Should passion or common sense drive your business?
The second event of the Brightlands Business Club was all about getting to know the entrepreneurs of the different Brightlands campuses and understand each other’s business better to look for opportunities and possible partnerships. During the event, entitled “Nice to meet you!”, the (potential) members of the Brightlands Business Club became aware of the enormous potential there is for co-operation with entrepreneurs from the different Brightlands campuses.
For example, a solution for the data analysis at Mifood at Brightlands Greenport Venlo was offered by Martijn Zoet from the BISS Institute, based on their block chain technology. The Biss Institute is located on the Brightlands Smart Services Campus, Heerlen. But existing relationships were strengthened as well. Fromatech and SMOOD decided on intensifying their cooperation to elaborate new projects for innovative solutions on healthy food.
And new connections were made as well! Bert Schepers from Volantis and Mark Beckers from Synvina (Joint Venture of BASF and Avantium), both from the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, met for the first time. They had an interesting conversation about their joint business: pilot plans.
Furthermore, we discovered that Avantium is looking for new partnerships to elaborate out their lignine project, produced out of wood. They are looking for partners to valorize their waste stream. Maybe they will find them in our next meeting.
The event ended with a plenary discussion on: “Are a sustainable vision and shared passion enough to make an idea work?”. Peter van Tilburg from Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo, always looking for possible cooperation with entrepreneurs from the Limburg region, stated that a shared passion will work as a talent magnet and lead a team to success. Will he be the Bill Gates of Limburg? Cristianne Rijcken from Cristal Therapeutics and recently awarded as “Business Woman Limburg” added that the market potential for an idea or product is crucial as well. “Of course it is about improving the quality of life, but the commercial content is of relevance as well”. And she mentioned Elon Musk as a role model: “Persuade investors with a good story”.
More information about the Brightlands Business Club, check out this factsheet.
