Robin (2009) represents the entrepreneurial spirit of Maastricht University and hence is regarded as the gem that drives the ambitions of the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship. Although young in age, Robin is knowledgeable on each of the four pillars of entrepreneurship (Inspire, Educate, Create and Grow). Robin is our iconoclast, attacking the misguided belief that entrepreneurship is only for a happy few. Robin helps nascent and established entrepreneurs find their way to MC4E. The name Robin stands for fame and courage. Robin wishes fame and adventure to all entrepreneurial spirits studying at or graduated from Maastricht University. Robin can be characterized as an individual who always finds a way to stand before the troops. Like a chameleon, Robin knows exactly how to match in colour and pose with each pillar of entrepreneurship.  Robin can also be witty at times. Who knows what that will lead to. Do you want to share your thoughts with Robin? You can send suggestions or fanmail to Robin or via facebook! 

Jan Cobbenhagen (1963) is Robert Noortman Professor in "The Art of Entrepreneurship" at Maastricht University and director of the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship. Jan is also CEO of Maastricht University Holding B.V. (corporate venture firm of Maastricht University) and managing partner of Smart Capital Network (venture capital firm). Some additional functions are chairman of the Supervisory Board of Balansmeter BV and member of Supervisory board of MAASTRO Clinic. Previously he was Programme Leader Innovation Management & Innovation Policy at the research institute MERIT (Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology), Managing director of BioPartner Center Maastricht, Associate Professor at the Université de Liège (Belgium) and visiting professor at the Carlos III University Madrid (Spain). Jan holds a Bachelor degree in Hotel Management, Master degrees in Business Administration and Quantitative Economics and a PhD in Business Administration.

You can contact Jan by email j.cobbenhagen@maastrichtuniversity.nl or 043-3885827.

Wynand Bodewes (1966) joined the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship in January 2009. Wynand holds a Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master degree in Business Administration (both obtained in Groningen) and received his PhD in General Management from the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. From 1998 until 2009 he was an assistant professor at RSM . He co-founded the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship and developed and coordinated its internationally acclaimed MSc BA programme in high-impact venturing. Wynand has very extensive experience in teaching a range of issues that relate to new business venturing, yet, his intellectual passions are growth, scalability and business modelling. At the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship, Wynand’s main responsibility is directing the “educate” initiatives of the MC4E. His duties also entail the “grow” initiatives aimed at helping ambitious entrepreneurs to shoot for the moon. Wynand coaches several entrepreneurs and speaks regularly about innovative entrepreneurship at seminars and workshops (e.g. for ABN AMRO Private Banking, Provincie Limburg, Deloitte, ING, Athlon Carlease, Gemeente Maastricht, and Emergis). He acts as an academic advisor to PeakValue, a Rotterdam based investment company and growth catalist.

You can contact Wynand by email w.bodewes@maastrichtuniversity.nl or by phone at +316-41362124

Veroniek Collewaert joined the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship in September 2009. She holds a PhD in Applied Economics from Ghent University (Belgium). During her PhD, she also spent one year at the Stanford Graduate School of Business as a Visiting Researcher. Her research focuses on the relationship between angel investors and entrepreneurs from a team perspective. At the 2009 Academy of Management Meeting, she received the William H. Newman Award for her dissertation "Conflict between angel investors and entrepreneurs:Perception, reality and impact on innovation". The Academy of Management awards the prestigious William H. Newman Award to outstanding and recent dissertations.

You can contact Veroniek by email v.collewaert@maastrichtuniversity.nl or 043–3884623. 

Gert Poppe (1964) joined the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship in juli 2009. He studied Physics at the University of Antwerp and received his PhD from Twente University. After having worked for DSM Research for a number of years he became active as a consultant and (team)coach  in creativity and innovation. Gert has extensive experience in helping companies and individuals to grow their creative and entrepreneurial skills. He is particularly interested in the interface between universities (and other knowledge institutes) and business, and in what both parties could do together to boost innovation. At the MC4E he will be teaching, but also develop all kinds of initiatives within the other areas of the Centre : “Inspire”, “Create” and “Grow”.Next to his work for the MC4E Gert has his own company, CuinQ Consulting, and he gives workshops on the relation between entrepreneurship,
business and jazz-music. He also wrote a book (in Dutch) on that topic : “De Improviserende Organisatie”.

