Volume 3 - VentureLab International

VentureLab Twente
Entrepreneurs
2011
volume
3
VentureLab Twente
Entrepreneurs
2011
volume
3
5
Group
Foreword
A good neighbour is worth more than a distant friend
This is the motto behind the increasing cooperation between the Overijssel and Gelderland provincial authorities.
We are joining forces and pooling knowledge to try to capitalize on the economic potential of our regions, thereby
generating new employment opportunities. This confidence in our own strength and cooperation is beginning to
pay off: The ‘triple helix’ around the Food, Health and Technology Valleys is gaining momentum and generating
a constant stream of new products. Every knowledge institute in the region, whether in Nijmegen, Wageningen,
Arnhem, Enschede or Zwolle, is now committed to the valorization process in one way or another. And thanks to this,
businesses are finding quicker and easier ways of transforming knowledge into innovation.
VentureLab Twente is a perfect example of the partnership between Gelderland and Overijssel.
An example in which I take a certain amount of pride. I first encountered this successful project during my days
as director of Regio Twente. And now, as a member of the Gelderland Provincial Executive, it only seems logical
that VentureLab should operate in Gelderland during the years to come and that innovative entrepreneurs from
Wageningen, Nijmegen and Arnhem should benefit from the VentureLab method.
I am convinced that the presence of VentureLab in Gelderland will generate stronger ties between the knowledge
institutes themselves, and a shared feeling of joint responsibility for the issues and challenges facing society.
Particularly with respect to boosting the social economic climate. Also, I hope that we, Overijssel and Gelderland, will
be able to help the start-up and budding companies supported by VentureLab, to establish themselves so that they
will continue to spearhead the economic development of the Eastern Netherlands well into the future.
I for one am looking forward to doing my bit from Gelderland.
Dr. Annemieke Traag
Provincial Executive Province of Gelderland
Message
from the
Programme Director
We are continuously improving our VentureLab programme for the benefit of our participants. During the last
couple of months, we ran successful pilots with two new workshops: Business Modelling and Investor Readiness.
These workshops turned out to be of great value and we have decided to include them in the programme, but only
for the really dedicated participants.
Of course, having fun is another important component of any effective entrepreneurial community. VentureLab
organized several VentureClasses with renowned speakers and enjoyable network dinners. To me, one of the
highlights was the annual VentureLab Barbecue in June, which was held in my own garden. Traditionally, we have
good weather and a growing number of guests. This year, more than 150 people enjoyed the BBQ and the sponsored
wine-tasting event.
Please take the time to read the stories of
the fifth group of VentureLab entrepreneurs.
This is the fifth volume in the series of VentureLab Twente Entrepreneurs.
VentureLab Twente started in May 2009 as a business support programme for high-tech high-growth companies.
Since then, we have welcomed a new group of participants every four to five months. This booklet tells the stories
of the fifth group of participants, who received their certificates after completing the one-year support programme.
Group 5 represents an important landmark for VentureLab Twente. We can now proudly say that more than 100
participants have enjoyed the benefits of the programme. Group 9 started in October 2011, bringing the total
number of participants to more than 200 in just two-and-a-half years.
Looking at the profiles of the participants in the first five groups, we see that most companies are engaged in High
Tech Systems and Smart Materials (34) and Web/IT (35), with medical devices and healthcare as runner-up (20).
By helping these companies on their way, VentureLab Twente is making a significant contribution to creating new
jobs in the east of the Netherlands.
VentureLab Twente is evolving into a real entrepreneurial community.
On the business side, we see different VLT companies starting to work together. Co-development, sharing
complementary skills, open innovation: all ways of speeding up the business process. VentureLab initiated the
application for an IPC (Innovatie Prestatie Contract; a Dutch subsidy programme for promoting collaboration and
innovation) with 17 companies. The IPC was granted and each company received € 30,000 in subsidy!
Dr. Rob van Lambalgen
Message
from the
Academic Director
Venture Lab Twente was designed according to principles based on our academic knowledge and practical experience of
implementing enterprise-support programmes. So it is both state of the art, and constantly improving. For example, our
weekly monitoring of the entrepreneurs’ activities through a diary sharpens our knowledge of developing and supporting
‘high-tech high-growth’ business. This data enables us to test current models of entrepreneurial processes. This is not only
interesting at a practical level, but also contributes to ground-breaking research in this area.
One of the questions that we investigate in our research on ‘entrepreneurship in networks’ at NIKOS (Netherlands Institute
for Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship at the University of Twente) involves how to help more people start businesses
successfully. As a knowledge centre, we have conducted several studies to identify factors affecting the growth of spin-off
ventures.
At last year’s Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, we presented the results of an initial study of a small
group of fifteen VentureLab ‘novice’ entrepreneurs (meaning without entrepreneurial experience) carried out over a period
of a year. We researched the question of whether cognitive explanations (which is how entrepreneurs generally think) can
also be used in the early stages of entrepreneurship, when a business idea has not yet crystallized.
It would appear that early stage entrepreneurs differ in a number of aspects. Among the patterns we discovered: early
stage entrepreneurs differ significantly with regard to the number of issues they worry about. This suggests that even
at a very early stage, some entrepreneurs have a more integral view of what is needed to make their business a success
and have a more holistic approach to business than others. A second finding concerned the level of specific short-term
planning. Some entrepreneurs work with detailed plans for a short-term period of one or two weeks, while others have a
more open, emergent approach. The third pattern that we found in our data showed that early stage entrepreneurs differ
greatly when it comes to pro-active networking and interaction with third parties.
We expect that the ‘micro-level data’ we have gathered (and are still gathering) in our ‘living lab’ will give us
greater insight into how entrepreneurs develop, and how, for example, they use their network when starting up a
business and what the effect will be on business growth.
In this fifth group, we were delighted to welcome our one hundredth participant. And in group nine, which has
just started, we are already welcoming our two-hundredth participant. We are both pleased and proud that, as
well as being a desirable and highly valued programme, VentureLab Twente can provide such a unique setting for
conducting this quasi-experimental research. The 23 stories written by entrepreneurs in this volume are all the proof
that we need.
