Women of the Future 2026: MyHives Co-Founder Anniek van Veldhuizen

Some milestones are meaningful because of the recognition they bring. Others matter because they reflect years of conviction, difficult decisions and the determination to turn an idea into something that makes a difference. For Anniek van Veldhuizen, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of MyHives, being named among the Women of the Future 2026: 50 Rising Stars in ESG, sponsored by Bupa, is a moment that brings these two things together. It recognises her work as a leader building at the intersection of technology, social impact and everyday safety. It also reflects a belief that has been central to MyHives from the beginning: that making the world safer requires more than responding when something goes wrong. It requires us to rethink how we recognise risk, support one another and make help more accessible when it matters. For Anniek, this has never been just about building a company. It has been about building something that matters.

Leadership That Begins With a Human Problem

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is often discussed through the language of corporate responsibility, reporting and sustainability targets. But at its heart, the social dimension of ESG asks a deeply human question: how do the decisions we make, the organisations we build and the technologies we develop affect people's lives? Everyday safety is part of that conversation. People move through the world every day to work, study, meet loved ones and pursue opportunities. Yet, in moments when something feels wrong or a situation becomes unsafe, getting help is not always simple. A person may be unable to reach their phone, communicate clearly or actively ask for assistance. These are not just technical problems. They are human ones. Anniek's work through MyHives is rooted in addressing this gap. Rather than treating personal safety solely as an individual's responsibility, MyHives is building an approach in which technology, trusted relationships and community support work together. The ambition is simple but significant: to help people feel and be safer, while making it easier for support to reach them when they need it. This is what everyday safety through solidarity means at MyHives. It is a belief that safety should not depend entirely on whether someone can react quickly enough in a difficult moment.

Building MyHives Around a Different Understanding of Safety

At MyHives, we believe that technology should serve people, not make them feel watched or place the entire burden of their safety on them. That belief shapes the MyHives ecosystem, which brings together digital tools, AI-powered safety technology and physical hardware to help people access support in different circumstances. Through features such as safer navigation, check-ins and log the moment, the MyHives app helps people make more informed decisions about their journeys, share relevant information with trusted contacts and document experiences that concern them. BEEKON, the AI safety guardian, extends this approach by helping identify situations that may require attention. BEEKON+ adds a physical layer of support, with environmental sensors and the ability to contact emergency services independently of a smartphone. Together, these solutions reflect an important principle: safety technology should account for the reality that people cannot always stop, reach for their phones or explain what is happening. Our goal is not to create a world governed by fear or constant surveillance. It is to help create an environment in which people can move with greater confidence, support is easier to access, and technology can play a meaningful role when human intervention is needed. Technology alone cannot solve every safety challenge. But when it is developed around real human needs and supported by trusted people and organisations, it can become part of a more thoughtful and responsive approach to everyday safety.

Turning Conviction Into Something People Can Rely On

As Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Anniek works to turn this vision into practical solutions and partnerships. A TU Delft engineer and TEDx speaker, she brings together technical thinking, commercial leadership and a clear understanding that meaningful innovation must work in the real world. These milestones represent an important part of building a purpose-driven company: moving from an idea that matters to a solution that people and organisations can put into practice. Because a strong vision is only the beginning. It must be translated into products people understand, partnerships that create value, and systems that can support people beyond the moments when everything is going as planned. That is the challenge Anniek and the MyHives team continue to work towards.

Why This Recognition Matters

Being named among the Women of the Future 2026: 50 Rising Stars in ESG is a meaningful milestone for Anniek. It also creates an opportunity to bring greater attention to the connection between innovation, social responsibility and the everyday experiences of people who need to feel safe. For MyHives, that connection is fundamental to the work we do. The social impact of a safety solution is not measured only by the technology behind it. It is also reflected in the people it can support, the organisations it can work with and the communities it can help strengthen. Recognition of women working to advance this kind of progress matters because it brings visibility to leadership that connects ambition with responsibility. It also reminds us that building a better future is not solely about inventing something new. It is about understanding what needs to change and having the courage to do the work required to change it. Anniek's nomination is an opportunity to celebrate that commitment and the work still ahead.

A Future Where Safety is Something We Build Together

The future MyHives is working towards is one in which people can go about their daily lives with greater confidence, knowing that technology and human support can work together when circumstances become difficult. Getting there requires more than a product. It requires collaboration across communities, businesses and institutions. It requires listening to the people whose experiences should shape the solutions. And it requires leaders who remain committed to the human purpose behind the technology they build. For Anniek and the MyHives team, that purpose remains at the centre of the journey. This recognition is a moment to celebrate how far the work has come, while continuing to focus on what matters most: creating practical ways for people to access support and making everyday safety a shared responsibility. Because the most meaningful innovation is not simply what technology can do, but what it makes possible for people: the freedom to navigate everyday life with greater confidence, knowing that support can be there when it matters most. At MyHives, we believe everyone deserves to move with confidence. And through technology, human connection and a shared commitment to safety, we are working to make that possible.