Startup Pass-port

Startup Pass-port
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The Startup Pass-port by Econsulate podcast series will serve as a platform to spotlight the inspiring stories and insights of ecosystem partners in leading startup communities. During our first series, we will focus on the startup ecosystem in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Each episode promises to offer valuable perspectives and expert advice, further enriching our understanding of this thriving ecosystem.

  1. 13h ago

    Social capital is a massively underestimated asset

    Season 07 of Startup Passport by Frontwalker continues with Episode 11 – Alexander Broekman, CEO of Superconnectors. As the CEO of Superconnectors, Alexander shares how meaningful connections can create opportunities that go far beyond financial investment. In this episode, he explains how Superconnectors helps founders identify their most critical challenge and connects them with people who have the network, expertise, and willingness to help solve it. Alexander also discusses why social capital is a massively underestimated asset, how one meaningful introduction can have a greater impact than funding alone, and why startup communities thrive when people genuinely want to help one another. He explains how Superconnectors combines community-driven events with technology to create purposeful introductions, track their outcomes, and empower cities to build stronger local startup ecosystems through collaboration and shared networks. This new season brings conversations with founders, innovators, investors, and ecosystem leaders shaping the future of entrepreneurship, recorded at the Upstream Festival in Rotterdam in partnership with Erasmus Enterprise. These conversations are powerful, inspiring, and game-changing, and we can't wait for you to hear them. Stay tuned! New episodes dropping soon!

  2. 2d ago

    Using light to activate cancer treatment

    Season 07 of Startup Passport by Frontwalker continues with Episode 10 – Sebas Pronk, CEO and Co-founder of Lumox. A biomedical scientist turned entrepreneur, Sebas is on a mission to transform cancer treatment through precision medicine. In this episode, he shares how Lumox is developing a light-activated therapy designed to target tumors more precisely, reducing damage to healthy cells while improving treatment effectiveness. He explains how a breakthrough in academic research evolved into a startup with the potential to change the future of cancer care. Sebas also shares the journey of transforming breakthrough scientific research into a healthcare startup, from laboratory discovery and pre-clinical studies to preparing for human clinical trials. He discusses the realities of developing medical innovation, the importance of securing investment, and why bringing a new therapy to patients requires patience, collaboration, and long-term vision. Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Sebas explains why great science alone isn't enough, how storytelling became just as important as research, and why the support of the startup ecosystem has been one of his biggest lessons as a founder. This new season brings conversations with founders, innovators, investors, and ecosystem leaders shaping the future of entrepreneurship, recorded in partnership with Erasmus Enterprise and the NL Startup Competition. These conversations are powerful, inspiring, and game-changing, and we can't wait for you to hear them. Stay tuned! New episodes dropping soon!

  3. Jul 23

    Quality creates better connections

    Season 07 of Startup Passport by Frontwalker continues with Episode 09 – Robin Hoogstraten, Co-founder of Upstream Festival. As the co-founder of Upstream Festival and an ecosystem builder, Robin shares how thriving startup ecosystems are created through collaboration, founder-first thinking, and meaningful connections. In this episode, he reflects on Upstream's journey to becoming an independent organisation, the growth of Rotterdam's entrepreneurial ecosystem, and why bringing together the right people is more valuable than simply growing bigger. Robin also discusses what makes a strong startup ecosystem, the importance of being vocal about opportunities within a city, and why collaboration between founders, investors, partners, and institutions is essential for long-term success. He explains how Upstream carefully curates its community to ensure every participant adds value, why the festival prioritises quality over quantity, and how staying founder-centric creates an environment where meaningful connections can thrive. This new season brings conversations with founders, innovators, investors and ecosystem leaders shaping the future of entrepreneurship, in partnership with Erasmus Enterprise and the NL Startup Competition. These conversations are powerful, inspiring, and game-changing, and we can't wait for you to hear them. Stay tuned! New episodes dropping soon!

  4. Jul 21

    Finding the right problem for new technology

    Season 07 of Startup Passport by Frontwalker continues with Episode 08 – Maarten Tobias, Co-founder and CEO of Luxene. A serial entrepreneur with three startups and multiple successful exits, Maarten is now focused on transforming road safety through innovative road-marking technology. In this episode, he shares how Luxene identified a critical visibility challenge on roads during adverse weather conditions and applied existing technology to create a practical solution that improves driver safety when it's needed most. Maarten also discusses the journey from technology discovery to product development, the importance of validating innovation through real-world pilots, and the lessons he's carried forward from building previous startups. He explains why surrounding yourself with the right people is essential, how experience and strong networks accelerate growth, and what it takes to take a deep-tech solution from pilot projects to international markets. This new season brings conversations with founders, innovators, investors and ecosystem leaders shaping the future of entrepreneurship, in partnership with Erasmus Enterprise and the NL Startup Competition. These conversations are powerful, inspiring, and game-changing, and we can't wait for you to hear them. Stay tuned! New episodes dropping soon!