Prof. dr. Aard J. Groen
Scientific Director of NIKOS and
Professor of Innovative
Entrepreneurship
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30-31
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Higher turnover via the web - Mark Roza Medical outsourcing business - Ajay Kapoor
Immediate pay-back on investment - Richard Rensen
Enhancing cultural (and inter-cultural) intelligence - Ellen Grünefeld
Overview of your own data - Bert Otter
Expanding with controlled precision - Gert Dijk
Heading for the global top - Erik-Jan de Hoon
Bringing projects to life - André Haverkort
Seeing where you fly - Dennis van Limbeek
True hospitality for senior citizens - Jan Hemink
The world in your hands - Gerrit Hillebrand
Ready for growth in LED lighting - Jos Porskamp
Innovation spotter finds innovative organizations - Gea Vellinga
Software factory for multi-screen apps - Aad Glasbergen
Foothold in Europe - Mark de Vries
A personal voyage of discovery - Gerben Derks
Extracting knowledge from people’s minds - Wouter Schotborgh
Longer life for cables - Marloes Tuk
Secure telephone for the Federal Chancellor - Rene heuven
Growth through pioneering integration - Rob ter Brugge
Precision business - Gert van den Brink
Dare to live your dream - Henk Hemink
Contents
Losing weight while eating well - Jos Stuyver
Higher turnover
via
the web
He hoped he would meet someone with a good idea. And this is exactly what happened. During Friday afternoon
drinks, he got talking to Dennis Doubovski about Social Mining, a company that had designed technology for
analysing and linking search patterns. Some people just search for shoes. Others search for shoes with rubber soles
or stiletto heels. Smart linking of this digital evidence increases the chance of a hit, resulting in a higher score in the
search engines. ‘I´d be happy to sell that for you‘, said Roza to Doubovski. And so the wheel began to turn.
‘It has huge potential’, explains Roza. In fact the potential is so huge that Social Mining is willing to work on a no
cure, no pay basis. It has already realized an increase in turnover of 10-15 percent. ‘Dennis can carry on designing,
and leave me to pull off the major deals. There are great opportunities for the larger web shops. We have about 200
of them in the Netherlands alone.’
In short, VentureLab was a good move. ‘I enjoyed it. It´s sometimes a bit like being back at school, but the contact
with other entrepreneurs and the peer feedback are both searching and inspiring. I’m seriously considering signing
up for another year as an alumnus.’
www.social-mining.com
The VentureLab advertisement attracted Mark Roza’s attention. His commercial juices began to flow. He didn’t
actually have a business concept, but he hoped he would meet someone with a product that was ripe for the market.
And this is exactly what happened. During Friday afternoon drinks, he got talking to entrepreneur and VentureLab
alumnus Dennis Doubovski. One plus one turned out to equal more than two.
Roza spent eight years in marketing at a telecom company, during the days when internet via the cable network really
began to take off. Then he moved to Enschede, which is where his wife came from. He soon had enough of commuting
to the west of the country every day and took on the job of financial advisor to his wife’s family business. ‘And then
after a few years, I started thinking’, he says now. ‘I wanted to get back into the internet sector, but I also had a wife
and three children to support. I tried combining things to keep a good balance between work and my private life.
Signing up for VentureLab was a way of forcing myself to get down to some serious thinking.’
Medical
outsourcing
business
He has already discovered that it will not be an easy ride. The Dutch hospitals he has approached are reticent. ‘I’m not
trying to compete with them; I’m looking for cooperation. Once patients return from India, they’ll need to continue their
medical care here.’
Kapoor thinks that huge numbers of patients could be involved, particularly in view of the number of Dutch people that
go to Germany, Belgium or Turkey for treatment. In addition, a lot of fellow-countrymen have some kind of connection
with India. ‘They would not find it difficult to visit India for treatment. Take IVF, for example; the economies of scale
mean that is can be carried out better and more cheaper in India. So the total costs don’t have to be any higher.’
Kapoor soon hopes to be able to prove this. He wants to start his business as quickly as possible so that he can
demonstrate concrete results. He expects that this will rouse the interest of the insurance companies. ‘I have contacts
that are keen to cooperate in India. I’m now looking for a Dutch partner who knows the market and can approach it
from the Dutch perspective.’
This is why he is taking part in VentureLab. Also: ‘I have to develop my entrepreneurial skills. And I need a network.
This is the perfect place; an inspiring environment where you meet people facing the same kind of dilemmas.
Where you have a coach who brainstorms with you about the next step, and helps you decide who to approach. It’s
been very useful to me.’
The business isn’t there yet, but the plan
is. Ajay Kapoor wants to find solutions to
Dutch medical problems in India. He is
focusing on treatment that is either not
covered by insurance here, or which has
become impossible or prohibitively
expensive. He will take on the role of
intermediary.
‘I have noticed that certain medical procedures are becoming more difficult in the Netherlands’, explains Kapoor.
‘They are no longer covered by basic health insurance packages, and are therefore too expensive. Healthcare in India
is of a high quality and cheaper. But before they consider this step, people need to know that they will receive the right
treatment. This is where the intermediary comes in.’
[email protected]
He spent two years in China finding the right suppliers. LabelDiscounter.com now has more than 3,300 clients across
Europe. But this figure does not include major clients, including numerous hospitals, and sales continue to rise.
This is what put Rensen onto the trail of VentureLab. ‘I thought it was time to polish up my managerial skills.
My coach was particularly helpful in this respect; I didn’t have time for the workshops. The coach is worth his weight
in gold. He provided structure and focus, for my company and for me personally. An example? We work with a
delivery company. The coach advised me to ask for a quote from another company, which enabled us to make huge
savings on delivery costs. This alone repaid the costs of VentureLab.’
Immediate
pay-back on
investment
Rensen will continue seeing the coach after VentureLab finishes. ‘Every budding entrepreneur should have access to
someone like this. Fewer companies would go bust, and fewer companies would probably start up.’ Plus: ‘The man
doesn’t take over; you have to do all the hard work yourself. He also gave me advice that we didn’t take, but I was able
to explain exactly why not. That’s what I call focus and personal development. Mission accomplished.’
Richard Rensen, director of LabelDiscounter.com, intends to become Europe’s largest online supplier of stickers and
labels. But this isn’t what brought him to VentureLab. ‘I’m already an entrepreneur. I wanted to work on my personal
development, particularly my managerial skills. And I would do it again immediately, for the coach if nothing else.
Thanks to him, I literally recouped my costs.’
Rensen’s company allows customers throughout Europe to order stickers and labels online. The formula is successful
because he imports directly from China, thereby ensuring competitive prices and high quality. ‘My other company,
Cashconverters, sells goods via the web. We deliver by post, which means attaching expensive labels to all our
orders. I saw a market, bought a box of label rolls, put them on eBay and sold out within a day. That´s how it all
started.’
www.labeldiscounter.com
Enhancing cultural
(and inter-cultural)
intelligence
She first came across this phenomenon while helping to establish a centre for asylum-seekers. Requiring 600
people from 48 different countries to live at close quarters soon led to conflicts. ‘I dealt with the situation very well’,
she recalls. ‘Afterwards, I started exploring the differences between cultures and took a course in the subject.
