”Transforming academic knowledge into concrete socially relevant high-tech products requires a multidisciplinary approach. The VU offers a unique environment to excel in valorization.
Paul NederkoornDepartment of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dr. Mr. Paul Nederkoorn has been appointed by the Vrije Universiteit (VU) as an endowed professor for the chair ‘Valorization of Science and Technology’ within the Faculty of Science. The chair has been established by the Prof. Dr. W. Th. Nauta Foundation and is hosted by the department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
This is a new chair that responds to the growing importance of knowledge development and dissemination regarding the scientific, organizational, financial, and legal aspects of making scientific knowledge applicable. The technologies that emerge from scientific knowledge and the innovations created with it are central, with a focus on technology and innovation in the application areas of ‘life & health’ and ‘energy & sustainability.’ Paul Nederkoorn: “Transforming academic knowledge into concrete socially relevant high-tech products requires a multidisciplinary approach. The VU offers a unique environment to excel in valorization. I look forward to collaborating with students, researchers, and (former) colleagues, as well as with entrepreneurs, companies, and investors on all three core tasks of my Alma Mater.”
Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences
The chair is housed in the Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, where Paul Nederkoorn previously studied, earned his doctorate, and worked for several years as a lecturer-researcher. With the chair, the department continues the course set fifteen years ago, where the valorization of chemical knowledge is an integral part of the research and education portfolio. Department head prof. dr. Matthias Bickelhaupt is pleased with the chair and its holder: “With Paul Nederkoorn, we welcome a unique talent to our department who will accelerate the valorization of our groundbreaking research and chemical knowledge in general. Additionally, he will intensify our department’s collaboration with AIMMS and the physics department. Nederkoorn’s unique combination of skills and experience ensures that he can make a significant contribution to both research and education within the VU.”
Dr. Mr. Paul Nederkoorn
Breakthrough Tech Innovation & Science, Business & Innovation
The chair focuses on research within the Breakthrough Tech Innovation research group and education within the bachelor’s and master’s programs Science, Business & Innovation. The common thread in research and education within the Valorization of Science & Technology chair is deepening and passing on knowledge and insights about the often long-term commercialization processes associated with scientific knowledge valorization. Central to this is knowledge about R&D processes, demonstration projects, and scaling processes towards the market and society, and relating these aspects to each other.
Dr. Mr. Paul Nederkoorn graduated cum laude in both theoretical chemistry and pharmacochemistry and then earned his doctorate in chemical sciences at the VU. Additionally, he successfully completed a law degree at the VU. After working as a lecturer-researcher in the Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences for several years, he chose a career at the intersection of science and business and developed into a CEO, entrepreneur, investor, and funding specialist in the world of high-tech and science-driven start-ups, scale-ups, incubators, and innovation systems. To date, he remains involved in scientific activity, as evidenced by his co-ownership of five patent families, as a co-founder and director of UT International Ventures, and his involvement in spin-outs of MESA+ and MIRA at the University of Twente (UT). In recent years, he has initiated several collaboration projects between VU and UT. Paul Nederkoorn possesses a unique combination of skills, knowledge, and experience, enabling him to connect beta and innovation sciences, and to bring together scientists, students, and businesses. This also makes him a role model for entrepreneurial students, particularly students in Science, Business & Innovation.