  5. Jul 16

    Building entrepreneurs before building startups

    Season 07 of Startup Passport by Frontwalker continues with Episode 06 – Joris Meijaard, Academic Director of the MSc Strategic Entrepreneurship Programme at Rotterdam School of Management (RSM). With two decades of experience in entrepreneurship education and as a founder himself, Joris has dedicated his career to helping the next generation of founders turn ideas into successful ventures. In this episode, he shares why entrepreneurship is learned through experience rather than theory, how universities can create environments where innovation thrives, and why the best founders are those who continuously test, adapt, and learn. Joris also discusses the importance of customer validation, the value of feedback over assumptions, whether entrepreneurs are born or made, and why there is no single path to building a successful startup. His insights offer a practical perspective on developing entrepreneurial mindsets and preparing founders for the realities of building and scaling businesses. This new season brings conversations with founders, innovators, investors, and ecosystem leaders shaping the future of entrepreneurship, recorded at the Upstream Festival in Rotterdam in partnership with Erasmus Enterprise. These conversations are powerful, inspiring, and game-changing, and we can't wait for you to hear them. Stay tuned! New episodes dropping soon!

  6. Jul 14

    Doing good should be rewarded

    Season 07 of Startup Passport by Frontwalker continues with Episode 06 – Stef Traa, Co-founder of Droppie. Since recording, Droppie has won the Climate & Energy category at the NL Startup Competition at Upstream Festival - a signal that making recycling easy, fun and rewarding is a mission people are backing. Congratulations to Stef and the Droppie team. Driven by a personal frustration with waste on the streets, Stef co-founded Droppie to rethink how people recycle. By combining technology with positive incentives, Droppie is making recycling fun, easy, and rewarding while helping build a more circular economy, one item at a time. In this episode, Stef shares how Droppie is changing consumer behavior through rewards instead of punishment, why building sustainable businesses starts with making the right choice the easiest one, and how innovation can create real environmental impact. He also reflects on the importance of building partnerships, creating ecosystems around startups, and why founders should never try to scale alone. This new season brings conversations with founders, innovators, investors and ecosystem leaders shaping the future of entrepreneurship, recorded at the Upstream Festival in Rotterdam in partnership with Erasmus Enterprise. These conversations are powerful, inspiring, and game-changing, and we can't wait for you to hear them. Stay tuned! New episodes dropping soon!

  7. Jul 9

    The best startups begin with frustration

    Season 07 of Startup Passport by Frontwalker continues with Episode 05 – Thomas Vles, Founder of GoDutch. A serial entrepreneur with seven startups under his belt, Thomas believes the best businesses don't start with brilliant ideas—they start with real frustrations. From reinventing cat litter boxes to transforming business banking, every venture he's built has been driven by solving problems people experience every day. In this episode, Thomas shares how GoDutch is using AI to simplify business finance, why founders should start selling before perfecting their product, and how learning from failure is essential to building successful startups. He also reflects on the lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, the importance of validating ideas early, and why creating products people genuinely love is the key to long-term success. This new season brings conversations with founders, innovators, investors and ecosystem leaders shaping the future of entrepreneurship, recorded at the Upstream Festival in Rotterdam in partnership with Erasmus Enterprise. These conversations are powerful, inspiring, and game-changing, and we can't wait for you to hear them. Stay tuned! New episodes dropping soon!

  8. Jul 7

    Innovation Starts With Customer Problems

    Season 07 of Startup Passport by Frontwalker continues with Episode 04 – Lutger Rutten, Co-founder of Sixth Sense Diagnostics, a Port & Maritime finalists at the NL Startup Competition 2026. What started as a student challenge has evolved into a science-driven startup developing rapid diagnostic technology that makes laboratory testing faster, simpler, and accessible anywhere. By transforming complex biosensor research into practical solutions, Lutger and his team are helping industries make faster, more accurate decisions without the need for laboratories or specialized training. In this episode, Lutger shares how Sixth Sense Diagnostics is bringing lab-grade testing on-site, why innovation should start with real customer problems, and how the team moved from human diagnostics into food quality inspection. He also discusses the journey of commercializing academic research, building a startup from university innovation, and creating technology designed to solve real-world challenges. This new season brings conversations with founders, innovators, investors and ecosystem leaders shaping the future of entrepreneurship, in partnership with Erasmus Enterprise and the NL Startup Competition. These conversations are powerful, inspiring, and game-changing, and we can't wait for you to hear them. Stay tuned! New episodes dropping soon!

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About

The Startup Pass-port by Econsulate podcast series will serve as a platform to spotlight the inspiring stories and insights of ecosystem partners in leading startup communities. During our first series, we will focus on the startup ecosystem in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Each episode promises to offer valuable perspectives and expert advice, further enriching our understanding of this thriving ecosystem.

Information

  • Creator
    Startup Pass-port
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    94
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Startup Pass-port