Using the method you learn there, you can take a short test on the internet and gain greater insight into your own
cultural profile. You learn about your own behaviour and why you react as you do. This enables you to recognize the
similarities and differences with others. And that’s 90% of the solution; most problems arise from not knowing and
not understanding.’
Her clients come from a range of sectors, including companies planning to amalgamate. She would also like to put
her experience to use in the classroom. ‘A simple teaching method to raise children’s awareness of cultural diversity.
You resolve problems at the source and enhance the effectiveness of cooperation. This is the idea that brought me to
VentureLab.’
But she has not yet achieved her goal. It isn’t a good time for multicultural issues, and Grünefeld is disappointed.
‘I shall certainly continue, but at a slower pace. It doesn´t affect my VentureLab activities. This is a valuable
experience, particularly the contact between the participants. There’s always someone ready, willing and able to think
along with you and help you on your way. I benefited most from this aspect.’
www.werelds.org
Cultural differences can easily lead to misunderstanding. Whether the differences concern men and women, people
from differing backgrounds or companies with different cultural climates. But it doesn’t have to be like this, says Ellen
Grünefeld from WERELDS diversity management: ‘An understanding of your own cultural profile and that of others
can help you to capitalize on the differences.’
Take the Netherlands, for example. Dutch people are not known for being polite. The direct approach favoured by
the Dutch has even been known to cause offence. ‘But there is plenty we can do to remedy this’, claims Grünefeld.
‘Understanding your own cultural profile and that of others is a huge step in the right direction. In fact, embracing
these differences may even inspire you and allow you to tap into each other’s qualities.’
Overview
of your
own
data
A platform for business discovery or data
discovery. This is how Bert Otter, director
of Climber Benelux BV, describes the
platform developed by QlikTech. ‘Call it a
search engine for your own data files, which
enables you to make better decisions based
on your own sources.’ Climber is Europe’s
largest Solution Provider, with its main base
in Stockholm and branches spread across
six countries.
More explanation is needed. Climber focuses on the higher-level small and medium-sized business sector, and major
companies with lots of large data files. Although the files contain all the company’s information, it isn’t necessarily
easily accessible. ‘We add another layer to the information systems enabling users to answer their own questions
by means of intuitive selection. You get key performance indicators, risk indicators, but also ad hoc analyses.
The dashboard shows you how you are doing, where you need to adjust course and where the opportunities are.’
QlikView is now a well-established platform with more than 21,000 users world-wide. On this basis, Climber
implements the applications that will support customers in making smarter decisions. ‘We sometimes say that we are
selling a smile, because we really help businesses on their way. On their own: once the product is implemented, they
can use it completely independently. And you can conjure up numerous associations simultaneously. We are currently
helping the NOC*NSF (Netherlands Olympic Committee) to develop a sports knowledge information system, which
will provide sports associations and other parties with huge amounts of data.’
At VentureLab, he got talking to a fellow-participant about other possibilities. ‘It’s fascinating. You meet people here
who are developing revolutionary new ideas. This isn’t one of my strong points, but with my commercial background,
I can put forward ideas from another angle. This is so invigorating. I’d recommend VentureLab for this alone.’
But of course there is more. Otter: ‘I came here for information that I would otherwise have had to work out for myself.
I learned how to utilize my time more efficiently, how to focus on my goals and not get sidetracked by secondary
details. Your meet highly-motivated people here, oozing with drive, but in a pleasant environment. And as for the
coaches... They hold up a mirror and introduce you to useful network contacts. High returns for a relatively small
investment.’
www.climber.se
Expanding
with controlled
precision
This is why demand is greater than he can supply. He needs to expand, and safeguarding continuity is just one of the
reasons. Taking part in VentureLab was exactly what Dijk needed in this respect. ‘At VentureLab, you spend a lot of
time thinking about what you want and how you intend to achieve it; which concrete steps you need to take. And you
learn a lot about yourself, which forces you to think very carefully about the next step. What exactly do I want?
An employee? A partner? Or a cooperative arrangement?’
The coach was closely involved in this thought process. ‘He pushes you, but in a positive way, as do all the other
participants. He outlined all the possibilities for me. He thinks we should make decisions faster. We’re not going to;
we prefer to set our own pace. But this does nothing to detract from the quality of his guidance.’
Dijk is just as enthusiastic about the rest of the programme. ‘The whole experience, and particularly the practical
approach, deepens your knowledge. The contact with other participants is invaluable. You learn from, and together
with, each other. It was a pity that everything was in English, as this affected the potential to interact. But it taught
me a lot and I hardly missed a session.’
www.dijkconsult.nl
Gert Dijk knows all there is to know about machines. His company acts as a partner that gives independent advice
about purchase, inspects on delivery, improves performance and provides made-to-measure training courses. He is the
only one in this branch in the Netherlands. Demand is increasing and he sees expansion opportunities. ‘I am now more
focused on how I intend to do this’, he says.
‘Controlled precision’, is Dijk Consult’s motto. Precision is the name of the game in this sector. Most machines represent
a valuable investment, so clients must be able to rely on the machines doing what they claim to do and delivering
optimum performance. ‘Businesses can come to me with any questions relating to this area’, is how Dijk succinctly
summarizes his core business. ‘I also work as a trouble shooter and value assessor and I give courses and workshops.
In addition to my expertise, my autonomy is a major benefit.”
Heading
for the
global
top
His business partner Pieter-Paul Lerou from Kryoz
Technologies went first. So now it is Erik-Jan de Hoon’s
turn to take part in VentureLab. It was a resolute step
at a time when their cryogenic cooling company is
facing important decisions as more and more markets
are presenting themselves. What’s more, the company
intends to join the global market leaders.
Kryoz Technologies, founded in 2008, is the brainchild of Lerou. De Hoon would be the first to admit it. For nine years, he
was project leader in the R&D department of Nefit, manufacturer of central heating boilers. ‘I was in a band with Pieter.
He asked me to become his business partner. He has a PhD in micro-cryogenic cooling, I’m a mechanical engineer with
nine years’ experience of R&D. We’re now able to translate our protected intellectual property into products.’
The company acquired a number of projects thanks to STW grants. These include a commission from ESA, the
European space travel organization. Another project involves using micro-cryogenic cooling in new methods for
detecting cancer. ‘We are currently designing concrete products. This is an exciting phase, in which VentureLab is
proving its worth. It offers commercial and business knowledge and expertise.’
