EAGxAmsterdam

What to expect

EAGxAmsterdam brings together people using evidence and reason to tackle the world's most pressing problems, from AI safety and global health, to animal welfare and ensuring the wellbeing of future generations.

3 days of talks, workshops, and crucially, one-on-one meetings with other attendees. The format is designed around conversation, not just content. Most attendees make around 10 new connections, scheduled through our conference app, Swapcard. You'll meet researchers, founders, policymakers, and career-changers working on problems that actually matter.

Key topics include global health and development, animal welfare, catastrophic risk reduction, AI safety, and global priorities research. The emphasis is on clear thinking and real-world application, not abstract philosophy.

Programme highlights include

• Structured 1-1 meetings (the core of the conference)
• Expert talks on current research and open problems
• Small-group discussions and workshops
• Social events and informal conversations

The full schedule will be announced closer to the date.

Featured Speakers

We're excited to host leading voices from across global health and development, animal welfare, catastrophic risk reduction, AI safety, and global priorities research.

Ben Todd – Co-founder of 80,000 Hours, Ben has helped thousands of people make significant career changes toward high-impact work. He'll be speaking about AI safety and preparing for a world with advanced AI.

Michael Plant – Founder of the Happier Lives Institute, Michael pioneered wellbeing-based approaches to charity evaluation. His work now appears in the World Happiness Report and influences how global institutions think about measuring impact.

Stien van der Ploeg – Executive Director of Animal Charity Evaluators, Stien leads rigorous evaluations of animal welfare organisations to identify which ones reduce the most suffering per euro donated. She'll address the state of the animal welfare movement in 2025.

Bob Fischer – Professor of Philosophy at Texas State University and Senior Researcher at Rethink Priorities, Bob led the groundbreaking Moral Weight Project on comparing welfare capacities across species. His talk will explore insect sentience and its implications for cause prioritisation.

Plus 20+ additional speakers across our five event tracks, bringing expertise in governance, entrepreneurship, global health, and catastrophic risk reduction.

Five Event Tracks

EAGxAmsterdam features five focus areas:

• Governance & Policy – Shaping institutions and decision-making for global impact
• Animal Welfare – Reducing suffering across species at scale
• Global Catastrophic Risks – Reducing risks that have the potential to cause serious harm on a global scale
• Effective Giving – Maximising the impact of charitable donations
• Entrepreneurship – Building organisations that tackle pressing problems

Who should attend?

EAGxAmsterdam is primarily for people across the Netherlands and North-West Europe (including the UK) who want to use evidence and reason to make the greatest possible difference.

We especially encourage applications from

• Netherlands & the BeNeLux
• United Kingdom (we’re your closest EAGx option)
• France, Ireland & North-West Europe

We also welcome attendees from elsewhere in Europe (and Turkey).

The event is grounded in a set of principles that guide our community:

Prioritisation: Some ways of doing good are far more effective than others. We aim to identify and focus on what matters most — using numbers, where possible, to estimate and compare the impact of different actions.

Impartial altruism: When trying to do the most good, we aim to give equal moral weight to all, regardless of nationality, species, or time. This often means focusing on those who are most neglected or voiceless.

Open truthseeking: We don't start with fixed loyalties to causes or methods. We aim to remain curious, update our views in light of evidence, and stay open to radically changing our minds.

Collaboration: Doing good better is a shared endeavour. We aim to be ambitious and intellectually honest while working with integrity, compassion, and respect for others.

If these ideas resonate with you - whether you're a student or a seasoned professional - EAGxAmsterdam offers clarity, challenge, and connection.

Cost and support

EAGxAmsterdam is a donate-as-you-feel event, with a suggested contribution of ~€120 for most attendees. During registration, you can choose your donation amount, including a free option if contributing would be a financial burden.

We may be able to offer limited travel support for attendees who wouldn't otherwise be able to attend — indicate this in your application if relevant.

Why attend

• Meet people doing high-impact work you'd actually want to collaborate with
• Learn from experts applying research to real problems
• Get clarity on how your skills could be most useful
• Find mentors, co-founders, or hires