On 15 January 2026, TEDxVU hosted its Student Pitch Night - an evening designed to give student voices a platform and to select one student speaker for the TEDxVU Amsterdam main event in April, built around the theme “The Cycle.”

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Over the course of the night, 15 student speakers took the stage with original talks that explored cycles in many forms: the ones we inherit, the ones we repeat without noticing, and the ones we can choose to break, redesign, or deepen. The purpose wasn’t just competition - it was to create a space where ideas can be tested in public, refined through feedback, and shared with a community that’s willing to listen.

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The talks moved from the big and systemic to the intimate and personal. Some speakers challenged how our societies loop through conflict, innovation, and money - asking what keeps certain patterns running, and how we might restart what feels stuck. Others focused on the quieter cycles that shape everyday life: uncertainty and growth in nature, the way time anxiety loops in the mind, the push-and-pull between loneliness and connection, and how small habits can compound into meaningful change. Several talks returned to the digital world - questioning passive consumption and exploring what it means to be truly present, intentional, and curious. And throughout the night, a common thread emerged: cycles don’t only repeat - they evolve, and we can influence their direction.

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The winning talk was “Pi and the Cycles of Life,” which reframed π not only as a mathematical constant, but as a metaphor for continuity within change - showing how patterns can hold across different scales, from daily rhythms to the larger systems we live inside.

Events like Student Pitch Night matter because they give students something rare: a serious stage for early ideas, the confidence that comes from being heard, and the chance to turn curiosity into impact. They also strengthen the university community by bringing people together around shared questions - before the answers are fully formed.

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With the Student Pitch Night complete, we’re now moving into the next phase: finalizing the speaker lineup for April. The main event will bring an even bigger stage, a wider audience, and a new round of ideas worth spreading. Stay tuned!