RENT Europes largest Entrepreneurship conference hosted on University of Twente campus Responsible Entrepreneurship & Technology: Combining the Local and the Global

Last week, the University of Twente had the honour of hosting the 2025 RENT conference on Research in Entrepreneurship and Small Business. The Entrepreneurship & Technology Management (ETM) section of the BMS faculty organised this premier European conference for entrepreneurship research, together with Saxion UAS, the European Council for Small Business (ECSB), and the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management (EIASM). We welcomed more than 300 participants to our campus for three days of cutting-edge academic exchange, lively debate, and vibrant community building. 

The participants examined the opportunities, challenges, contradictions, and transformative potential of responsible entrepreneurship in a ‘runaway world.’ Studies ranged from local initiatives to global networks, from technological innovation to societal responsibility, and from grassroots solutions to international impact. New pathways for responsibly balancing local contexts and global challenges were explored. 

For the University of Twente— the Netherlands most entrepreneurial university—this was a milestone. Hosting RENT 2025 showcased our unique ecosystem, where science, technology and entrepreneurship come together. It strengthened our international research profile; deepened collaboration with regional partners such as Saxion, Windesheim, ROC van Twente and the University of Münster; and positioned Twente even more firmly at the centre of the Dutch and European entrepreneurship research community.

At the Wednesday opening reception, participants were welcomed by speeches from the Alderman for Economic Affairs Malkis Jajan and BMS dean Tanya Bondarouk. Thursday morning Novel-T CEO Roy Spit opened the conference. Each underlining the importance of entrepreneurship for our region and for society at large. We were honoured to host keynote lectures from leading global scholars: prof. Shaker Zahra (University of Minnesota) on technology and entrepreneurship, and prof. Brett Anitra Gilbert (American University, Washington DC) on entrepreneurship ecosystems and regional development. Their contributions sparked discussions that carried through the entire conference.

RENT 2025 highlighted what makes our university special: our collaborative spirit, our entrepreneurial DNA, and our commitment to research with societal impact. The warm reactions from participants showed how deeply this atmosphere resonated. Bringing RENT to Twente has strengthened our networks, elevated our visibility across Europe, and generated new partnerships and research ideas. We were honoured to co-host this edition, and are grateful to the ECSB and EIASM, our regional partners, and all ETM colleagues who contributed to making RENT 2025 such a success.