{"id":125768,"date":"2021-04-20T14:49:42","date_gmt":"2021-04-20T12:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=125768"},"modified":"2026-01-20T09:57:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T08:57:43","slug":"start-ups-and-scale-ups-to-get-their-own-offices-on-woudestein-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2021\/04\/20\/start-ups-and-scale-ups-to-get-their-own-offices-on-woudestein-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"Start-ups and scale-ups to get their own offices on Woudestein Campus"},"content":{"rendered":"

From late may on, new entrepreneurs can lease space and use meeting and conference rooms in the buildings N and Q on campus, which are currently being renovated. Erasmus University isn\u2019t lacking in ambition, with vistas and dreams that look to ventures like the famous campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. EUR wants to set up an \u2018ecosystem\u2019 of entrepreneurs, start-ups and academics on campus, similar to that developed by MIT.<\/p>\n

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The N-building, where the start-ups and scale-ups will be located (after a renovation).<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmber van Workum<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Ernst Hoestra \u2013 CEO of Erasmus Enterprise, veteran entrepreneur and former EUR Law student \u2013 occasionally ended up there on business trips: the MIT campus in Boston. \u201cA wonderful concept. Over the years, the community of start-ups and scale-ups that has formed around the university is almost a village in its own right. It\u2019s a great place for home-grown entrepreneurs to start developing their plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

We need something like that here too, is probably what former rector (and driving force behind Rotterdam\u2019s own initiative) Rutger Engels thought. Three years ago, this ambition led to the establishment of Erasmus Enterprise and, three months ago, to Ernst Hoestra joining the team \u2013 to keep everything on course. The launch of Erasmus Enterprise is part of the university\u2019s strategic vision. In its start-up phase, it will also be financed from the associated budget, but since it is a separate holding, its scope can extend a lot further than a publicly funded university.<\/p>\n

Bar, restaurant, sports centre<\/h2>

Indeed, Erasmus Enterprise\u2019s core task will be to give entrepreneurs access to knowledge, trainings and housing at Woudestein. Why is this all being concentrated on campus? \u201cIt\u2019s an attractive location for businesses in their start-up phase, with facilities like the sports centre, a bar, a restaurant, eateries and a pool of highly knowledgeable researchers.\u201d At the same time, it allows EUR to communicate to prospective students: if you want to set up a business after graduating, we can offer you the necessary facilities. While established firms are sent yet another message: you can find fresh talent at Erasmus University. And investors: this is where you can find new investment opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\t

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