FreedomLab is a think tank that conducts research on the future of technology, economics, politics, and society. We are comprised of seven in-house researchers, each with a different academic background, and work closely with our fellow researchers at parent company Dasym. We provide several types of services: trend labs, scenario labs, red teaming, keynotes, and research reports. Our clients are manifold and include Dutch ministries, banks, energy providers, and insurance companies, among others. 

The FreedomLab Campus, located in the center of Amsterdam, has been our home since 2014. In addition to our think tank, we host many start-ups and self-employed professionals. At the campus you will encounter philosophers, entrepreneurs, artists, and designers, all making a difference in their respective fields. Interested in joining us at the campus? Check out our Campus webpage for more information.

Meet our team

Arief Hühn

Head of FreedomLab

Arief has a background in human-computer interaction and holds a PhD in this field at the TU Eindhoven, where he investigated the effectiveness of location-based applications. He has worked as a researcher and lecturer at the Breda University of Applied Sciences.

Sjoerd Bakker

Senior Researcher & Strategist

Fields of expertise: innovation, socio-technical transitions, history of technology, consumer practices, mobility, energy, sustainability.

Sjoerd works on projects relating to technological disruption and changing consumer practices. In 2017, he published his book From Luxury to Necessity in which he explores the impact of technological revolutions on everyday life. Sjoerd has a background in chemical engineering and the philosophy of science and technology. He holds a PhD in Innovation Studies and has published numerous papers on innovation and socio-technical transitions.

Jessica van der Schalk

Researcher & Strategist

Fields of expertise: philosophy for children, philosophy concerning technological developments, logic, critical thinking, the future of work, 21st century skills.

Jessica holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy and a Research Master’s in Philosophy of Education at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. In 2018, she started her PhD, delving into the philosophical implications of technological developments on children.

Pim Korsten

Researcher & Strategist

Fields of expertise: macroeconomics, philosophy of economics, philosophy of history and culture.

Pim holds a Master's degree in Economics and Philosophy, both at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His research focuses on the intersection between economics, philosophy and social theory.

Julia Rijssenbeek

Researcher & Strategist

Fields of expertise: philosophy, food studies

Julia holds a Research Master’s degree in Philosophy and Economics at the Erasmus University and is currently doing PhD research on the philosophy of synthetic biology as part of the NWO Gravitation program Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies (ESDT) of the four technology universities in the Netherlands. At FreedomLab she conducts researches on the future of food, advances in biotechnology, and our changing relationship to nature.

Alexander van Wijnen

Researcher & Strategist

Alexander has studied public policy, history of international relations, and philosophy in the Netherlands and Singapore. In his research, Alexander focus on geopolitical shifts, technology and culture. He is a public speaker and his ideas have been published in Het Financieel Dagblad, NRC Handelsblad, and Volkskrant.

Sebastiaan Crul

Researcher & Strategist

Fields of expertise: the future of healthcare, the future of media and entertainment, digitisation of daily life

Sebastiaan has a background in economy, finance, and philosophy. At FreedomLab he is conducting research on the interface between technology, economics, and culture. He is also working on his PhD, investigating the relationship between mental health and embodiment.

Margreet Liefting

Operations Manager

Margreet holds a Bachelor's degree in Commercial Economics and has a background in marketing, media and events management at AZ Alkmaar, Triple IT and FC Bayern Munich. In 2013 she joined parent company Dasym and has been working for FreedomLab since 2016.

Rasile Group

Rasile Group consists of Dasym Invest­ment Strate­gies and FreedomLab. We believe that the close coope­ration between the two companies leads to added value for the clients we work with. Together, Dasym and FreedomLab form a combi­nation of commer­cial clout and trans­for­mative creati­vity.

Rasile Group

Dasym

Dasym is an independent, research-driven investment company headquartered in Naarden, the Netherlands, with additional offices in Los Angeles and Shanghai. Dasym offers a broad range of investment solutions and services in the areas Managed Accounts and Investment Funds.

Dasym