Meet our speakers and mentors

Farshida Zafar

Director

Farshida, with a background in public sector change management and higher education innovation, leads the ECE team on the firm belief that anyone can be an entrepreneur.

Annique de Greef

Operational Director

Annique, as Operational Director, empowers entrepreneurs to drive positive community impact, ensuring smooth program execution and an inspiring work environment.

Leonardo Fuligni

Deputy Director

Leonardo is dedicated to empowering all through entrepreneurial research and education, aiming to make Europe a top scaleup ecosystem by leading cross-border initiatives.

Katty Hsu

Inclusive Entrepreneurship Lead

Katty believes in shaping a better future by applying research to practice for all. She tackles society's challenges, from inequality to climate change, by fostering communities.

Jip Dresia

Education & Partnerships Lead

Jip is driven to empower people globally by building entrepreneurial skills. She spearheads collaborations and educational initiatives to tackle key challenges.

Ata Engin

Project Coordinator

Ata is a futures thinker focused on innovation. He empowers people through entrepreneurial capacity and global partnerships, aiming to drive creativity and impactful change.

Kat Moy

Brand Design Manager

Kat advocates for the creative side of entrepreneurship. She centres creativity on designing solutions for brands, focusing on inclusivity and fostering connections.

Lorenzo Rando

Project Manager

Lorenzo, an entrepreneurship enthusiast, drives startup success by delivering impactful, innovative education and inspiring teams, with a focus on the creative industry.

Pauline de Bruyne

Junior Researcher

Pauline is a researcher focused on scaling and entrepreneurial growth. She aims to make research accessible, empowering individuals, companies, and communities to thrive.

Garance Vanonckelen

Graphic Designer

Garance is a versatile graphic designer specialising in motion design. Known for her dynamic approach and spirit, she brings creativity, innovation, and excellence to every project.

dr. Ting Mu

Researcher

Ting, Ph.D. in Management, specialises in entrepreneurship and innovation. Her research on ambidexterity and SMEs is widely published. She combines data skills with practical solutions.

Karina Zavidova

Digital Marketing Specialist

Karina orchestrates campaigns and optimises workflows to keep ECE's network and new audiences updated. She blends data-driven methods to highlight entrepreneurial narratives.

Loes Gast

Project Manager

Loes is passionate about entrepreneurship education, focusing on connecting it to the UN's SDG's. She creates impactful learning experiences that inspire sustainable ventures.

Ferdinand Jaspers

Programme Director | Adjunct Professor in Entrepreneurship

Ferdinand is an Adjunct Professor at RSM, specialising in innovation leadership, teaching courses on corporate entrepreneurship, innovation, and entrepreneurial culture.

Tran "T" Nguyen Tung

Research Intern

T is passionate about numbers and data, finding joy in spreadsheets and turning stats into actionable insights for growing companies.

Kovas Kastanauskas

Project Manager Assistant

Kovas, a startup owner and 2nd-year student at EUR, seeks insights into Dutch startups and drives ECE initiatives by scaling impactful, education-focused projects.

Noah Kuschmann

Entrepreneurial Learning Intern

Noah is a 3rd-year International Business student and is gaining hands-on experience in entrepreneurial education, aiming to expand ECE's programmes using his sales skills.

Anjuli Zimmermann

Digital Marketing Intern

Anjuli is a social media enthusiast, passionate about growing online presence, crafting engaging content, and driving community engagement across platforms.

Ernst Visser

Advisory Board Member

Ernst is a versatile executive with CFO experience in companies of varying sizes and shareholder structures, skilled in restructuring and scaling, he balances intuition with data

Pleun Opperman

Advisory Board Member

Pleun leads Parakar Group, an employment services firm for global expansion. As a young leader, she is ambitious about the future of work and the cultural shift in leadership worldwide.

Richard Wagenmakers

Advisory Board Member

Richard is an independent strategy consultant and PhD researcher at RSM with over 20 years of experience in digital transformation, strategy, and innovation.

Gernot Schwendtner

Advisory Board Member

With 450+ expansion projects, Gernot is an expert in international expansion and scaling—CEO, founder, and trusted scaleup advisor in Europe, the USA, Asia, and LATAM.