Matillion Netherlands User Group: A Story of Community and Innovation

The Spark of an Idea

In early 2025, a conversation with Yalmar Mekelenkamp from Toelevering Online sparked something special. As a passionate data professional who had recently migrated from Matillion ETL to the Data Productivity Cloud, Yalmar was eager to connect with fellow Matillion users in the Netherlands. From this simple idea emerged the Matillion Netherlands User Group, a community embodying our shared commitment to collaboration, learning, and growth.

The Day Arrives

In April, that spark turned into action. The Matillion team and I worked together to organize a well-planned event for our host, Yalmar. We held internal planning calls, created a marketing strategy, and put everything into motion. We also set up a dedicated space on the Matillion Community platform for ongoing discussions before and after the event. Our aim was to handle the logistics so our hosts could concentrate on sharing their knowledge with fellow users.

The event took place at the Axians venue in Laren. We're grateful to our partners at Axians for providing such a wonderful setting. The excitement was palpable as users gathered to connect and share their experiences.

Expert Insights

We were thrilled to have not one, but two guest speakers from Matillion – Jamie Cole, Product Manager and Ben Dodson, Product Owner. They presented upcoming features from our roadmap, discussed migration to the Data Productivity Cloud, AI capabilities, and agents. The discussion sparked vibrant conversation that had everyone fully engaged throughout the session. Particularly noteworthy was the group's enthusiasm about Matillion's AI integration strategy; everyone expressed keen interest in following the evolution of this roadmap.

Open Dialogue and Discovery

The group input was exceptional, and the dialogue was open and honest. It was inspiring to see users experiencing the Data Productivity Cloud for the first time, with Yalmar sharing his company's success story using the technology. The excitement around the progress they were able to make was a real highlight of the day. 

 Yalmar shared the details of his company's successful migration from Matillion ETL to the Data Productivity Cloud. The attendees were impressed to hear how the move has helped the organization make its data more useful, and deliver results faster than ever before – citing a 93% reduction in delivery time, as well as a monthly cost reduction too!

Stefan, Lead Consultant Modern Data Architecture at Axians gave us an insightful and informative introduction to Axians, who had kindly provided a venue for the event, explaining how they leverage Matillion for their customers, and how it helps them achieve their goals. 

During the event, Matillion’s Jamie Cole showcased the latest AI capabilities within the Data Productivity Cloud. As our resident Matillion ETL to Data Productivity Cloud migration expert, he demonstrated just how straightforward the process is using our tool – everyone was genuinely impressed by its ease of use.

Meanwhile, Matillion’s Ben Dodson introduced the group to Matillion Agents, sparking great conversations and anticipation for the feature release. There was also a lot of interest around the upcoming Snowflake Agent, set to be released soon!

The demonstrations and discussions that followed were valuable to all attendees, echoed the passion shown by all who presented. The Matillion representatives came away with plenty of great feedback to bring back to the office and discuss with the wider team.

Witnessing our customers discover the power of Matillion is always rewarding. There's nothing quite like the moment when users experience the full potential of the Data Productivity Cloud for themselves. These in-person demonstrations consistently prove invaluable, creating moments that showcase how our solutions can transform data workflows. The genuine appreciation expressed by participants after seeing the platform in action reinforces why we're passionate about what we do – empowering organizations to unlock the true value of their data.

Eager for More

The desire for another User Group was clear. Everyone wanted to return, with many sharing compelling topic suggestions for the next meeting, already earmarked for September 2025. The enthusiasm was infectious, and it was clear that this was only the beginning of something special. Plans are in motion for the next event, and we look forward to more data-centric discussions, delicious food and new faces in a growing User Group.

The Power of Community

This event truly highlighted the value of community and empowerment. While our online community continues to thrive, the energy generated by connecting in person created a unique and irreplaceable experience. We extend our gratitude to Yalmar, Axians, and all the group attendees for creating such an inspiring atmosphere. And, of course, a special acknowledgement goes to Jamie Cole and Ben Dodson for their superb presentations and demonstrations, which left everyone excited for what's ahead for Matillion.

It's Time to Host Your Own User Group

Does this sound like something you would like to be a part of? We’d love to help you to host a Matillion User Group in your area. Fill out the form here, and we’ll be in touch to begin the arrangements. We provide the framework and support – all we need is your insight and your natural talent for bringing people together. What are you waiting for? Feel free to contact me personally via LinkedIn or on the Matillion Community platform!