Stichting Horti Heroes

About Stichting Horti Heroes

HortiHeroes is an innovation and talent-development platform for the Food & Flower industry. It works with students, young professionals, entrepreneurs, start-ups, scale-ups and established companies to attract, connect and develop the people who can drive change in the sector.

The organization positions itself as a driver of innovation in Dutch horticulture and the wider Food & Flower ecosystem. Its mission is to help build a future-proof, sustainable, green and healthy world by bridging the gap between talent, companies, start-ups and other sectors.

HortiHeroes is based at the World Horti Center in Naaldwijk and serves as a community hub, program provider and event organizer for the sector.

Core Values

• Innovation: HortiHeroes consistently emphasizes entrepreneurship, startup thinking and practical innovation as the way to strengthen the Food & Flower industry.
• Talent development: The organization focuses on attracting, retaining and developing talent, helping people grow while they contribute to sector renewal.
• Collaboration: It believes progress comes from bringing together companies, start-ups, students, professionals and partners across the ecosystem.
• Sustainability: Its programs and mission are tied to creating a more sustainable, green, healthy and liveable world.
• Action orientation: HortiHeroes favors learning by doing, with programs designed to turn ideas into concrete projects and real organizational change.

Unique Aspects

• Sector-specific innovation platform: HortiHeroes is positioned as a dedicated platform for innovation, start-up and talent development specifically for the Food & Flower industry.
• Ecosystem builder: It connects established companies, start-ups, scale-ups, students, professionals and knowledge institutions in one community to accelerate innovation.
• Practical learning model: Its programs combine inspiration, training and action, with participants applying what they learn directly to real company challenges.
• Based at World Horti Center: The organization operates from the World Horti Center in Naaldwijk, placing it at the heart of the Dutch horticulture ecosystem.
• Bridge to other sectors: HortiHeroes explicitly aims to bridge the gap between horticulture and other sectors, bringing in outside perspectives and technologies.