Interview with Nienke Dijkstra

Tell us, who is Nienke…

Great first question! I’m actually a commercial idealist. I believe that with decisiveness and strategic insight, you can truly make a difference in the world – both on a large and small scale. I have a natural drive to get things moving. I love connecting vision with execution – going from thinking to doing gives me energy. I’m all about pace, results, and sparking innovation. I like to be clear, I’m not afraid to take initiative, and I believe that a clear story really makes a difference. For me, innovation is never a goal in itself, but a means to create progress.

Something people might not know…

Besides my work, I really enjoy teaching yoga – a nice counterbalance to my often dynamic workweek. I also have a passion for renovating (preferably old) houses; projects where vision, creativity, and decisiveness come together.

Why do you do what you do?

I believe in the power of Dutch entrepreneurship as a driver of change. Entrepreneurs are the ones who dare to take risks, think ahead, and turn innovation into reality. Whether it’s startups with international ambitions or innovative SMEs that boldly and creatively renew the market – I’m fully committed to supporting them. At TNO, we have a responsibility to empower these entrepreneurs. By sharing knowledge, making technology accessible, and facilitating collaboration. This increases their impact and strengthens the earning capacity and competitiveness of the Netherlands.

What do you want to tackle?

As director of startups and SMEs, I focus on strengthening the ecosystem around entrepreneurship and innovation. That means: forging strategic alliances, breaking down barriers, and deploying capital, facilities, and knowledge more effectively. I want to reduce the distance between TNO and startups, stimulate growth markets, and accelerate the innovation capacity of our target group. I also want to help mobilize patient capital – crucial for tech companies that want to combine impact with growth.

What keeps you up at night?

Not often, fortunately. But I stay sharp when I see systemic flaws slowing down innovation. For example, when promising technologies don’t progress because there’s a disconnect between policy, businesses, and financing.

That’s why we actively work on building those connections. For instance, by linking companies working on key technologies from the National Technology Strategy to the capital and infrastructure needed to scale up.

A concrete example is the development of technology due diligence as a service. This is important because (fortunately) there’s growing attention for (deep) tech companies. With this, we support investors with early sounding to better understand the technological questions and risks of their investments. This makes the technological component more transparent – and helps accelerate investment decisions where needed.

We’re also looking at how we can make smarter use of existing infrastructure – such as test facilities, field labs, and consortia. Because only when all those links work together does innovation truly gain momentum.

Who are you passing the baton to?

To my colleague Stef Prinsen. Stef is one of the most experienced business developers in TNO’s Fast Track team. He’s someone with a vast network who always puts the entrepreneur first, thinks quickly, and brings ideas to life in no time. His story deserves to be heard.