Nienke Dijkstra

‘Nurture SMEs – entrepreneurs play a crucial role in innovation and R&D in our country.’

Nienke Dijkstra understands the entrepreneur's perspective all too well: before joining TNO in 2020, she was an entrepreneur in the creative industries – always at the intersection of innovation, technology and beauty. For a long time, she was also involved with TEDX Amsterdam, Studio Roosegaarde, and Hannah Verboom's 'Get It Done' platform. ‘As an entrepreneur, I’ve worked with TNO before. When things worked out, I was really impressed with the results.’ More entrepreneurs should be doing this, she thought.

That is exactly why TNO asked her to come and work here: to improve the connection with start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs. ‘Entrepreneurs are driven, talented people with a desire to make the world a better place. So are the people who work at TNO. Combining TNO's labs and knowledge with the innovative power of SMEs will boost the Netherlands' earning potential. And if we want to solve the challenges of our time, this is the way forward. That's why I decided to make the switch.’

Renewal

Building something from nothing is par for the course for her. ‘I love this work: innovation and finding added value have always been recurring themes in my life. For example, I like to remodel houses, both in my work and in my private life.’

She summarises her role at TNO as a combination of mediating, translating, and connecting. ‘We aim to be the go-to technology partner for start-ups, scale-ups, and SMEs. This is because we have observed that SMEs play a crucial role when it comes to innovation and Research & Development in our country. My team makes sure entrepreneurs and SMEs are introduced to the right experts at TNO, so they can take their innovative ideas to the next level.’

‘Researchers and entrepreneurs share the same drive to achieve something. I want to bridge that gap.’ She does this on several levels. ‘For example, we select strategic themes through which TNO can strengthen SMEs. TNO HIVE is a great example of this. Here, we collaborate with the Healthy Living & Work unit to contribute to the acceleration of the digital health sector.’

Her team is also working to bring the right parties and portfolios together. ‘In doing so, we are joining forces with Invest-NL, private investment companies, or regional investment and development companies.’

Dijkstra also started the TNO Fast Track programme to connect SMEs with the right experts at TNO. “There are around 300,000 small and medium-sized companies in the Netherlands. To really connect with this target group, we can’t be afraid to take their needs as the starting point and really focus on them.’

Thanks to Fast Track, an entrepreneur with a question about innovation can now access TNO's knowledge, experts, labs, and network in three steps. ‘We have an intake procedure and a customised fee and get into action quickly. Over the past year and a half, we have successfully dealt with about 450 enquiries from entrepreneurs.’

‘My team tries to find out where market demand is struggling. That is the sweet spot for entrepreneurs, which should be targeted with extreme urgency, because that sweet spot is what really matters. We then put together a team of experts who all have a connection to the client's query. In some cases, they have never worked together before. To me, the fact that our colleagues can so quickly make a difference for the entrepreneur, by immediately adding value, is beautiful. We sometimes surprise even ourselves.’

Multiple games of chess at the same time

‘My position is special in that I deal with all 6 TNO units. My work is commercial, strategic, and political. It’s just like playing a strategic puzzle, or multiple games of chess at the same time. I keep a bird’s eye view of what is needed while also trying to figure out the best way to implement it. In that sense, I still feel a bit like an entrepreneur at TNO. I’m building something new and have a lot of freedom in determining the strategy.’

TNO Fast Track

Are you looking for specific expertise in R&D and innovation? Are you seeing opportunities to innovate or do you have a technological challenge that we may be able to help you with?

Visit TNO Fast Track for more information.