Episodes
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Berend is on a mission to revolutionize the agriculture industry.
With a Master in High-Tech Engineering ánd a Master in Management of Technology, he founded Plense Technologies together with Thijs Bieling.
They use a patented technology with smart sensing devices that literally listen to plants - and turn that into data for growers.
Measuring the inner working of plants;The importance of tough love from critical advisors;How to make the most of a competition like PHIA.
In this episode, we'll talk about:
People: Berend de KlerkCompanies: Plense Technologies, Philips Innovation Award, YES!DelftOther: XylemMedia: The Opposites - Slapeloze Nachten
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Immediately after graduating from TU Delft, Sander and Auke developed an innovative product called HeatCycle - which recovers all heat from household wastewater. That led them to win the ASN World Prize in 2020. Later they added the sleek and smart AO heatpump, that won the iF Design Award 2024 out of almost 11,000 entries from 72 countries. Today, DeWarmte is well underway to install their 3000th heat pump by the end of 2024.
A smarter way to get residential homes off natural gas;Anticipating changing market dynamics;deWarmtes recent crowdfunding campaign
In this episode, we'll talk about:
People: Sander Wapperom, Auke de Vries, Willem Kesteloo, Bob Hendrikx, Jan Pieter VersluijsCompanies: DeWarmte, Rubio Impact Ventures, Fotoniq, Loop Biotech, Solar MonkeyMedia: Crowdfunding Campaign, Sing my Dream Around - Silver Pozzoli, Upstream Festival
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Let me introduce Inventor, Biodesigner and Entrepreneur: Bob Hendrikx.
With a background in Architectural Engineering Bob strives for a world in which we work in symbiosis with nature. In 2020 he founded Loop Biotech, on a mission to revolutionize the funeral industry - through coffins that turn people into plant food.
Bob's journey received widespread attention, making headlines in Wired, CNN, The Guardian, and the BBC. VICE Media even awarded him the title of Human of the Year.
His backers include Dragons' Den investors Pieter Schoen and Shawn Harris and we have a scoop: as he just closed a 2M crowdfunding round last to propel the business into its next phase of expansion.
Innovating in the funeral industry;Scaling up in Mushroom tech;Building a company with your fiancé
In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:
People: Bob Hendrikx, Lonneke Westhoff, Pieter Schoen, Shawn Harris, Tony Robbins, Duke UrbanikCompanies: Loop Biotech, Dragon’s Den, YES!DelftMedia: Lighthouse Family - High
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With a masters degree in Complex Systems, Josefien Groot went from national boxing champion to Scale-up CEO, advocating for a sustainable future.
Before reaching the age of 21, she had already established and sold her first business specializing in circular products. In 2017, she co-founded QLayers alongside Ruben Geutjens. Her significant contributions have been widely recognized through numerous accolades, including the prestigious European Rising Innovator and EY Emerging Entrepreneur Of The Year awards. Despite her industrial pursuits, Josefien has a love for nature and lives off grid in a self-built tiny house with her partner and their daughter.
Why we need to fix energy inefficiencies in industry;How to combine parenthood with scaling up;What off grid living teaches us about nature;
In this episode, we'll talk about:
People: Josefien Groot, Ruben GeutjensCompanies: QLayers, UNIIQ, NPEX, ECFG Venture capital, Rotterdamse Havendraken, WelnaMedia: Voedselboscast, European Rising Innovator, EY Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year, Up!Rotterdam Finder, Alexia Chellun - the power is here now
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After he completed his master in strategic product design from Delft University, Dorus began to do graphic studio work together with his fellow student Delft Tom.
From a deep love for music and the determination to stand up against the industry with products that produce massive electronic waste - they started Gerrard Street, in 2015, which was later renamed Repeat Audio.
Today, Repeat offers a range of modular high fidelity headphones. Notable users include the Metropole Orchestra, and one of the most important Dutch rappers, Sticks.
Dorus also finds time to play the piano and gives back as a volunteer by helping refugees.
In this episode, we'll talk about:
How to build a consumer brand in the circular economy;Pivoting from product as a service to product sales;The fine line between failure and success in crowdfunding
People: Dorus Galama, Tom Leenders, Sticks, Willem de Bruin (from The Opposites)Companies: Repeat Audio, Sennheiser, Sony, Frame.Work LaptopMedia: Yes - Rhythm of Love, Dorus as a guest in Upstream Talks
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With Master’s degrees in Strategy and Marketing, she excelled in mobility. From cutting carbon footprint at General Motors to boosting fleet growth at Greenwheels.
