We (Erwin and Steven) were invited by the University of Twente to participate in the first edition of the European PANTHER program. The program consists of 5 sessions of 3 days each hosted at different universities in Europe. The program contains a well balanced mix of coaching and high quality lectures from professors and other experts on different topics. During the program we received a lot of tips and tricks from experienced entrepreneurs on topics related to our business.
Coinversable is a technology company based in Deventer, NL. We develop permissioned distributed ledger applications for education, government, energy and healthcare. During the PANTHER program we received valuable feedback on how to approach new markets and make the connection between new technology and existing business in just the right way. We learned a lot about resilience, ecosystems and scenario thinking which led to a better understanding of our environment. We also learned a lot from the other teams that participated and the different markets they operate in. The PANTHER program provided us with useful tools to improve and expand our business. We thank NIKOS for the opportunity they provided us to participate in the program. We highly recommend the PANTHER course for new entrepreneurs to make the most out of their business.
Team Coinversable
Met het BIOCON-team, bestaande uit drie postdoctorale onderzoekers van KU Leuven, namen wij in 2018 deel aan het 1e European Panther Programma van Flanders Business School. Tijdens vijf 3-daagse sessies slaagden we er met de ondersteuning van een groep internationale coaches in om het business idee omtrent onze innovatieve bioraffinage technologie uit te werken tot een concreet, realistisch en onderbouwd business plan. De verschillende locaties (Twente, Leuven, Berlijn, Eindhoven, Antwerpen) en de hieraan gelinkte bedrijfsbezoeken gaven ons een zeer gevarieerde en inspirerende kijk op de verschillende aspecten van ondernemerschap. We zijn er dan ook van overtuigd dat dit programma en het opgebouwde netwerk van ervaren coaches en ondernemers een grote meerwaarde is geweest en zal zijn in de verdere ontwikkeling van onze onderneming. Een absolute aanrader!
Team BIOCON
Whisper was invited by Space53 and the University of Twente to participate in the second edition of the PANTHER program. As engineers we did not have any significant previous business experience to speak of. This meant that the PANTHER program contained a wealth of information for us regarding business development, pitching, market research, market entry strategies, financial projections and much, much more. This is not to say that PANTHER is only suited for start-up companies with little or no existing knowledge. During the program we met many people, with a large variety in experience, age, goals and problems. The program truly was the right fit for us and the other participants in the program, irrespective of our backgrounds and goals.
Whisper BV is a company based in Enschede, NL. We specialize in aero acoustic solutions regarding Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). During the program we learned how to analyse existing markets, as well as projections of future market growth. We learned how to best define a market entry strategy based on this information, as well as perform competitor analyses and financial projections. We also learned how to then pitch this idea to potential investors. We developed a large variety of models and strategies to create a better understanding of our business and our position in the world of UAVs with respect to others. PANTHER also gave us the opportunity to discuss our ideas and challenges with many experts, which is an opportunity that you only very rarely get as a start-up company.
Of course, this is only a small sample of the many things we learned during the five sessions we attended. We thank Space53, NOVELT and the University of Twente for the opportunity that we were given. We also highly recommend the PANTHER program to anyone who is looking to create a start-up or develop a new business model or approach within an existing company.
Team Whisper
Jorge Ricardo Nova Blanco and Prof. Anne-Mieke Vandamme on behalf of the
KU Leuven Institute for the Future attended the second edition of the Panther program from October 2019 till April 2020. Over a period of seven months, we were inspired by business ecosystems (some of them educational related), business incubators, and well-established businesses in five different locations in Europe. Along the way, relevant guest speakers, lectures, workshops, and peer supporters provided useful insights and reflections to our model. Moreover, a dedicated team of mentors and coaches enriched the discussion and thinking process, allowing us to connect the dots and shape a strong value proposition.
Besides, we had the opportunity to expand and build a network that helped us to develop further synergies. For instance, COVID-19 allowed us to apply models developed at Flanders Business School with the expertise of members of the KU Leuven Institute for the Future.
We can summarize the Panther program as a transformative experience helping business ideas to transform into a sustainable business plan. In our case, our idea was transformed from an incubator to a content-driven organization with a solid concept.
We appreciate the time and effort of the core team and coaches and the well-developed program.
Team Institute for the Future