On 28 November, NL Space Campus, together with SBIC Noordwijk, hosted Network & Drinks November; Sinterklaas Edition. We offered 3 pitches the stage, more than 80 participants joined, asked you what you want to hear a podcast about, and creativity got unleashed with shoes for Sinterklaas. This edition was the final one before the Christmas break. Photos you can find at the bottom of this page.
Please pick up your shoe before the Christmas break
The event had a touch of Dutch tradition, as attendees took part in the custom of schoentje zetten, where they placed their shoes by a specially created “fireplace” at SBIC Noordwijk. Sinterklaas and his helpers were said to have visited, leaving small gifts in the shoes of those who participated. If you left your shoe and want it back, please pick it up at SBIC Noordwijk before the team leaves for the Christmas break.
Updates from NL Space Campus
The Network & Drinks evening began with a reflection on Space Tech Expo Europe, which took place a week before in Bremen. During the conference, NL Space Campus hosted Connecting the Curious, a side event focused on young professionals and startups. “We had a fantastic event with 154 attendees and 28 pitches,” shared Maaike Smelter. She encouraged attendees of Network & Drinks to consider joining next November’s Space Tech Expo in Bremen, adding, “The side event [Connecting the Curious] is going to be even bigger. This event is especially valuable for young professionals, students, and startups. It always takes place on the Wednesday evening.”
Maaike also shared a key milestone for NL Space Campus. “Last week, the first pile for the Cometlab was finally driven into the ground. After three and a half years of work, we now have something in place.” You can visit the mock-up of the building-to-be at SBIC Noordwijk. You can read more about the facilities the building will offer community members on www.cometlab.nl .
Another significant update highlighted an award for digital transformation. NL Space Campus, Unmanned Valley, and Greenport Duin- en Bollenstreek won the Computable Award for their Remote Sensing for Floriculture (RSvS) project. The initiative combines drones, satellite data, and AI to detect tulip and hyacinth diseases early. “This technology helps identify which plants need treatment and which do not, leading to more efficient use of resources and reducing environmental impact,” Maaike explained.
The evening also celebrated the success of the Dutch team SignalVoid at the European final of the 8th CASSINI Hackathon. “They secured second place and won cash prizes along with 100 hours of mentorship,” Maaike announced. Their project uses AI and satellite imagery to enable drone geolocation in GPS-denied environments, showcasing its potential in various applications.
Updates from SBIC Noordwijk
Martijn Leinweber, SBIC Noordwijk’s COO, mentioned, “We recently had our latest selection round for ESA BIC Noordwijk, and we will soon publish new deadlines for 2025. Make sure to follow our socials and website for updates.” More updates from SBIC Noordwijk:
- SBIC Noordwijk will be hosting a series of new masterclasses in 2025, and on 30 January, the topic will be Growth Hacking
- New selection deadlines for ESA BIC Noordwijk and our pre-incubation programme for 2025 will be announced soon
- On 14 January, SBIC will host a hybrid info session at SBIC Noordwijk for the CASSINI Challenges
.Make sure to sign up for the newsletter to ensure you receive all the latest updates, deadline dates and links to register for events Join the SBIC Noordwijk Mailing list!
You can join the community as a member with a one-month free trial. More info via https://www.sbicnoordwijk.nl/space-community/
Community Podcast
Another update Martijn led forward was the concept of the Community Podcast. Maaike joined in and they offered to ‘Ask the Community’ what they would like to hear in a podcast. Maaike and Martijn can invite anyone that they have in the community (from ESA to researchers to astraonauts, etc) who can answer all the questions you may have, in short snippets, which you can then listen to online in podcast format. Multiple answers have been handed in from participants, and the first podcast will be recorded in the beginning of 2025.
Pitches
The evening also featured pitches from three diverse teams
Wildflyer: advanced tools for wildfire suppression
Daan, the founder of Wildflyer, presented their advanced tools for wildfire suppression, prevention, and restoration. “We develop software for wildfire suppression teams across six countries and nine organizations. As the second youngest incubatee at SBIC, I’m excited to be part of this community,” Daan shared. Wildflyer integrates remote sensing data, drone data, and weather data to create actionable insights for firefighters.
Daan reached out to the community for support: “Remote sensing is quite new to us, and we’re exploring ways to crunch terabytes of geospatial data efficiently. If you have expertise in this area or experience with European public tendering programs, I’d love to connect tonight.”
Space Oasis Delft: building a Martian Space Village
A student team from TU Delft presented their vision for a Martian Space Village. “We noticed that urban design isn’t evolving quickly enough to address challenges like climate change and overpopulation,” they explained. “By studying Mars, we aim to inspire new ideas for circular and self-sufficient urban designs on Earth.”
The team is designing a habitat for 150 inhabitants with a mission duration of five years. Their research includes testing materials like pyrite (a mix of bio-waste and ice) for structural strength and radiation protection, along with hydroponic farming and algae bioreactors for CO2 capture and potential food production. They are participating in the Jacques Boudry Foundation Competition and invited support for their research.
Gulliver: competitions with a cash prize of 10k – deadline 9 Dec!
Yannis from Gulliver introduced their entrepreneurship competition for startups in the South Holland region. “We run an annual competition with a cash prize of €10,000, and signups are open until December 9th,” Yannis said. “The semifinals are on January 23rd, followed by a grand final with networking opportunities.”
He encouraged startups to apply via gulliver.nl and invited collaborations with those interested in supporting innovation in South Holland. Learn more here: https://www.gulliver.nl/competition/#gullivercompetition
See you next year!
That was the last edition of Network & Drinks in 2024. The next edition will take place in early 2025. To not miss the announcement, make sure to subscribe to our community updates here.
Through events like Network & Drinks, NL Space Campus continues to support collaboration and growth within the Dutch space sector, bringing together students, start-ups, and organisations alike. From pitches to announcements, NL Space Campus is dedicated to creating an environment where talent and ambition find the resources to thrive in the space industry.
Are you excited to join the stage and present your own 3-minute pitch? You can fill out this form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
