After steering Dutch chip giant ASML to become Europe’s most valuable tech firm, Peter Wennink is now focused on the next frontiers of deep tech.
Wennink has already been involved in numerous breakthroughs in the field. Over his 25-year career at ASML — including over a decade as CEO — the company laid foundations for countless deep tech innovations.
Under his leadership, the business earned renown as the sole supplier and producer of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines.
These systems are essential for manufacturing the world’s most advanced chips. They have become a crucial force in today’s AI boom, supporting everything from ChatGPT to brain-computer interfaces.
ASML has also extended the life of Moore’s Law — the observation that transistors on chips double roughly every two years. This exponential growth has fuelled breakthroughs that once seemed unimaginable. The next advances, Wennink believes, are even harder to envision.
“It’s difficult for mankind to foresee the impact of exponentiality because it often yields something seemingly impossible,” he told TNW. “But that’s exactly what science and deep tech will create, making the impossible possible.”
At TNW Conference in Amsterdam on June 20, Wennink will share his vision of a new era of innovation.
The future of deep tech
In an exclusive session titled Gods of Industry: The Battle for Deep Tech Dominance, Wennink will take the stage alongside Young Sohn, another digital visionary. Formerly the President and Chief Strategy Officer of Samsung Electronic, Sohn is now the founding managing partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures, a VC fund dedicated to deep tech.
Together, the duo will unpack the next decade of innovations. Their insights will shine a light on the next era of tech leaders.
During Wennink’s tenure, ASML became one of these leaders. The company’s machines still produce the chips for all kinds of advanced device, from iPhones to self-driving cars.
ASML has also supported the broader deep tech ecosystem. The firm backed DeepTechXL, a Dutch fund that last year raised €110mn, and was deeply involved in Brainport Eindhoven, which Wennink calls “probably unique” in the world of deep tech.
Since retiring from ASML last year, Wennink has remained a key figure in the field. He believes the next wave of deep tech will unlock possibilities that are hard to imagine. They may require challenging paths from lab to market, deep domain expertise, and patient capital — but the payoffs will be truly transformative. At TNW Conference, Wenwick will offer a glimpse into what comes next.
Peter Wennink will join a packed lineup at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the check-out to get 30% off the price tag.