Bob, you have been working for MindLabs one day a week since 2023. What exactly do you do as a business developer of the ecosystem?

An ecosystem only functions if the different parties within the network work together. A business developer looks at what needs there are from the business partners and uses this to look for connections with other parties in the network. So, I look for topics that affect as many parties as possible. For example, for the past year, we have been inundated with generative AI tools, which have recently or have been noticeable for a long time in both education and business. As a business developer, I seek opportunities to bring these different industries together. To share knowledge and innovate together.

How did you end up in this role?

I've done all kinds of things in the past. The Red Thread? That is innovation. I was responsible for innovation at a financial services provider. Later, I coached start-ups. During that period, I noticed: it is a lot of fun and rewarding work to give advice to starting companies, but as soon as they walk out the door they start working on the fascinating work. And so, I decided to start a company in brand positioning, among other things, together with a partner. At one point, we were approached to create the MindLabs brand. Since that moment, we have always remained in contact with the ecosystem and occasionally stepped in for some jobs when there was insufficient capacity. Since 2023, we have made our collaboration more structural, and I have taken on the role of business developer. Since last year, I have officially been part of the core team.

What drives you in this work?

I like to mean something to my city. That what you do makes an impact on your environment. I used to have less ambition; mean something for your city. That kind of thing grows as you get older, I think. Tilburg has a strong social character. If we can connect that with the technological progress we have available, we can innovate with impact here. The fact that it also helps our region to take a step into the future is a nice by-product of this. Through my work for MindLabs, I can contribute to society.

In a broader sense, I also find this work incredibly interesting in terms of content. I like change, and the association is very dynamic. Technological innovation has a visible impact on our lives. You have to do your best to keep up. In addition, you have different blood groups within the association because the business community works together here with knowledge institutions and the government. This work is intellectually challenging and calls on your creativity and entrepreneurial qualities. I have to use my problem-solving skills again and again. But if you achieve success, the impact is enormous.

Your colleague Nathan Volkers and you are both connected to the ecosystem as business developers. What is your division of roles?

Broadly speaking, we do the same work, but if you zoom in further, you can see differences. Nathan has many conversations with potential partners. I mainly maintain contact with the group that is already present in our network. Nathan also focuses more on setting up projects between parties. In 2024, I will also specifically focus on disseminating the knowledge developed within our network.

You are in a field where the seemingly impossible sometimes turns out to be possible. Does the idea of 'the sky is the limit' ever become paralyzing?

I think that everyone within MindLabs can work very well in a context in which nothing is fixed, everything is possible, but circumstances are also constantly changing. Our association itself is, of course, always moving along. Our mission has thus been broadened. We are still working on improving human and machine interaction, but also on preconditions (ethical, legal, and social aspects) and knowledge sharing about social embedding. We are used to switching gears. And each of us has some kind of entrepreneurship within us, and some flexibility. It doesn't work without it.

Does the fact that MindLabs is an association influence your work?

The different dynamics within the association make my work truly unique. I put a lot of resources and time into the preliminary stages of projects. But the ultimate collaborations take place between specific partner parties. By then I had long outsourced a project. Unlike in the business world, at MindLabs, you are not the captain of a ship, but the glue between parties. That also means that I have to be patient more often. You first have to find common relevance. And then rely on the efforts of the partners. That is an entirely different approach to business than when you are an entrepreneur.

You are now experiencing the exciting world of AI quite intensively. Are other fields still popular?

In my view, 'the world of AI' does not really exist. You have the world, and AI influences it. It will be present in all places in society. So it also comes back in other fields. It is up to each of us to keep up in that area. I really think that if you don't stay informed in this regard, at some point, you will lose your value from a business perspective. In every field.