New hub for entrepreneurial students from Campus The Hague
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New hub for entrepreneurial students from Campus The Hague

This Thursday saw the launch of PLNT The Hague, an entrepreneurial hub where Campus The Hague students can learn all about entrepreneurship. They will have the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills, build a network and begin an innovative startup.

Bastiaan de Roo (Director of PLNT Leiden) and Bart Hoenen (Project Leader of PLNT The Hague) are the proud founders of PLNT The Hague. ‘We had to start from zero. What works? What do people need? And how do you get students on board? Fortunately, we were able to draw on the programme of PLNT Leiden, which has been inspiring and mentoring students in entrepreneurship since 2016. Some changes did need to be made: Leiden has a strong Life Sciences profile whereas GovTech is more prominent in The Hague. But the basic programme in which an idea is converted into a business case remains the same.’

‘Students see entrepreneurship and innovation as a way to change the world.’

Lots of interest from students

PLNT The Hague' currently focuses on students from Campus The Hague but hopes in future to work with other institutions such as The Hague University of Applied Sciences, ROC Mondriaan or the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. It already works with parties like Yes!Delft, Impact City, The Unknown Group, WorldStartup and The Hague Tech.

There is a lot of interest in the entrepreneurial hub on Campus The Hague. The board of the PLNT Students The Hague study association already comprises of six talented students, and other students want to get involved in PLNT The Hague. ‘Students see entrepreneurship and innovation as a way to change the world. Regardless of whether they actually become an entrepreneur or not, PLNT The Hague gives them the opportunity to develop and explore their ambitions.’

Future plans

Although many parties in The Hague are busy with startups, they do not have direct access to the entrepreneurial talent on Campus The Hague. This gives PLNT The Hague a unique role in the city. ‘We’ve never had such a warm reception as in The Hague and it’s because we have access to entrepreneurial talent.’ The launch means phase 1 of PLNT The Hague – identifying and supporting talented students and academics on Campus The Hague – is off to a good start. The next phase is about collaborating with partners in The Hague and forging links with the city. PLNT and its partners will also look at how the hub can reflect the agenda and challenges of the city of The Hague.

Text: Sabine Waasdorp
Photo: PLNT The Hague