AIM 2026 brought 250 entrepreneurs together at the Wintercircus in Ghent for a day of sharp keynotes, candid conversations and practical exchanges. The tone was clear from the start: focused, hands-on and grounded in execution.
This year’s programme combined four keynotes with three breakout sessions. Each keynote approached the same challenge from a different angle.
Ilham Kadri: ambition needs clarity and discipline
Ilham Kadri shared the key lessons she drew from seven years leading Solvay and guiding the group through its split. Her core point was clear: entrepreneurship is a mindset, and clarity is non-negotiable. Without clarity, you can’t lead, and you can’t align a team.
She urged founders to “accelerate” by raising the bar on priorities, rather than chasing speed for its own sake. Ambition, she added, only becomes real with a plan and discipline. She also stressed deliberate allocation of people and resources, so you don’t push an organisation into fatigue. Strong teams rally around a common goal, and you need the best people around you.
“Ambition only becomes real when it is backed by clarity, a plan and the discipline to execute.”
Ilham Kadri – Senior Advisor of Syensqo & Chair of the WBCSD
Stina Ehrensvärd: build for impact, not just for revenue
Stina Ehrensvärd’s message was grounded in realism: the first year can be tough, and progress often comes from simply keeping moving. Breakthroughs don’t always start with a perfect plan. They often come from how you respond when the market reacts in an unexpected way. Her emphasis was on making clear choices that build trust and help a community form around what you are building.
Most of all, she stressed direction over revenue. She is focused on making more impact. An impact-driven mission, she argued, is one of the strongest success factors you can work on. It helps attract strong people, the right investors and the kind of credibility that compounds over time.
“Focus on making more impact, and the right people and opportunities will follow.”
Stina Ehrensvärd – Founder Yubico
Juliet Bailin: invest in your self-awareness
Juliet Bailin urged founders to look beyond rankings. The US may lead the Global AI Index, but relocating only makes sense if your customers, investors and ecosystem are actually there.
Her central advice was more personal: invest in your self-awareness. Venture capitalists assess not only your market, but how clearly you understand your own values, strengths and blind spots, and how accurately you grasp the impact you have on others. She distinguished between internal self-awareness, knowing what drives you, and external self-awareness, understanding how others perceive you and make decisions about you. Her practical takeaway was simple: ask “what” rather than “why” when reflecting, and actively seek “loving critics” who challenge you constructively. Reputation, she added, compounds over time, and the right coach can be a serious accelerator.
“The most important investment you can make as a founder is in your own self-awareness.”
Juliet Bailin – Venture Partner at Kindred Capital
Amber Broos: your name is your brand
Amber Broos brought a very practical perspective: as an artist, you are also running a business, because your name is your brand. She stressed that you do not build that alone. A strong crew and back-office support make the difference, from operations to social media, so you can stay focused on the core.
Her other key message was about differentiation. Branding is not a nice-to-have; it shapes how people remember you in a crowded market. She was also open about the pressure behind the scenes. Travel, irregular hours and the need for control can quietly drain you, so staying healthy requires conscious choices. Hitting technical or creative walls, she added, is part of the journey, and new tools such as AI can be embraced when they create real opportunities.
“Your name is your brand. Build the right team around you, and protect the energy that allows you to perform.”
Amber Broos – DJ& Producer
The three breakout sessions created space for practical Q&A and peer-to-peer exchange, bringing together entrepreneurs and investors around concrete topics such as fundraising, leadership, confidence and network building. As always, the value was not only on stage, but also in the conversations between peers.
The day was wrapped up with a networking reception, but a spirited game at the Ping Pong Social Club kept the conversations going in a different rhythm.
Want to relive the day? Have a look at the photo gallery and spot familiar faces.