Martijn Leinweber
Community Manager at SBIC, the Space Business Innovation Centre in Noordwijk
ABOUT SBIC AND YOUR DAILY WORK
You are working at SBIC, the Space Business Innovation Center helping start-ups that use space technology for terrestrial applications. How is SBIC helping the startups located at this beautiful place in Noordwijk?
We offer the startups a community from similar companies and various partners> Furthermore the startups are getting business support via meetings and workshops.
And the startups who are in the ESA incubation program ( ESA BIC Noordwijk ) also receive technical and financial support.
Can you share some of the great activities you are planning for this year at SBIC?
Where to start 🙂 For this year we have still two selection rounds for ESA BIC Noordwijk and we will do another Venture Academy ( pre-incubation program ) with Plnt! in Leiden. Furthermore, we will be hosting two international competitions in the Netherlands and the NASA Space Apps Challenge. And we are setting up a new partnership model for Technical Suppliers to support our startups and to join our Community
How are you working together with ESA?
We are working very closely with them as we are managing the incubation program for them in the Netherlands. They are a good neighbour 😉
What tips do you want to give to our readers which could be innovation managers from business, startup founders, but also professors?
Be open, listen and supportive!
ABOUT YOUR LIFE
How did you get into the space industry and at SBIC?
Kind of coincidence. As it all started with an internship in The Hague when I studied in Rotterdam at a company who managed an incubator and had a simulation training what it is to be an entrepreneur. After the internship was finished I was being asked to do some work during the holidays and if I would like to write my thesis and off course I said yes :). After my thesis they offered me a job. At a certain point we got the opportunity to manage the incubation program for the European Space Agency and since then I got into the space industry.
How do you see the future of space technology ? and the impact on our daily lifes?
Space already has an impact on our daily life, and that will only be more. The New Space area and easy and more access and availability of space technologies will be create a lot of new applications here on Earth.
What is your goal in life coming 5 to 10 years?
In general just stay healthy, happy and supportive. Sportive wise I have a small list; run a marathon; ¼ triathlon and I still need to do 21 of the 25 Climbs you have to do as a cyclist.
How do you keep a good work life balance with your work and family life?
To be honest, it is a little bit of a challenge for me, cause I love my work and always see opportunities and things to be improved. But being with my family and sporting helps me to stop from further working.
Book recommended by Martijn Leinweber:
If you want to read more about Martijn Leinweber have a read through his Golden Rules for Living, here.