What Belgium's Most Forward-Thinking Entrepreneur Sees Coming Next

Dr. Niklas Richter · 2026-09-24

What if you could get 30 years of future-telling accuracy in one conversation? That's the unique perspective Peter Hinssen brings. He's not just a serial entrepreneur who started his first company in 1995. He's built multiple ventures, taken one public, and written six bestselling books about what's coming next. And honestly? He's been right every single time. Oh, and he teaches at London Business School and MIT while keynoting for CEOs from Apple to Proximus. Through his company Nexxworks, he takes business leaders on innovation tours to Silicon Valley, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. This isn't theoretical knowledge—it's experience forged in the trenches. ### Why AI Is Changing Everything (Yes, Everything) Peter doesn't mince words about artificial intelligence. It's not a passing trend or temporary hype. He calls it a fundamental shift that touches absolutely everything. Think about it: from how a roofing contractor creates an estimate to what the job market will look like in ten years. "AI is becoming part of the fabric," he explains. During our conversation, he shared how he used Claude and ChatGPT as sounding boards while writing his latest book, *The Uncertainty Principle*. The fascinating part? The AI began to understand his own thinking patterns better over time. ### What Europe Can Learn from Chinese Factories Peter's observations from Chinese manufacturing floors genuinely impressed him. He saw innovation happening at a pace Europe struggles to match. The takeaway? Europe needs to adapt quickly, embracing different approaches to technology and execution. It's not about copying—it's about learning and evolving faster. He also organizes Youth Tours to China, taking twenty entrepreneurs and their children to witness this innovation ecosystem firsthand. Imagine the perspective shift for the next generation seeing tomorrow's technology being built today. ### The Entrepreneur's Journey: Honest Reflections Peter gets refreshingly candid about his own path. He discusses the startups he built, the critical choices he made along the way, and what he would do differently if starting over today. This isn't polished success-story material—it's the real, messy journey of building things that matter. He even shares his unique presentation style: 100 slides in just 10 minutes during keynotes. The method creates a rapid-fire insight delivery that keeps audiences completely engaged. ### Finding Balance: From Boardroom to Farm Here's what struck me most. Every summer, Peter escapes to his farm where he chops wood and drives tractors. In a world obsessed with constant connectivity, this physical, grounded work provides essential counterbalance to his futurist thinking. Key insights from our conversation: - AI integration will transform every industry, including traditional trades - European businesses must accelerate innovation adoption to remain competitive - Personal reflection and hands-on work provide crucial perspective for leaders - Preparing the next generation requires exposing them to global innovation hubs This conversation is for every entrepreneur who wants to understand what's *truly* changing tomorrow and how to start adapting today. Not with fear, but with clear-eyed preparation. Because the world isn't going back to "normal"—it's accelerating toward something entirely new, and the most forward-thinking people are already mapping the terrain.