He gives an example. De Hoon was looking for other partners for the medical project. ‘I asked Jaap van Tilburg and
Rob van Lambalgen whether they knew of any potential partners for us. They both have huge networks. And it
worked; we found the other partners. This is one of the best things about VentureLab. It’s up to you to decide how
much you use the contacts and facilities on offer.’
The outlines are slowly and steadily becoming clearer. For the time being, Kryoz is focusing on two main markets:
telecom and medical applications. ‘In these sectors, it takes a long time to get to the production stage, which is why
we are looking for lead users. This should allow us to market our knowledge while we continue to develop. In another
ten years, we aim to lead the global market. Which is where VentureLab comes in; it helps us to focus and think long
term. What are our plans? Will we assemble or outsource? Will we handle the selling ourselves or via partnerships?
These are important questions, but knowledge remains our core business. So we are happy to rely on the expertise of
VentureLab to help answer them.’
www.kryoz.com
Bringing
projects
to
life
He jokingly refers to himself as VentureLab’s successor. But there is a serious undertone: André Haverkort wants
to help businesses get innovations off the ground efficiently and effectively. Outside their regular operations.
Once they have proved effective, his job is done. ‘Bringing projects to life’, is how he sees it.
His own company is called F-Action, for professional project management. ‘As a business specialist, I have spent
my entire working life guiding companies through the ins and outs of project organization. Not all staff are able to
take a multidisciplinary approach to their work, because they are not used to it. I’m the one who makes sure that
everything runs smoothly; that people work together as a close team following clearly laid-out plans.’
His favourite area is research & development. ‘This is a field that benefits most from a creative process. But how do
you get this off the ground? You often see that innovations don’t work if they have to take shape within the company
itself. This can even make them seem threatening. After all, innovation means stepping off the beaten track.’
So F-Action tries to position projects like this outside the parent company. ‘As a separate entity. You bring all the
various parties together, the technicians and the people specializing in sales or acquiring capital. I create a close-knit,
market and customer-oriented organization of motivated people. Once the innovation is successful, my job is done.
It is then up to the client to decide whether he or she wants to integrate the new product into the business, or set up a
separate organization for it.’
But this means a different way of working for him too. Instead of charging by the hour, he needs to find a new
invoicing model: selling innovations. Or in other words: a successor to VentureLab. ‘I have to change my own mindset.
VentureLab has been a great help, because you meet people struggling with the same type of problem. It gives you a
push in the right direction. The programme appealed to me because it brings you right up to date. But the atmosphere
created by all these good people with enterprising ideas is what really inspired me.’
www.f-action.nl
Seeing
where you fly
VentureLab soon proved its worth. Coach Alwin Oude Lansink immediately recognized the potential of our idea.
‘He had several critical questions and comments, such as questions about the earning model and our main target
groups. And he was a real help when he joined in a few of our brainstorm sessions. These discussions were fantastic,
exactly what I needed and why I came to VentureLab in the first place.’
The beta version will go online by the end of this year. And a year later, Visual Flights will be offering all data
streams. Van Limbeek: ‘VentureLab is providing us with a pleasant business climate for this stage of development.
Internet is my passion; I have already worked for small and larger companies. I was looking for a setting where I
could meet other people with new ideas and forge ties with the University of Twente and Saxion. I was less interested
in the workshops and didn’t have time to attend all of them. But I certainly found everything I’d been looking for at
VentureLab, and have already recommended the programme to a good friend.’
‘It’s a good idea, but the earning model was poor. And we had to decide which target group we were aiming for.’
This is how Dennis van Limbeek sums up VentureLab’s take on his product Visual Flights. The idea is to develop a
website that publishes transponder data from aeroplanes onto Google Maps and links them to various data streams.
You could call it a website with different ‘layers.’ Once the site has been launched, consumers and plane spotters will
be able to look up all the relevant information about flight movements on their screen. This will be linked to various
data streams that can be used to make overviews, for example, or to track flight movements in a specific period or
request details of the noise produced. ‘These are products that you pay for’, clarifies Van Limbeek, ‘and could be
useful to government and the business sector. We will be working with organizations including TNO [Netherlands
Organization for Applied Scientific Research], for example, which takes noise measurement very seriously.’
[email protected]
True hospitality
for senior
citizens
He cites the Sunrise Care concept, which has been implemented in hundreds of homes in the United States, Canada
and England. ‘It is the ultimate example of a beautiful home, where clients are treated with true hospitality. The care
focuses on what people can still manage to do.’ Hemink initially wanted to bring this concept to the Netherlands as
a franchise. But he changed his mind: ‘I want to add something extra. Sunrise Care is for wealthier residents. I want
Sophia to offer the same care, but more in line with the Dutch rules and regulations and accessible to people with
smaller incomes.’
Hemink has been able to develop his idea partly thanks to a commission from his former employer, who is also
interested. It involves conducting research, seeking partners, approaching suitable parties and refining the concept.
‘It may be a tall order for a 60-year-old, but I find it invigorating.’ This is also true of VentureLab. ‘You have to decide
which approach to take. I have learned how to devise a business model, something I knew nothing about.’
Taking part has also helped him to identify his strengths. ‘I am highly motivated and feel deeply committed to the
target group. But I would rather tackle the business-side with others.’ And this requires a network. ‘Which is what
makes this programme so valuable. It gives you a push in the right direction; your coach has contacts in all the right
places. This is VentureLab’s greatest asset.’
Sophia, the Greek word for wisdom, is the name given to an innovative care concept for senior citizens. It offers
high-quality accommodation, a well-thought-out programme of activities and all the care that the target group needs.
It creates an atmosphere in which residents are allowed and encouraged to do the things they can still manage. ‘I aim
to open three to five more of these homes in the next few years’, says Jan Hemink.
The fact that retirement care is in dire need of new initiatives is something he has seen with his own eyes. Buildings
are often sub-standard and the care on offer does not always correspond with the needs of the clients. While things
could be so much better, says Hemink, who worked as manager of real estate & facilities and welfare at the Solis
Zorggroep until last year, when he started working for himself.
www.hetkansrijk.org
The
world
in your
hands
This is literally ‘handy’: travelling through a country to
your holiday destination, you get a message via your
phone telling about a place of interest within easy hitting
distance. You punch in that you are on your way and your
phone sends an automatic e-mail to your destination.
‘I’ll be a bit later than expected as I’m going for a quick
look.’ This is Gerrit Hillebrand’s dream: ‘A completely
individualized and carefree trip. You have the whole world
in your hands via your phone.’
Hillebrand hopes to demonstrate his product at the e-Travel show next year. He has already found investors. He started out
as a software engineer, but as a self-employed web and application designer trading under the name of Fairwater since
2008, he has worked with a number of personalized travel organizations for a good few years.