You can contact Gert by email g.poppe@maastrichtuniversity.nl or 06-53619984.

 Jan Lamkin is a locally based entrepreneur and informal investor who acts globally. Jan is affiliated with the MC4E to teach classes together with the other faculty and to mentor and inspire enterprising students and alumni. Jan is a prototypical self-made entrepreneur who enjoys to interact with young, eager and energetic individuals who will become future entrepreneurial leaders.

You can contact Jan by email: j.lamkin@mc4e.nl
 


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René van Hees (1959) has been active at the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship since March 2008 and combines this position with his own small-scale B&B hotel in Maastricht. René is a master’s graduate from Nijmegen University (Political science) and from 1988-2000 he was director/owner of a management consultancy firm. In this period he occupied himself, besides general management duties, with issues on strategy and structure in (and between) organizations, quality management, HRM and projects aimed at boosting infrastructures for starting entrepreneurs. From 2001-2008 René was a teacher of Small Business at Hogeschool Inholland. At Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship he is now programme developer and project manager.

You can contact René by email r.vanhees@maastrichtuniversity.nl or 043–3883769

Several faculty members at Maastricht University participate in the activities of the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship and/or conduct scholarly research that is directly instrumental to our teaching.

• Dr. Yannick Bammens
• Prof.dr. Martin Carree
• Dr. Anita van Gils
• Prof.dr. Paul Iske
• Prof.dr. Anselm Kamperman Sanders
• Dr. Piet Pauwels

Chantal Dortants-van Wissem (1974) fills the position of secretary at the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship and the University Maastricht Business School since 15 October 2008. Chantal not only provides general assistance to the management, but she also performs the overall secretarial and administrative tasks and supports the team members when and where necessary. Previously, Chantal fulfilled various support staff positions at the Limburg Department of Waterways. Chantal is devoted to using her knowledge and enthusiasm in a pleasant manner for the benefit of the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship.

You can contact Chantal by email c.dortants@maastrichtuniversity.nl or 043-3883980.

Hanneke Wiermans (1976) completed the study “Business Economics & Management Control” at the University of Nijmegen. Within the Maastricht Centre of Entrepreneurship and the Universiteit Maastricht Business School, Hanneke takes care of all the administration and financials and also the procedures and support that is needed for the staff. She takes care of the daily administrative and staff procedures and supports the management of MC4E with all the financial details needed and financial reports. Before starting this job at the University of Maastricht in 2006, Hanneke worked in a commercial environment within an employment agency. With her knowledge and view of seeing solutions instead of problems, she enforces the Maastricht Centre of Entrepreneurship from within the office.

You can contact Hanneke by email j.wiermans@maastrichtuniversity.nl or 043–3884622.

Wilken Bruns (1984) joined the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship team in March 2009. He obtained his BA in European Studies and began his MSc in International Economic Studies (specialising in Behavioural Economics) at Maastricht University in September 2008. During his undergraduate studies he was vice president of the study association Concordantia, and as such he worked on several projects including the organisation of the university’s first European Career Days in 2007. He interned at societal research consultancy Trendbüro in Hamburg in 2007, and worked as marketing manager for the newly established student service company Jules & You until March 2009. He is now in the process of opening his own company.

You can contact Wilken by email student-assistent1@maastrichtuniversity.nl.

Corinne Aquarius (1967) is an alumna of Maastricht University (Health Sciences, 1992).
She is a freelance journalist and writer and she supports the MC4E team in the external communication. 

You can contact Corinne by email info@ct-communicatie.nl

Several talented professionals have helped the Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship to start-up and grow. We honour them as our alumni.

• Bram van Beek
• Michael Güllich
• Ingeborg van der Molen
• Mark Nitschke
• Clara Remijnse