In 2021, Bibi co-founded umob with Raymon Pouwels. They secured 8M in funding within two years. And today, umob stands as the first MaaS operator in the Netherlands to integrate all three e-moped operators (Check, GO Sharing & felyx) into one platform.
The opportunities and business model in MAASBeating the odds as a young, female founder.If fundraising can be fun…
In this episode, we'll talk about:
People: Bibi Jorissen, Raymon Pouwels, Souren ArakelianCompanies: Umob, GreenWheels, GoSharing, CIC Rotterdam, General Motors, BAQME, EqualtureOther: Shoe Dog - Phil KnightMedia: You’ll Never Walk Alone - Lee Towers, Jay Shetty Podcast
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In the last episode of this year, Up!Rotterdam's Lars & Lisette reflect on the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Rotterdam and its development over the past 4 years.
How our scale-up ecosystem developed over the past 4 years;Who you found the most interesting founders this year;All you ever wanted to know about Up!Rotterdam.
We'll talk about:
People: Lars Crama, Lisette Braakenburg, Hans Scheffer, Friso Schmidt, Han Kleppe, Fonger Ypma, Koen Burgers, Mattijs Slee, Nalden, Ellen Sano, Jamal Oulel, George Birch, Marie José van den Boomgaard, Ekim Sincer, Ohad GiladCompanies: Up!RotterdamOther: Startup Partners: transparency in the world of startup service providers, HackYourCareer: work for a Rotterdam/Delft based scale-upMedia: Fleetwood Mac - Dreams (2004 Remastered)
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During his PhD research, Wang explored robots' societal impact on the elderly, especially with dementia.
In 2015, he left that and founded Tinybots, to make a tangible difference for those with cognitive challenges.
Today, their care robot Tessa is a proven solution for patient self-reliance, used by care providers all over the Netherlands on a daily basis.
How care robot Tessa helps clients lead more independent lives;The challenge with technology adoption in healthcare;Keeping a collaborative culture when the team grows;
In this episode, we'll talk about:
People: Wang Long Li, Umar Nizamani, Jan Pons, Menno KamphuisCompanies: Tinybots, NiceDay, Moov’dOther: Van Nelle FabriekMedia: Billy Joel - Vienna
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With a Master in Hydraulic Engineering from Delft Technical University and an Executive MBA from INSEAD, he spent 15 years with Shell, where his latest roles included Investment Director for Shell ventures as well as Commercial Head for Shell Hydrogen.
In 2021, he was asked by Koolen Industries as the first employee of Battolyser Systems, a cleantech company with patented technology. Fast forward three years, and Mattijs is the CEO of a company of almost 100 employees.
Why the energy transition requires ambitious leaders;How to negotiate a 40 million euro deal with the European Investment Bank.How Mattijs reinvents himself from a 1 man team to leading 100 people.
We'll cover the following topics:
People: Mattijs Slee, Fokko Mulder, Geert LaaglandCompanies: Battolyser Systems, Koolen Industries, Shell Ventures, Shell Hydrogen, VattenfallOther: Hydraulic Engineering at the TU Delft, Book: the strategic approach to building a boarding, Guns ‘n Roses - November Rain Media: Battolyser Systems on YouTube
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Joris Biskop is the former CTO of Luxexcel, 3d printing lens specialist, which was recently acquired by Meta for €400 million. Based on his insights there, he founded Addoptics, of which he is now the CEO. Addoptics is a smart manufacturer of optics, serving an impressive list of customers worldwide from their office in Rotterdam.
The opportunities in a 1 trillion Augmented Reality market;Pivoting from niche prototype production to scalability;The pro’s and cons of taking investors on board;
We'll cover the following topics:
People: Joris Biskop, Boukje Vastbinder, Benjamin de Wit, Maarten SchweersCompanies: AddOptics, Luxexcel Other: Meta Rayban Smartglasses, Rotterdam Sustainable Floating Homes Media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT_Ox_4nKSg&t=139s, Forbes - Looking forward to the future of AR and VR, Globe Newswire - Augmented Reality Market Size to Surpass $1109.71 Bilion
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With a background in biology and a passion for environmental conservation, George embarked on a unique journey that led him from asset management to the world of oyster reef restoration.
After completing this MBA from Rotterdam School of Management, he founded Oyster Heaven - on a mission to make marine regeneration financially sustainable.
