How You Can Participate in GreenTech 2020 Amsterdam
September 20, 2020 
The 2020 version of GreenTech Amsterdam has gone through a seismic shift in planning. Originally slated for the second week in June, this international expo covering the latest knowledge, solutions, and innovations in controlled-environment production will now take place Oct. 20-22 at the RAI Amsterdam facility in the Netherlands.
Here’s the good news if you’re a U.S. or Canadian grower interested in attending but unwilling or (as of press time) unable to travel overseas: the event will take place online. Greenhouse Grower checked in with Mariska Dreschler, Director of Horticulture at GreenTech, to find out why the convention needs to be on your schedule this fall.
Optimized Virtual Experience
As with other events that took place on-screen this year, such as Cultivate’20, attendees will be able to visit digital exhibitor booths during GreenTech and connect one on one with suppliers. However, it’s the educational program that will offer the most unique experience.
“We are using a ‘follow the sun’ model in which content presentations will be scheduled based on specific attendee locations,” Dreschler says. “So, if you’re in the U.S., you can listen at a time that works best for you.”
Presentations will also be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing. In addition, exhibitors looking to offer education of their own will follow a similar format.
During the three days, the focus will be more on the quality of the presentations than the quantity, Dreschler says.
“We want to market the content to true industry innovators, and I think we’re off to a good start with that,” she says.
High-Level and Everyday Innovation
One of the benefits of an event like GreenTech, Dreschler says, is that it offers educational content with both a high-level strategic focus and in-the-dirt advice on how to grow the highest-quality plants.
“We will have programs featuring visionary discussions on the long-term prospect of emerging industries such as vertical farming and medicinal cannabis,” Dreschler says. “At the same time, head growers and their teams can participate in knowledge sessions aimed at crop optimization, variety development, climate control, and more.”
The COVID-19 Effect
The coronavirus pandemic has forced growers across the globe to look closely at their business models and whether they need to be adjusted.
“It’s something you cannot avoid, but you also know everyone else is in the same situation,” Dreschler says. “Through online communication with growers facing similar circumstances, you can learn a lot about how to improve the long-term health of your business.”
Through all of the GreenTech schedule and format changes, Dreschler says she is proud of how the industry has responded.
“We are all part of one community, and experiences like this can strengthen us as an industry,” Dreschler says. “I am grateful for that.”
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