News
United Brains Limburg: A gift to Limburg's business community
On 12 October, nine knowledge institutes will sign an agreement to
formally create United Brains Limburg during the Business Contact
Days. The partners will unite under one roof to provide business
owners in Limburg with much easier access to knowledge that will
enable them to further their businesses.
The partners united under the United Brains Limburg umbrella are
Arcus College, Leeuwenborgh Education, Hogeschool Zuyd, Maastricht
University, DSM R&D Solutions B.V., Maastricht Instruments, Chemelot,
Liof and Syntens. Together they will make their in-house knowledge
available to the business world. All entrepreneurs are free to
consult United Brains Limburg with any knowledge or innovation
questions they may have. The question will be discussed with the
entrepreneur and the partners will then decide on the best
institution to answer it.
Claudia van Oppen from the SME Portal Maastricht University, one of
the initiative leaders says: “The business world will actually be
receiving a kind of gift on 12 October. Entrepreneurs in small and
medium sized enterprises want to innovate to keep ahead. United
Brains Limburg will make this a lot easier. As the partners also
have a great deal of knowledge about subsidiary options and research
programmes which may be appropriate for what the entrepreneurs need,
the inquirer will often receive a lot more than what he or she
initially requested.”
Entrepreneurs are free to approach with virtually any question they
have that requires knowledge to answer. Questions may concern
product development, product testing, market research questions,
business plans, ICT issues, questions about chemistry, new
materials, medical technology, the environment and safety and so on.
United
Brains Limburg has been set up in imitation of United Brains
Eindhoven, an initiative they will also be cooperating with. For
further information, please see
http://www.unitedbrainslimburg.nl.
SME Portal Maastricht University central contact point for
Agentschap NL and researchers for project financing with knowledge
vouchers
From February 2010 onwards, the Minister of Economic Affairs
provided new knowledge vouchers to entrepreneurs. These vouchers
enable entrepreneurs to pose knowledge-related questions concerning
the improvement of products, services or processes to knowledge
institutions like Maastricht University. These questions could
relate to feasibility studies, market research, validation,
experimental tests, the optimization of processes, legal advice or
projects focused on social innovation. Entrepreneurs can finance
these research projects (partly) with knowledge vouchers. However,
for this financing to occur the research projects need to be in
accordance with the project requirements set by Agentschap NL.
The ministry of Economics Affairs decided that there has to be one
central contact point per knowledge institution for the knowledge
vouchers, since the implementation of the Digital Innovation Voucher
Application (DIVA) system in 2009. The Executive Board assigned the
SME Portal as the central contact point of Maastricht University for
the project-administration of the knowledge vouchers.
The SME Portal facilitates the transfer of knowledge between the
university and small and medium sized entrepreneurs in the (EU)region,
by means of (research)projects which are carried out by UM-employees
and –students. The SME Portal is active and successful in:
- Specifying the research questions of entrepreneurs
- Mediating the search for employees and/or students within the
university who are able to perform the research
- Ensuring the correct definition and execution of the projects
according to the requirements set by Agentschap NL
- Handling of project administration
- Submitting knowledge vouchers and treating financial matters
In case you as a Maastricht University researcher receive a direct
request from an entrepreneur to participate in a research project
which will be financed through a knowledge voucher please make use
of the available know-how and contact dr. Claudia van Oppen, manager
of the SME Portal:
e-mail:
MKBportal@maastrichtuniversity.nl
telephone: 06-46705577
The winning teams of the International
Marketing Management course
present their findings
In the second year course International Marketing Management,
students had to conduct a real-life marketing research. More
than 100 teams competed for a company visit and the presentation
of their research results. Three different companies defined a
research project they were currently confronted with and
students worked on one of the company projects. After 7 weeks of
hard work, the block coordinator together with the tutors
selected the 2 best teams per company/project. These teams were
invited for a presentation and company visit. All of students
were excited and looked forward to the company visit and the
feedback on their research results.
The SME Portal Maastricht University played an active role in
contacting the companies to participate in the IMM course.
Company 1: Edd’s Café // Friday January 15th 2010
Edd’s Café is Eat-café located in the city center of Maastricht.
Students were asked to investigate how people spend their free
time and to explore what factors influence their decision to
visit a café.
On Friday January 15th 2010, we walked in the afternoon to the
café. After a short welcome by the owner Fred Baltussen,
students were ready to share their findings with the management
team
Winning team 1: Brandt Timo, Hanrath Edo, Weibert Dimitri, Hiby
Linda
Winning team 2: Brebaum Marcella Anna, Schabram Sarah, Schröter
Lea, Tenik Merve, Weiss Nikolas
The owner of the Café was very very interested in the findings
of the students and impressed by their suggestions. The
highlight of the evening was the free, three-course menu!
 