‘The business took off straight away’, he says. But: ‘I thought that we could do a lot more. That we could help
holidaymakers by providing advice while en route. ‘You’re so close to this or that monument or place of interest that
you really should take a detour.’ This is fine, but people have to be at their next hotel by a certain time. No worries;
you simply punch it in and the hotel is sent an automatic message. And if you add your own reports, videos and
photos, they’ll be available for the next holidaymakers.’
The secret weapon is the highly flexible software contained in his personal content management system Cerulean,
which can automatically generate the right content for different platforms. ‘What makes this new is the combination
of travel information and extra assistance, like the automatic e-mail, a translation tool and social media, whereby
the content of this social platform is combined with existing social network sites such as Facebook, Twitter and
Foursquare. Later, once the product is ready, customers will be given the app as a free gift after they book.
The agency will also be assured of a higher Google rating. And: this application is an interesting prospect for even
more entrepreneurs.
So where does VentureLab fit in? Hillebrand, enthusiastically: ‘None of this
would have happened without VentureLab. The coach is invaluable, as are
the discussions with fellow-participants. You are constantly thinking up
new ideas, which I then incorporate into Cerulean.’
www.fairwater.nl
Ready for
growth
in LED
lighting
And he is convinced that it will. Not just because candescent light bulbs are being phased out. ‘This is obviously part
of it, but LED lighting has many more advantages. It uses substantially less energy for a much longer lifespan. It pays
for itself. And what’s more, the quality is improving all the time. The light tones are getting softer and increasingly
more combinations are becoming possible. There are even LED alternatives to fluorescent strip lighting these days.
I already know that I’m going to make a killing compared with 2010.’
So how did VentureLab help Porskamp? ‘It gave me encouragement. And it served as a gauge: you learn to identify
the things that are going well and adjust course where it’s needed. The emphasis on staying focused really hit home.
You can’t do everything, you have to make choices. And create a solid structure from which you can determine your
position. The network was also useful. But the peer-feedback sessions were the highlight for me; you discuss all kinds
of familiar problems with your peers, and learn to look for solutions together. I certainly found what I was looking for,
despite a few reservations. It’s sometimes a bit superficial, whereas I prefer to explore things in more depth. But it
was certainly worthwhile.’
Jos Porskamp, director of the MRLED.nl
web shop, knows all there is to
know about LED lighting. And about
management and organization for that
matter. But he needed to learn the tricks
of the entrepreneurial trade. ‘I think the
market is about to explode. LED has so
many advantages. And when it happens,
I want to be up there on the frontline.’
By pure coincidence, Porskamp bumped into what has now become his own company. The former sports teacher,
who was running a football school and working as an interim director at the time, heard that the founders of MrLED
were pulling out for personal reasons. ‘I got in touch and bought the shares.’ The VentureLab advertisement came
just at the right moment. I had a lot of experience, but I’d never actually owned my own company. You need that extra
knowledge. Sales of LED lighting are rising, and I want to be where the action is when the market booms.’
www.mrled.nl
Innovation
spotter
finds
innovative
organizations
Her search engine, available via www.innovatiespotter.nl, is changing all this. ‘Search for expertise, innovation,
product, service, market or another term, and the overview just rolls out’, she explains. ‘Not like in Google, where you
get thousands of hits. This application gives you the data categorized into businesses.’ Anyone can use the search
engine, but you have to pay if you want extra services.
‘This is the first vertical search engine of its kind. I needed an ‘innovation search engine’ and saw other people
struggling, so I made it an aim in itself. This is what inspired me to take part in VentureLab.’ And? ‘The dynamics and
the network are amazing. Businesses can simply walk into the University of Twente, and it is much easier to approach
other companies.’
She also praises the sheltered atmosphere at VentureLab, where participants are allowed to make mistakes. ‘I haven’t
got entrepreneurial blood. You just get started and before you know it, you run into difficulties you didn’t know
existed. The theory you learn here at VentureLab gives you a better understanding and allows you to develop your
own strategies, which in turn boosts your confidence and powers of reflection. But it is the combination of theory and
practice that really makes it work. You learn how to apply your
knowledge. I’ve already signed up for the second year.’
But Vellinga will also continue to recruit entrepreneurs for
VentureLab from the north of the Netherlands. ‘Having been
a participant myself, I can explain both sides now. I can tell
people how the impact and advantages of VentureLab are
far greater than I had ever imagined.’
Lots of companies work on innovation, probably many more than we would imagine. So where are they? And what
do they do? These are the kind of questions that www.innovatiespotter.nl, the search engine of Gea Vellinga from
Q-modus, will be answering from now on.
Vellinga has been a VentureLab partner from the very start. Q-modus recruits participants for the programme from
the north of the Netherlands. The company utilizes a network built up on the basis of innovation projects set up with
institutions such as the University of Groningen. ‘I am astonished that innovative companies know so little about
each other. Furthermore, it sometimes takes years before an innovation breaks through. The lack of a comprehensive
inventory of innovative companies is what got me started.’
www.innovatiespotter.nl
Software
factory for
multi-screen
apps
While taking part in VentureLab, his ideas continued to take shape. ‘I now know where I stand and what I want.
My coach played an important part in this process.’ Glasbergen is working on plans to expand his company, and at
the heart of this expansion is a real software factory. ‘I’ve done all the tests and the results look promising. I’m still
developing in the meantime, and thanks to my VentureLab connections, I’ve even managed to secure a few large
orders.’
Students from Saxion University of Applied Science are investigating his plans for a software factory. ‘That’s
something else I learned here: I’m the man with the ideas, I can create value. I’ll always be an innovator. But don’t
put me in charge; managing isn’t my thing. I’m good at creating environments, generating the right conditions and
tackling new challenges.’
So VentureLab turned out to be an important step. Glasbergen: ‘I’ve already mentioned the coach, who pointed me
in the right direction. Then there was the synergy group, where you have serious, in-depth discussions with your
colleagues. These really paid off for me, partly because I felt safe. No-one is afraid to open up, and everyone helps
you look for solutions. You don’t have to worry about anyone running off with your concept, and the discussions help
you to sharpen up your own ideas.’
Aad Glasbergen, director of AppStones, is keen to expand his company. They produce multi-screen apps, which are
apps that can be used for several platforms at once. The key to this expansion is his own software factory. ‘Thanks to
VentureLab, I now know where I stand and which direction my company is going in’, he says.
