The largest Copilot network in the Netherlands

Almost a year ago, we started the Innovation Circle with one clear goal: to discover together how to use Microsoft 365 Copilot and AI successfully in organizations. Not theory, but practice. No separate events, but a community where knowledge is shared, tested and improved.

And look now: a year later, the Innovation Circle has grown into the largest Copilot network in the Netherlands. Every month, dozens of organizations came together to exchange experiences, explore new possibilities and learn from each other.

The October edition felt like a great milestone. Not only because the conversations are getting deeper and deeper, but also because we have visibly matured as a community. Why does the Innovation Circle work? Each session revolves around three simple principles:

Practice over theory. Directly applicable insights.
Honesty. Successes and struggles are shared, you learn from that.
Continuity. Building together every month.

What started as an idea has grown into a movement in which leaders, IT, security and end users know how to find each other. Not to talk about technology, but to build sustainable adoption together.

The October edition – looking ahead and closing

During the last and last edition of this year, we delved into the latest developments around Copilot and agents. From the AppBuilder in the Frontier program to workflow agents that simplify processes such as HR questions or schedules in Shifts. We saw how organizations remove complexity and add value by concretely linking AI to daily work processes.

Governance and safety also remained central. Shadow AI is now a reality: employees use AI anyway, inside or outside the organization. That's why we discussed how organizations stay on top of things with Purview, SharePoint Advanced Management, and clear AI policies.

And of course, we shared the differences between the free and paid versions of Copilot. The free variant helps employees build AI literacy; The paid version allows for true integration, compliance, and scalable impact.

Finally, we looked at the Copilot Dashboard: the place to measure how Copilot is used, where adoption is stalling and where opportunities lie. Because to measure is to know — and in 2025, that will be the basis for every AI strategy.

My key insights

• Organize before you optimize. Governance, policy and training form the basis.
• Agents are the bridge. Start small, prove value, and scale smartly.
• Data determines direction. Dashboards give you the insight to act in a more targeted way.
• Community accelerates adoption. By sharing monthly, we all learn faster.

A little look back

What started as an experiment has grown into a movement.
We laughed together, learned, shared and occasionally unraveled the tangle of what was new, complex or unclear.

The Innovation Circle showed what happens when organizations dare to share knowledge instead of competing. And that is perhaps the biggest gain of all.

The last edition of this year

The November edition will be the last edition of the Innovation Circle of 2025.
But... don't worry. We will be back.

In 2026 , we will return with a renewed concept – fresher, more practical and even more focused on impact in practice. We build on what we have learned, but add new formats that support organizations even better in their AI and Copilot journey.

Thanks to everyone who was part of the Innovation Circle this year

Your openness, energy, and cooperation have made this network what it is today. And next year? Then we move on. 

On to 2026. New ideas. New formats. The same energy.
Stay tuned, the next step will be revealed soon.