Cleaning the ocean with oyster reefs;How To Make Ecosystem Regeneration ProfitableWhat George is up to in his freetime
We'll cover the following topics:
People: George Birch, Shawn Harris, Guus Meijer, Elissa Glorie, Philip Roos,Companies: Oyster Heaven, Rotterdam School of Management, BlueCity, Orange Wings, Generous MindsMedia: Oyster Heaven: the most scalable way to regrow lost oyster reefs, Book: Rachel Carson - Silent Spring, Alice Coltrane - Turiya and Ramakrishna
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In this episode I speak with Auke Bleij, Founder of Respyre - the fascinating startup that helps cities turn green through a special concrete that holds moss. Respyre is a spin-off from Delft Technical University, on a mission to create greener cities through the application of mosses. You hold a Master in Construction Management from that same University.
Auke’s entrepreneurial journeynature inclusive development and how to make the most of a competition like PHIA.
We'll cover the following topics:
People: Auke Bleij, Mark de Kruijff, Matthijs Jaspers, Adil Aarouss, Eveline van der Pluijm, Timo Vonk, Jorn Douwstra, Lola van HunnikCompanies: Respyre, Philips Innovation Award, TU Delft, The Happy Activist, PON, NSOther: Sigma Squared, Building “The Valley” on the Amsterdam Zuidas, Sting - Englishman in New York, Register for PHIAMedia: Article Quote: Auke Bleij Innovatiefste Student van Nederland
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Marsha started Breeze - the worlds first offline dating app, together with 6 co-founders from the Technical University in Delft. That was 2019 and today, they are the fastest growing dating app in the Netherlands, with prominent investors supporting them.
Diversity in tech;Starting a company with 7 co-founders;The Philips Innovation Award
In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:
People: Marsha Goei, Stefan van den Berg, Thijs Verheul, Rogier FischerCompanies: Breeze, Hyves, Lexa, United Wardrobe (now: Vinted), Match.com, Litebit, Other: Philips Innovation Award
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Souren's career spans across esteemed institutions such as Merrill Lynch and Rabobank, where he excelled in investment banking and M&A.
Today, Souren leads the charge at BAQME, the first company globally to offer a free floating shared cargo bike service. At a young age, he moved to the Netherlands from Armenia. He currently lives in Amsterdam, but soon will return to Rotterdam.
The future of Urban Mobility;Bootstrapping versus venture capital;Making it Happen as a first time founder;
We'll cover the following topics:
People: Souren Arakelian, Niki Sie, Sven Velthuis, Tristan van DoornCompanies: BAQME, Ketel1, Merrill Lynch, OnePlanetCrowd, Juuve, MyWheels, Future Mobility ParkOther: Schiedam, Dutch Distillers DistrictMedia: Miles Davis - Blue in Green
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Pim and his co-founder Lorenzo van Galen, are challenging the fast fashion industry. With their company Wear, they are creating the largest platform for pre-loved sneakers. Their collaborations with established players like Bristol and Bijenkorf have gained recognition, including the social impact newcomer of the year and the upcoming talent marketing award from our Mayor, Aboutaleb.
Prior to Wear, Pim made waves as a freelancer, leading communication efforts for organizations like VoorGoed Impact agency, the Dutch Impact Days, and Verre Bergen Foundation.
The business of refurbished sneakersPivoting from service to productMass adoption of sustainable fashion
In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:
People: Pim Roggeveen, Lorenzo van Galen, Joost Kamermans, Carolien van Wersch, Doesje FransenCompanies: Wear, Bristol, Bijenkorf, Voorgoed Impact Agency, Dutch Impact Days, Verre Bergen Foundation, R’damse Nieuwe, CityLab010, Pieter Pot, Jack Bean, Vinted, America Today, Maaskantine, Club Haug, Kralingse Plas, Seenons, Ondernemershuis Op Zuid, Wear Too Good To Go, ChillhopMedia: Podcast R'damse Nieuwe - Lars Crama, Can’t Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers
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In 2014, along with Maarten Logtenberg, Lucas set out on this journey from a garage, fueled by their dream of designing and building cutting-edge machines. Fast forward nine years, CEAD has become a global leader in large-scale 3D printing, operating from a 3,000-square-meter facility in Delft.=
Lucas holds a Master's degree in Integrated Product Design from Delft, and when he's not leading CEAD, you can often find him pursuing his passion for surfing or kiting.
