Innovation brokers 
help SMEs innovate

Dirk van Ledden

As an innovation broker, Dirk van Ledden is a discussion partner in the financial, operational and business areas for the (food-tech) entrepreneur due to knowledge, experience and an extensive network. Involvement, no nonsense and intuition are important weapons in this.

Dirk sees opportunities and possibilities and likes to lead the way in implementation. He directs, facilitates and supports and actively searches for solutions to ambiguities and problems. He is able to convert ideas into initiatives. This is also the common thread in his work experience. In addition to his experience as a manager at SME companies and corporate organisations, Dirk has also been an entrepreneur for 20 years. He likes to contribute to ideas or test new market ideas or technologies. He connects SMEs and external parties in the AgriFood sector with a focus on sustainability, technology transitions, digitization and hand-free food processing (Robot and Cobotisation).

As Business Developer at Next Tech Food Factories, Dirk is involved in business administration support for innovation, especially for SMEs and startups when it comes to the crossover of the worlds of Food and HighTech. These usually concern questions related to exploring new markets and application areas, building the necessary network, building partnerships (in consortia or within new value chains), making business plans and cases, finding funding and solving financial issues. He is also the initiator of the Innovation Package "Hands-free food processing" within the National Growth Fund programme NXTGEN HIGHTECH.

Are you looking for,

• support in identifying innovative opportunities for a specific company;
• guiding the process from idea to business;
• expanding the network,

please contact Dirk van Ledden and see what he can do for you!