Glasbergen has worked in IT for practically all his working life. ‘It’s a field in which I can use my creativity’, he
explains. And this is what put him onto developing apps for several platforms simultaneously. ‘There are already
more apps for Android tablets than for the iPad. I can make them for both, and at the same time. This sets me apart
from the rest in a major market sector.’
www.appstones.nl
Foothold
in
Europe
Business from around the globe know where to find EuroDev. What once started out as a unique formula has since
become a model that has proved successful for some 150 companies. Key terms include a wide range of service
packages (consulting, executing, managing), expertise and network and the ability to think in the interests of the
client. This makes high demands on the company’s 59 employees. They must have proven knowledge and be able to
understand cultural differences. ‘Business development is the most difficult thing around. We only employ the best’,
says De Vries.
They turned to VentureLab when the growth began to wane. Many entrepreneurs would be excited by a growth rate
of 9%, but to EuroDev, this figure represented a considerable downturn. ‘Most of the workshops focused on start-up
companies, which wasn’t what we needed. But the coach and the expert coaches were worth their weight in gold.
They made us aware of our strengths and showed us how to meet our growth targets. We want to be valuable and
add value. This demands an organization that is equipped for the purpose, good and attractive employership and
enhanced PR and network. We are only as good as the quality of our staff, so we want to attract the very best. This is
one of the main things we learned at VentureLab.’
www.eurodev.com
EuroDev helps internationally-operating companies to develop their export activities in Europe. Many of their
customers come from North-America. They can rely on EuroDev to help them create and realize opportunities and
support them in generating and expanding their activities. This makes EuroDev a real partner; the company takes on
part of the risk. And in turn, this attracts more and more new clients.
Mark de Vries, CEO of EuroDev, says it himself: ‘We are by no means a high-profile company. But we don’t have to be
as we mostly operate under the customer’s name, often in the high-tech and/or medical sector. Most of our customers
are not ready for major investment in Europe, which makes us a reliable partner. We share the risk, have two
warehouses, offices in the Netherlands and France and staff throughout Europe.’
A personal
voyage of
discovery
Unfortunately, this dream didn’t come true. But Derks did work together with someone projecting 3D images onto
buildings. A pilot, projected onto the Waag in Deventer, was a huge success. The next job was commissioned by
the ABN AMRO bank. ‘But we have since parted company; it wasn’t really what I was looking for. I am still doing
market research into holographic projections on prepared glass, but the technology is too expensive. I shall continue
researching it, but it’s more of a side-line. It doesn’t have serious growth potential.’
So he now has to find a way of earning a living. Preferably as a self-employed businessman, but he may have to take
a salaried job in the mean time. ‘I’m more of a pioneer than a manager. Perhaps it would be best to gain some more
experience. I can always become an entrepreneur later.’
VentureLab didn’t quite live up to his expectations. ‘Having said this, it was an interesting and informative year,
in which I learned a lot from the workshops, coach and my fellow-participants. You build up a network. I also
encountered my weaknesses; I noticed how difficult it was for me to communicate with engineers and boffins.
This year has been a personal voyage of discovery for me.’
Gerben Derks is one of the people who embarked on VentureLab without any preconceived ideas, just the
intention of picking up ideas for the future. And the hope of meeting someone who would help him on his way.
But this wasn’t to be. ‘Even so, I’m glad I gave myself this year; it’s taught me a lot.’
He is certainly not short of entrepreneurial blood. He ran his own events agency, Derks Events, for many years.
‘It was a hobby that got out of hand’, he laughs. ‘I was good at it, but it had a major drawback: my life was so
unstructured. A new concept for event creation was invented and developed within the company, and sold off
in December 2010.’
Unsurprisingly, this prompted the question: what should I do next? ‘Business administration is my area of
expertise and I tend to respond to business matters intuitively. So I decided to polish up my business acumen
by spending a year participating in VentureLab. And I secretly hoped to meet someone with a good idea who
would join me in my next venture.’
[email protected]
Extracting
knowledge
from
people’s
minds
Over the next few years, the Dutch business sector will be saying goodbye to large numbers of its specialists.
People who have literally accrued a wealth of experience during the decades of their working lives. But their
expertise has never been recorded on paper. Wouter Schotborgh intends to change this: ‘I will extract the knowledge
from their minds.’
He was originally a mechanical engineer, who obtained a PhD on the automation of design processes in 2009.
He and his co-PhD students knew that they needed existing, non-documented knowledge. ‘I interviewed more than
enough people at that time’, he explains. On obtaining their PhDs, the newly-qualified doctors decided to market the
software they had developed. It was not a great success: ‘Although we had proved the technical feasibility, there was
too little demand.’
While looking for a new job, Schotborgh realized that the continued ageing of the population was causing a leak
in the specialist knowledge that had been accrued over the years. ‘This knowledge disappears as people retire’, he
says, ‘which is why I continued to develop the interview technique. I translate the knowledge that has been stored in
people’s minds into a language that can be systematically and logically organized and analysed. Businesses can then
store the information, make detailed records of the procedures and improve training courses. This enables them to
retain existing technology and develop new technology on the strength of all the cumulative knowledge they didn’t
know they had. It is a catalyser for innovation.’
He has tapped into a demand and is now being approached by more and more companies. He receives requests
for information from Dutch expats in Belgium, Switzerland and America. ‘I expect huge growth, particularly in the
mechanical engineering, chemical, process technology and financial sectors, which use similar decision models.’
While developing his own company, Schotborgh took part in VentureLab. ‘For the supervision and support.
VentureLab gives you a broad introduction to becoming an entrepreneur. And provides you with a coach who asks
the right questions and introduces you to a network. This helps you to organize your ideas. The first step towards
identifying your unique value is to understand your own company. As I learned here: my value proposition is that I
can prevent loss of knowledge and boost the availability of specialists.’
www.schotborghconsulting.nl
However, the market is unpredictable and ongoing product development will take time and money. A test in the North
Sea generated positive results and references. ‘Companies are now getting in touch with us. Major businesses like
Eneco, E.ON and Dong Energy know where we are. That must mean something. It’s firing us up; we intend to reach
the top by 2015.’
Longer
life
for cables
Participation in VentureLab meant another step up the ladder. ‘As the hundredth participant, I was given a sum of
money to make a promo film. It put both me and CPNL in the spotlight on a regular basis, and I was able to discuss
our market opportunities with the coach and my fellow-participants. They are potentially substantial, as the market is
world-wide but largely uncharted. This is making it difficult to find the next source of funding. But we know we have
a good product and can win in terms of design, quality and service. VentureLab helped by providing advice, focus,
training and a network.’
