The third Group of entrepreneurs started their VentureLab Twente programme. In three groups nearly 60 entrepreneurs joined in! A good impression of the kick-off is given below.

A subsidy of €2.4 million has been awarded to VentureLab Twente by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland within the EU-funded ‘GO Gebundelde Innovatiekracht’ programme.

The Twente region and Innovation Platform Twente are also expected to contribute to VentureLab Twente to bring subsidies to €3.5 million.

The subsidies mean that costs for participants can be kept as low as possible!

See also a full news item on the University of Twente site (soon available in English) and the specific press section here.

VentureLab Twente has planned to start training a new group of entrepreneurs in January, so
a need for more coaches is emerging! Read the rest of this entry →

A panel of experienced business incubator managers has selected the most recent recipients of the NBIA Soft Landings International Incubator designation from November 2009.

And… the VentureLab Twente Incubator hereby has been granted this Soft Landings designation for the first time!

Now in its fifth year, the Soft Landings program recognizes incubators with proven ability to help nondomestic companies enter the incubator’s domestic market.
NBIA’s Soft Landings designations are effective for two years; programs must reapply biennially for continuing designation. Read the rest of this entry →

Last Wednesday evening, Thursday and Friday, October 7/8/9, a new group of 25 VLT-entrepreneurs had a date with destiny… the stockmarket!?

In two days the group got lots of information to start their future as owners of a high-tech high-potential venture.

• On Thursday Pim Paffen, from CDC Nederland, explained the use of an assessment and a personal development plan in the personal development training. In the evening the VentureClass by Paula Englis was on the agenda.
• Saras Sarasvathy, Associate Professor (Darden Graduate Business School, University of Virginia, USA) was in action on Friday with “Strategy Process: Planning vs emergence” and “Equity ownership and control issues” as topics for the training. See Saras work on a short video.

According to some of the ‘fresh’ entrepreneurs the first days were “intense” and some “hard work” to begin with. But VLT made sure it was not without the necessary amount of food, fun & friends.

Read the rest of this entry →