The Next Web is pulling the plug at the end of September

After nearly 20 years, techsite The Next Web (TNW) will shut down at the end of the month. In addition, there will be no TNW Conference in 2026.

The Next Web was a website that was established in 2006 by Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten and Patrick de Laive in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The site mostly focused on new technology and start-up companies in Europe.

In March 2019, the Financial Times Group acquired a majority stake in The Next Web. In September 2021, co-founder and former CEO Veldhuijzen van Zanten resigned and handed his position to Chief Operating Officer (COO) Myrthe van de Erve.

Now, after almost 20 years, The Next Web’s Media and Events division has decided to call it quits at the end of September. This means that new articles will continue to be published till the end of the month. However, the TNW Conference for 2026 has been cancelled.

Why was this decision made? According to The Next Web, the Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupted TNW’s core revenue stream. “Despite significant efforts in the years since, no sustainable path to commercial viability was found,” the techsite explains.

“TNW has been the adventure of a lifetime. We started out at a unique moment in history, just as the world was moving online and everything was becoming digital. It was a thrill to not only witness that shift, but to help spark and accelerate it,” Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten reflects on his achievements.

“Over time, as digital became the norm, our role felt less about breaking new ground and more about celebrating what had already been achieved. I’m grateful we got to play our part, and I’m glad we can now close this chapter with pride,” he continues.

In his final words, Veldhuijzen van Zanten wishes to thank the contributors and community. “You’ve created a unique voice in tech, showcased the best of the industry, and exposed the worst. We’re sad to say goodbye, but grateful for 20 years of memories and an impact that will endure far beyond that,” he concludes.

In June, Mike Butcher, former Founding Editor at TechCrunch, announced that TechCrunch’s European editorial staff had been laid off.