The DPW Journey: From Experience to Connection to Transformation
When people are moved, they connect. And when they connect, they transform. That’s the core philosophy behind how we design events at DPW Amsterdam and DPW New York. Every detail — from the stage flow to networking experiences — is built around this journey.
Experience: The Infrastructure That Activates Transformation
Every transformative event starts with a powerful experience. Experience is not decoration — it’s the infrastructure that makes emotional and intellectual change possible. The sound, lighting, rhythm, and even moments of silence are not afterthoughts; they are tools for shaping how people feel, think, and engage.
When experience is designed intentionally, it becomes the foundation for everything else: connection, learning, belonging, and ultimately transformation.
“When you design experiences that move people, you create the conditions for everything else—connection, learning, belonging, and ultimately transformation.”
— Matthias Gutzmann, Founder of DPW
Connection: Where Co-Creation Begins
Once emotion is activated, connection follows. At DPW Amsterdam, you can feel it in the spontaneous conversations, the shared laughter, and the moments of collective energy. These are not accidental — they’re the result of designing social architecture that encourages co-creation rather than passive participation.
Connection is where belonging begins. And belonging is what turns an event into a community — or, in our case, a movement. When people feel they belong, they don’t just attend; they contribute. They bring their ideas, their energy, and their stories. That’s when an event becomes a living ecosystem.
Transformation: The True Measure of Success
The most powerful events don’t end when the lights go down. Their impact continues long after, in how people think, collaborate, and innovate differently.
At DPW, we’ve moved beyond measuring success by Return on Investment (ROI). Our focus is Return on Relationships (ROR) — the quality and depth of the connections formed, and the long-term transformation they enable.
Transformation doesn’t happen in a single session or keynote. It happens when an idea or relationship takes root and sparks change. That’s the true value of a modern event: measurable human and organizational transformation.
“We’re not designing events. We’re building human transformation systems.”
— Matthias Gutzmann, Founder of DPW
Building Movements, Not Meetings
If experience is the spark and connection is the bridge, then transformation is the destination.
At DPW, we don’t think of ourselves as conference organizers. We’re movement builders. We’re designing catalysts for change — spaces where procurement and supply chain leaders can collaborate with startups, innovators, and technologists to reimagine their future together.
The future of events isn’t about bigger stages or more content. It’s about creating experiences that build emotional engagement, lasting relationships, and measurable transformation.
That’s the DPW advantage:
We start with experience,
build for connection,
and measure by transformation.
