During the Engineering Entrepreneurship (EE) Minor, engineering students are given the opportunity to gain experience with entrepreneurship. The main focus is on the development and feasibility of business cases. Students develop these business cases and try to convince stakeholders of their plans. One group of students focused on a sustainable solution for aircraft on the ground. It turned out to be a runway for their own start-up.

During blocks 1 and 2, fourth-year students of the  Luchtvaarttechnologie and Aeronautical Engineering  study programmes are given the opportunity to apply all their technical knowledge during the EE. Over the course of twenty weeks, the students are challenged to set up their own company based on a technological concept. Ultimately, experts in the business world test their business cases. 

Technical feasibility 
Each team is given the freedom to choose different problems and challenges in the market. By means of a service, product or advice, they try to provide a solution for an organisation. This year's theme was Sustainability. Technology must be the starting point in order to prove its feasibility by means of a prototype or concept. Student Mia Jovetić: "During this project, we really get the opportunity to experience what it is like to be an entrepreneur. In recent years, we learnt a lot about engineering. Now we get a lot of information about entrepreneurship." 

Sustainable solution for ground operations
With the Sustainable Aircraft Ground Operations project, group members Mia, Melvin, Greta, Alvaro, Sven, Arnold, Heinrich and Rafael were given the opportunity to come up with sustainable solutions for aircraft ground operations. Mia continued: "We came up with different solutions and contacted airports. This gave rise to our idea for a sustainable, electric taxi vehicle. At the moment, the aircraft themselves taxi from A to B, which is less sustainable and generates a lot of emissions." Melvin van der Linde: "One of the ideas was to make these ground operations more sustainable. With this concept, you would convert kinetic energy of the aircraft during landing into electrical energy."

Registering at Chamber of Commerce 
Mia and Melvin’s group won the EE this year. Because there is a demand from many aviation companies for sustainable solutions for ground operations, the group is continuing with this project and wants to register in the trade register with the Chamber of Commerce. Rafael Schaeffers Félix: "We were often asked whether we wanted to carry on; there is a lot of interest in this idea. So we want to continue this alongside our studies in order to make airports more sustainable." The students in the group really enjoyed getting to know the business aspect of engineering. Alvaro Lopez: "We haven't done this before and you get a good idea of what the industry is really looking for. I think we got involved more closely to global problems and got the chance to solve them." 

Currently, the group of students have started their own start-up. Check out the LinkedIn-page to discover more.

Different backgrounds. Similar principles. That is what binds Moaaz Gendy, Ayoub Elsheikh, Jonas Rieder, Koos Lobeé, Anne van der Meer and Kasra Amirani together. Six students of the four-year Aeronautical Engineering programme at Inholland Delft. “We are more like a family”, discloses Moaaz, “and we’re all very driven.” Another big plus is their unity in diversity: the students all bring their own particular bit of expertise to the table. “We are a multicultural and multidisciplinary team, so we all worked on that specific part of the project we enjoyed most.”

That sounds like a good start, but what drives these students? What is their purpose?
If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. And that is exactly how Vixed tackles their ambition. “Our plan is simple”, Moaaz continues, “we want to transform the industry.” Is it going to be difficult? For sure. Are they motivated? You bet. “We all knew we wanted to make a difference, and Vixed is going to do just that. Our virtual trainings have multiple benefits. Virtual trainings do not require space or the use of practice materials that result in non-recyclable waste. It’s a win-win for companies in the composite industry.” And the benefits do not stop there. Virtual trainings require no supervision, participants cannot hurt themselves and all trainings are recorded for further training purposes.

What are Vixed’s future plans?
“Eventually”, Moaaz continues, “we would like to move beyond composite materials, and focus solely on virtual reality.” The manufacturing of composite materials is Vixed’s first project. And Vixed is definitely on its way: “Inholland Alkmaar wants to use our virtual trainings for the new academic year. To train lab students in a safe environment before they start their actual training.” Even better, the road might be paved with opportunities, since the six students had a showcase at the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), earlier this year. “We want to make the Netherlands a leading player in virtual training.”