Product market fit in large scale 3D printing;Managing teams in an international setting;Tips for landing a 1M Euro EU grant
In this episode, we'll cover the following topics
People: Lucas Janssen, Maarten Logtenberg, Giovanni Pazienza, Constantijn van Oranje, Hans Scheffer, Noor Rhijnsburger, Monique Martens, Daisy Visser Companies: CEAD, TU Delft, Siemens, HelloPrint, 3D Hubs, Gartner, Delfts Studenten Corps, City of Delft, City of RotterdamOther: Horizon Europe Grant, Scaleup vacancy platform HackYourCareerMedia: Tash Sultana - Pretty Lady
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In 2017 she co-founded Peelpioneers, the largest producer of raw materials from citrus peels in Europe - together with Sytze van Stempvoort and Bas van Wieringen, where she now sits at the supervisory board.
Next to that, she is co-founder and director at Tekkoo, an organization that helps startups and established organizations with sustainable innovation. She is also the initiator of Circular Factory, a start-to-scale-up program for circular startups in collaboration with BlueCity.
Profitable business models in the biobased economy;The journey of building a 21st century peel collector; How to convince investors to build a 10 Million Euro demo plant;
We'll cover the following topics:
People: Lindy Hensen, Sytze van Stempvoort, Bas van Wieringen, Silvia ten Houten, Ronald van Raaij, Diederik van DommelenCompanies: PeelPioneers, Tekkoo, BlueCity, Jumbo, Renewi, European Circular BioEconomy Fund, Doen Foundation, BOM, Natures Principles, SUNT, De Clique, Circular Factory, InvestNL, Polestar CapitalOther: Week van de circulaire economie; Media: Lindy at Upstream Festival, Rabobank Duurzame Innovatieprijs, Xavier Rudd - Follow the Sun
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As a chartered accountant Pavle Beslic started his career at Deloitte - after which he decided to go independent and stumbled into the world of recruitment. That inspired him to found Staffyou, now one of the fastest growing on-demand staffing platforms in Europe.
He's been recognized as one of the Netherlands' top young entrepreneurs by Quote and has earned accolades from FD Gazellen and Deloitte Fast 50. And when he's not in the business world, you might find him on a boat or in the boxing ring.
Innovating the temp staffing business;Going from Chartered Accountant to startup founder;Getting punched in the face.
We'll cover the following topics:
People: Pavle Beslic, Micky Chen, Albert van Ommen, Liselore Lugt, Bastian van de Belt, Seda CinCompanies: Staffyou, Quote, FD Gazelle, Deloitte Fast 50, EY, Ahoy, De Kuip, Getir, Minite Works, Rebels.ai Lox MJR TomOther: Definition Register Accountant (RA) / Certified Public Accountant (CPA), De Meent Rotterdam, Gladiatoren aan de MaasMedia: Trailer of Pavle's fight at Gladiatoren aan de Maas, Ice Cube - It Was A Good Day
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Fonger is an experienced leader in the energy sector. He obtained his PhD in mathematics and physics at Oxford University, after which he worked as a strategy consultant and McKinsey and as head of a Eneco Smart Energy Lab. Since then, he was the CEO of Brainbay, and a cofounder of Blockheating - the scale-up that recycles data center energy.
His rather bold mission to slow down global warmingThe difference between Corporate venturing and a running a startupThe hard part about climate tech
In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:
People: Fonger Ypma, Boyan Slat, Menno van Dijk, Dirk van den Berg, Peter MolenaarCompanies: Arctic Reflections, Eneco, Brainbay, Blockheating, The Ocean Cleanup, Scaleup Nation, Protect Our WintersOther: www.hackyourcareer.com Media: Cold as Ice - Foreigner
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Niels Verwij is a successful e-commerce entrepreneur. He started dekbed-discounter, a disruptive online duvet webshop, in 2014 from scratch. It disrupted traditional retail and soon became one of the most successful e-commerce companies in the Netherlands.
Today, as the CEO of Jamani, he oversees multiple businesses, including Dekbed-Discounter, Boxspring Lease, KoopJeDeal.nl, and WoonQ. At the age of 34, Niels has built an impressive portfolio, solidifying his position in the industry and securing him a place in the Young Quote 100.
Finding a sweetspot in e-commerceGrowing 3800 percent in 4 years timeKeeping focus when opportunities seem unlimited
In this episode, we'll cover the following topics:
People: Niels Verwij, Jarno Goesten, Maurice Rustwat, Erwin Paaij, Frank Waagmeester, Dorus Galama, Ronnie Overgoor, Ben MandemakersCompanies: Dekbed Discounter, Jamani, Boxspring Lease, KoopJeDeal.nl, 123vloerkleed.nl, Groupon, Daydealers.nl (no longer exists), Pannendiscounter (no longer exists), Repeat, HelloPrint, Billink Other: Song: Lucas & Steve - I want it all
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