Team 1 (Edo Hanrath missing)
Team 2 (Lea Schröter missing)
Company 2: Hoeksche chips // Monday January 18th 2010
Hoeksche chips is a company of three farmers in the Hoeksche
Waard (30 kilometres beneath Rotterdam in the Netherlands). In
2002, they decided to start with the manufacturing of chips
according to traditional methods and in 2004, they produced the
first chips. Students were asked to investigate what factors
influence consumer’s decision to buy premium chips.
On Monday January 18th 2010, we left in the early morning to the
farm of one of the owners of Hoeksche chips.
 
After a warm welcome, we got a tour on the farm and we started
by the workshop on how to make chips out of potatoes. We
selected our own potatoes, washed, sliced, fried and of course
ate them!
After experiencing the actual start of making chips (at the
exact same spot the three farmers started), we went to the ‘real
factory’ where we got a guided tour and saw how they make chips
in a very professional way.
After seeing all the chips (and trying them out), we had a
typical Dutch lunch before we started with the presentations of:
Winning team 1: Jeschke Florian, Kröschel Andrea, Niehusen
Frederik, Rutten Anke
Winning team 2: Burdach Andy, Wuttke Vinzent, Rauh Daniel,
Madden Paul, Jonge Mulock Houwer Eline
 
Team 1
Team 2
The three farmers, as well as the sales representatives of the
chips were very interested in the findings of the students and
asked several critical question. As a small gift, we of course
received several packages of chips, including those of the new
flavors they will introduce soon in the market.
Company 3: Aviko // Wednesday January 20th 2010
Aviko B.V. is a manufacturer of chilled & frozen French fries
and potato specialties for human consumption. It is the 2nd
largest potato processor in Europe, and the 4th one in the
world. Students were asked to investigate what factors influence
consumer’s decision to order specialty potato products (other
than French fries) when visiting a restaurant.
On Wednesday January 20th 2010, we were invited at the premises
of Aviko in the small village Steenderen. Although it is a real
existing village, you can almost say that it is Aviko-village.
Everywhere you look, you could see premises or factories of
Aviko. We were welcomed by Roel van Leusen and were offered a
lunch, with of course a potato specialty product to start with.
After the lunch, we were ready to present our findings to other
members of the marketing management team.
Winning team 1: De Boer Anne, Hesse Anne, Mittag Marcel,
Zimmermann Moritz
Winning team 2: Riedl Alexandra, Rehms Sarah, Strang Michael,
Poulssen Jesse
Aviko was impressed by the results of the students and
highlighted the high face validity of them. The highlight of our
day was a tour through the production hall. We saw how chilled
French fries and other potato specialties products get produced.
It was truly a very interesting experience.
We received a small surprise gift, full of Aviko products.
 
Team 1
Team 2
The cooperation with three real companies definitely helps in
bridging the gap between theory and practice. For the companies,
this cooperation will be truly helpful in making a decision on
current problems they face. For the students, working on a
real-life project adds a lot value when doing a marketing
research project.
As block coordinator, I was extremely proud on the performance
of the 6 teams! As a token of appreciation, they will receive a
certificate.
Els Breugelmans (Course coordinator)
Maastricht, February 1st, 2010
Advertising
If you want to create some awareness for your company among entrepreneurs and students, you can advertise at the website of the SME Portal with your company’s banner ad for only €
10,- per month. Not only entrepreneurs but also students and employees of Maastricht
University visit the website of the SME Portal. Moreover, the website of the SME Portal is linked to the website of several organizations such as Chamber of Commerce and SME Limburg etc.
The requirements for the banner ads are, 130 pixels * 60 pixels in jpg or gif format. If you do not have a banner ad yet, we can assist you in developing one.
Are you interested? Then fill in the contact form.
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