And last but not least: Does Moaaz have any advice for his fellow students?
He sure has. Moaaz: “Ideas are way more valuable than we think. Don’t be afraid. Write down every single idea that comes to mind. You don’t need all the knowledge in the world: it starts with a simple idea.” And that is exactly what the members of Vixed did: they believed in their own ideas. Moaaz and his crew are more than ready: “We are ready to start out dream.”

Anne’s research project focused on inclusive tourism: ‘This is an innovative tourism concept developed and applied by the ITC, the joint development agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. It aims to enhance the competitiveness of the tourism sector in least developed regions such as Kayah State. Inclusiveness is achieved by working along the tourism value chain: integrating local producers and Myanmar inbound tour operators, strengthening Myanmar government institutions related to tourism and also promoting the region in international markets. The main beneficiaries are the local people of Myanmar, among them the inhabitants of Kayah State, one of the least developed regions in the country.’

Anne was asked to compile a report that explained the applied methodology of the tourism concept, its results and lessons learned and how it benefitted the stakeholders. ‘ITC uses the report I’ve written to showcase their project to potential future donor countries – in the case of Kayah State that was The Netherlands – and to share this knowledge with other experts in the tourism industry who might seek to replicate their innovative approach.’

Demanding thesis research
‘Why did I choose to study in Diemen? I wanted to study in English, and during my travels I’d met Dutch people who told me I could do an entire Bachelor’s course in English in the Netherlands. I liked Amsterdam and the programme. I also did an exchange semester in Mexico and an internship in Jerusalem during my studies.’

So impressed were Anne’s teachers with the highly ambitious and complex scope of Anne’s thesis research, which she carried out in the Netherlands, Switzerland and during a six-week stay in Myanmar, that they awarded it a perfect score. It was the first time in its history that the Inholland Tourism Department awarded a 10 for a final Bachelor’s thesis, but it was wholly merited by Anne’s outstanding performance as a tourism student. Not only that, Anne was subsequently chosen to receive a competitive VSBfonds scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree.

Future in conflict management
During her internship in Jerusalem, Anne worked for MEJDI Tours, a tour operator founded by a Jew and a Palestinian that runs trips to Israel and Palestine and promotes peacebuilding. Anne feels the experience she gained while working there to be very meaningful, and that inspired to return to Israel after graduation. Now, she is doing a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and Mediation. ‘I’m just starting to write my MA thesis about state policy influence on reproductive rights in Rwanda. I think this is important because women everywhere should be able to have control over their own bodies. After this, I would like to continue working in research and hopefully go on to do a PhD.’

Meet your future employer at the International Talent Event Amsterdam 2018 (ITEA) on Friday 20 April 2018 in Amsterdam! Whether you’re looking for a multilingual internship or a fulltime job at an international company, at ITEA you can meet potential employers during workshops and presentations.

Taking your first steps into the big, bad workforce can feel like a daunting prospect. Fortunately, there is plenty of work for both Dutch and non-Dutch students in the Amsterdam area. With unemployment in the Netherlands being amongst the lowest in the EU, the odds of finding a job are in your favour! Companies love to recruit internationally-oriented students and graduates because they bring creativity, innovation, increase productivity and provide solutions for companies who are doing business across the border.

During ITEA 2018, you can meet employers from a wide range of disciplines, including IT, business, finance and marketing. Last year, the companies present included Adidas, B Building Business, Booking.com, Club Med, Expatica, Freightex, Monsanto, Newgen Payments, NBC Universal (international), Randstad, TIP Trailor Service, Travix International, UBM, Webster, Whirlpool, Young Financials and many more. Keep an eye on the ITEA website for this year’s participants.

Watch the video for the highlights of ITEA 2017.

Organising the event for the fifth time, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and VU University joined forces with investment agency Amsterdam inbusiness and the Amsterdam Economic Board, a cooperation agreement of which also Inholland is a partner.

So, are you ready to start kick your career? Sign up here for ITEA 2018 and come to the Student Hotel, Wibautstraat 129 on Friday 20 April from 10:00 - 17:00.

Would you like to read more about this event? Go to the website or have a look on Facebook.