Tuk wants to take a Master’s programme for offshore project management at a Swedish university in 2012. ‘We have
been around for two years now and we sometimes had to fight to survive. I have even had moments when I started to
doubt my entrepreneurial skills. But this has undoubtedly served to toughen me up.’
She was VentureLab’s 100th participant and has already been nominated for several prestigious awards.
Marloes Tuk and her father form the motor behind CPNL, a new enterprise that supplies products designed to
protect cables from water or the elements. At low prices, but offering a longer lifespan. ‘We have noticed that
businesses are even starting to get in touch with us these days.’
The importance of durable offshore cables needs no further explanation. Our complex society depends on reliable
energy, data and telephone connections. And this demands reliable protection for the high-quality infrastructure.
CPNL has developed smart and user-friendly cable protection for exactly this purpose. It can be fitted at very little
expense, but provides better and longer-term protection. ‘Existing products offer a five-year guarantee; we offer
25 years’, says Tuk.
www.cpnl.eu
www.cpnl-engineering.de
Secure
telephone
for the
Federal
Chancellor
Heuven recently took over a company called Alysgo in his hometown of Nijverdal. The company fits car-kits, black
boxes, track-and-trace systems and TomTom Work. He explains this purchase as follows: ‘I have to think about
continuity. At Inmote and my previous company, I was primarily a technician. But I need to do more to help my
company progress. That’s why I went to VentureLab. The coach advised me against trying to generate more turnover
among my present clients, but to extend my customer base instead. And to look for other specialists to work with; to set
up a team that would give the company all the in-house competencies it needs. Both technical and commercial.’
VentureLab has boosted his confidence too, thanks to the workshops and, once again, the coaching. ‘It’s easier to
explain who we are and what we do. And I can now listen to what the client is actually asking me. This coach really
brought me down to earth. As an entrepreneur, you have hundreds of good ideas and you follow up leads all over the
place. He made me feel more in control.’ Heuven laughs: ‘He asks you really difficult questions. ‘What’s the difference
between your company and that of your greatest rival?’ But it sharpens your focus. I learned a lot here. And I came up
with lots of new ideas.’
His company is called Inmote: INto MObile TEchnology. The name reflects the field to which René Heuven has pledged
his heart. He and his staff operate in the world of highly specialized and international mobile software projects. Via
SecuSmart GmbH, he is now also involved in developing technology for secure telephone and e-mail communication.
His customer base includes Angela Merkel, the German Federal Chancellor.
Most people would call René Heuven an entrepreneur with an upmarket problem. His company is doing well. ‘Turnover
is rising faster than we expected’, he reports. He and his staff are currently closely involved in developing a security
system to meet the strict requirements of the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI). ‘It’s a great
project, highly specialized and international.’ Inmote has previously worked on projects including Visual Voicemail for
T-Mobile and the N-Gage gaming platform for Nokia.
www.inmote.nl
www.alysgo.nl
‘We eventually started developing the Model Driven software ourselves, because we got fed up with outsourcing.
Our consultants build the software on the spot, so the client sees the solutions straight away and can decide exactly
what he does and doesn’t want.’ All under the motto ‘Pioneering progress.’ And the figures go to prove just how
satisfied the customers are.
Growth
through
pioneering
integration
The close working relationship with clients resulted in a new product: eMagiz, a tool that can arrange integration
between companies and systems thanks to the swift and flexible deciphering, validation and routing of data. It works
on the basis of open source technology and is easy to integrate with the systems of suppliers and customers and
with board computers. ‘This makes you more versatile and competitive’, explains Ter Brugge. ‘Here at VentureLab the
coach helped me to develop a business model for it according to the outlines of Business Model Generation. You deal
with all the issues in a structured manner, under the excellent supervision of the coach. We can now start looking for
partners to sell eMagiz.’
The real value of VentureLab for Ter Brugge was in the coaching. And the sessions about marketing and sales.
‘I already have ten years experience as an entrepreneur so a lot of it was familiar to me.’
‘How can we ensure a structural basis for growth? Last year’s rate was 60%, this year’s 40%. What do we need to do
in terms of marketing and strategy to maintain this level?’ These were the main questions that Rob ter Brugge, CEO
of Capegroep, initially brought to VentureLab. In passing, he and his coach developed a business model for a new
product: eMagiz, a tool that integrates systems both swiftly and easily.
Capegroep specializes in consulting and systems integration, mainly in the transport & logistics and building sectors.
Clients include renowned companies like PostNL, Achmea and major transport firms. Ter Brugge: ‘They are mostly
companies that rely heavily on logistics. We supply solutions for supply chain management, 100% customized to our
clients’ needs.’ Initially in the shape of consultancy, but these days more often through systems integration.
www.capegroep.nl
The idea of becoming an entrepreneur first occurred to him when the previous owner retired. ‘I wanted to carry on the
business, but despite all my professional knowledge, I wasn’t an entrepreneur. So I responded to an advertisement
for VentureLab. I was taking over a business, so it seemed sensible to meet people with more experience. And a
personal coach was the perfect way to get advice and feedback.’
Van den Brink was also considering his future plans. He wanted to expand, partly to limit the risks to his company
(which now employs eight people), and partly to safeguard continuity. He thought of focusing more on special
products such as granite surface plates with bore and mortise holes, which increase accuracy and simplify the
production process in the companies that buy them. ‘This product is sensitive to market trends; another reason for
expanding. To put it in football terms: I want to have a reserve for every position.’
Precision business
Gert van den Brink is the new owner of
Mytri Precision Granite BV in Apeldoorn,
a small company that produces high-quality
granite surface plates for machine factories
throughout Europe. Over the last twenty years,
he has learned everything there is to know
about the business. It’s now time to broaden
his entrepreneurial skills.
It is twenty years since Van den Brink first set
foot in Mytri. As a semi-professional footballer
(at Go Ahead Eagles, Heracles, FC Zwolle and
FC Wageningen), he supplemented his income by taking on accountancy and administration jobs. ‘Later on, I joined
the work floor to learn more about precision grinding in granite. You’ll still find me on the work floor, but I also visit
trade fairs and companies for calibration and repair work. You sometimes see me in a shirt and tie, and sometimes in
overalls and industrial boots. Which is how it should be; this is the expertise our customers demand.’
So what did he gain from VentureLab? ‘Personal growth. It boosted my confidence and made me more certain about
where I stand. Being an entrepreneur is a special type of sport. I already knew that, but I now have the tools I need to
progress. It was a great experience.’
www.mytri.nl
And he managed. ‘I began to see my team as a business, which changed my focus and enabled me to make
improvements on every front. The department runs like clockwork now. We have developed new services, enabling
us to offer our customers the true extent of our knowledge and experience. We have leapt forward in terms of
efficiency. We are already showing profits, and the year hasn’t even finished yet. In the area of result-oriented real
estate maintenance, which determines and translates the quality criteria for different years into activities, we have
introduced an important new product. We have devised a calculation model, which appeals to our clients.
