voort
Host & speaker -
As co-organiser of DrupalJam I asked Thijs to deliver the closing keynote. 350 attendees hung on his every word — IT and protecting wildlife coming together via an elephant trail, floating on the sounds of Céline Dion. As president of the Drupal Netherlands Foundation, I say: do it!
Bert Boerland
Organiser DrupalJam -
One of the greatest tech speakers I've had the chance to listen to. He shared how he uses technology to make a positive change — from wildlife poaching to online abuse — and planted a seed for us to rethink how we can use technology for good.
Susmita Guha Thakurta
Rabobank
Need a speaker?
Keynote, talk or a thought-provoking story at your conference? Drop me a message and we'll figure out what fits.