Rijnders (UT), Kersten (ImpactX) join Holland High Tech leadership

With the appointment of Guus Rijnders (University of Twente) and Esther Kersten (ImpactX), the leadership of the ‘top team’ for the High Tech Systems & Materials top sector is restored to full strength. Rijnders, professor of nanoelectric materials and outgoing scientific director of research institute Mesa+, represents the sciences. Kersten, founder and CEO of sustainability-focused venture capital firm ImpactX, serves on behalf of small and medium-sized enterprises. Tjerk Opmeer had already joined on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate a few months ago.

Holland High Tech shapes the public-private collaboration between industry, knowledge institutions and governments. The partnership aims to drive innovation, economic growth, cooperation and internationalization.

“Cooperation between science and industry is the catalyst for innovation. A strong commitment and dependence in this collaboration is necessary to enable the promise of innovations and key technologies in technological and societal urgent transitions. I want to work to further shape this engagement and collaboration, and thereby increase the impact of research and innovation in the Dutch economy and society,” states Rijnders.

Kersten also aims to emphasize sustainability. “I strongly believe in the power of the Dutch high-tech sector to bring a circular economy closer through innovation. Large companies, SMEs and knowledge institutions all play an important role in this transition. Chain cooperation must be given a high priority because circularity precisely requires a supported approach throughout the supply chain. Furthermore, we’re going to focus on startups and scale-ups, which are important for technical innovations and breakthroughs. For that, we need to further develop our ecosystem.”

At the end of 2023, Jacquelien Scherpen (currently rector magnificus of the University of Groningen), Arno van Mourik (director of Airborne) and Michiel Sweers (federal government) stepped down from the top team.