We have even found new customers for it, such as corporations.’
Taking part in VentureLab played a large part in this overall progress. Hemink: ‘I was used to thinking in one direction.
VentureLab has taught me that the world is bigger than this; that there are countless possibilities and opportunities.
This feeling of freedom was my eureka moment. I was advised to adopt a different manner of speaking to my staff.
‘What do you need to enable you to meet your goal?’ It took the pressure off. We raised the bar, and now we enjoy our
work even more.’
Dare to live
your dream
Am I an entrepreneur or a leader? This was the question Henk Hemink, project team leader at BCT Architecten in
Enschede, asked himself during the VentureLab programme. He found his answer: ‘I want to become more of a leader.‘
By focusing on this goal, he has managed to inspire the drive in his employees.
Henk Hemink was made head of the Maintenance team two years ago. ‘Although this is an important department in our
office, because of our associates and in-house knowledge, it has become outdated and incurs losses. My brother Jan told
me about VentureLab and I decided to sign up to try and find a new direction.’
He has recommended VentureLab to many of his associates. ‘It was an important year to me. You learn something at
every training session. You also learn to give space to yourself and others during the sessions with your coach and the
other participants. This made me realize that I really want to be a leader; one who helps his staff on their way, so that
they dare to live their dreams. This doesn’t make me an entrepreneur, but we certainly feel the entrepreneurial spirit
in our work.’
www.bctarchitecten.nl
Convinced that it could be made easier, he started looking for a solution. ‘I wanted to tackle the problem at the root.
So I developed a dietary supplement from natural ingredients, which stimulates the combustion of excess fats. This is
then combined with a balanced diet of tasty and nutritious meals. You can lose 8-12 percent in 24 days.’ A real-life or
online consultant provides the encouragement people need. What’s more, Momentum helps consumers to stabilize
their new weight and adjust their lifestyle. ‘This avoids the yo-yo effect’, Stuyver promises.
Losing
weight
while
eating well
Just imagine losing weight, while eating well and not feeling hungry. And then watching the weight drop off. You eat
healthy meals, consisting of natural ingredients. This is the secret behind Momentum, the slimming programme devised
by OrthoPharma. Founder and director Jos Stuyver: ‘In another five years, I intend to be as famous as Weight Watchers.’
During his time as a physiotherapist and orthomolecular therapist, Stuyver regularly treated obese patients with
problems resulting from their weight. ‘It set me thinking. A lot of people have trouble losing weight. Nobody wants to
feel hungry and dieting can affect your social life. The barriers can be very high.’
His product is a hit and is being recommended by doctors. The workforce at OrthoPharma grew from three to twelve
in just one year. Rivals are already trying (but failing) to copy Momentum. ‘This is one of the reasons for keeping my
recipe a secret while I continue to improve it. What’s more, I’m developing other supplements and auxiliary products.
And I’m gathering a team of commercial people around me, as I don’t know enough about this side.’
This is what makes Stuyver realize that he needed VentureLab. ‘I knew nothing about business. I’d never drawn up a
business plan or business model, and I had no idea how to go about it. Internet business and e-commerce were a grey
area to me. I have gained practical experience here. The coach took me through contracts and reports. And of course,
there’s a huge a network, which means that you forge ties with other organizations. You learn so much, in such a
dynamic setting. In fact, it’s the best ‘university’ around.’
www.orthopharma.nl
www.mijnmomentum.nl
Colophon
Publisher
Executive Editor
Publication
Copies
- VentureLab Twente
- Annemarie Ridder
- October 2011, Enschede, The Netherlands
- 1000
Interviews and text
Concept and design
Photography
Print
- Hans Morssinkhof Publicity
- Nexus
- Erik Brinkhorst Fotografie
- Norbert Voskens (page 2)
- Drukkerij te Sligte
With thanks to
Core team VentureLab Twente
Aard Groen, Annemarie Ridder, Basil Englis, Edith van Eijk, Ellen Donkers, Heike Spenkelink, Hèla Klaczynski,
Jaap van Tilburg, Jeroen Kraaijenbrink, Joris Heuven, Linda de Kleijn-Colleije, Luuk Meijerink, Mariska Roersen,
Rainer Harms, Paula Englis, Raymond Loohuis, Renske Stroet, Rik van Reekum, Rob van Lambalgen, Roel Pieper,
Ruud Koopman, Sandor Löwik, Shaker Zahra, Steven Walsh and Theodor van der Velde.
Coaches involved with the entrepreneurs presented in this volume
Jaap Beernink, Raoul Timmerman, Marc Sandalowski, André Oosting, Marjo Nieuwenhuijse, Marc Leeuw,
Henk Reef, Alwin Oude Lansink, Arwin Baauw, Karin van Beurden, Hans Ouwehand, Han Willems,
Willem Poterman, Peter Krijnsen and Gilles Meijer.
Contact VentureLab
Twente
Please visit our website for more information, news and upcoming events.
www.venturelabtwente.com
Visiting address
You are welcome to meet us in person in the middle of an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Corridor
Hengelosestraat 525-527
7521 AG ENSCHEDE
The Netherlands
Correspondence address
We look forward to hearing from you.
NIKOS / University of Twente
PO Box 217
7500 AE ENSCHEDE
The Netherlands
You may also contact us by e-mail at: [email protected].
Personal contact
Disclaimer
This publication was produced in order to highlight the innovative developments in VentureLab Twente and to convey
general information regarding entrepreneurship. Although this volume was prepared with the greatest of care,
no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies. It is also important to remember that both law and practice are
subject to continual change.
© VentureLab Twente. This publication is protected by copyright. VentureLab Twente has no objection to the
reproduction of this material, but it asserts the right to be recognized as author of the original material contained
therein, along with the right to demand that these materials remain unaltered.
If you prefer to address your
communication to a specific
individual, please contact one of
the following staff members.
Dr. R. (Rob) van Lambalgen
Programme Director
T +31 (0) 53 4836 883
M +31 (0) 6 1302 5103
E [email protected]
Ir. J.J. (Jaap) van Tilburg
Programme Manager
T +31 (0) 53 4836 878 / 4896 989
M +31 (0) 6 2224 6069
E [email protected]
Now is the time to realize your ambitions
VentureLab Twente is part of the Innovation Route Twente and is co-financed by the European Fund for Regional Development, the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland and the Twente region. Here we invest in your future.