Text: Jasmijn van Holsteijn | Photos: Anja Robertus
Over 60 students and alumni from Business Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Business & Innovation gather in the NU Building on De Boelelaan. At the event held on Wednesday afternoon, 4 June 2025, professors, PhD candidates and alumni share their experiences with entrepreneurship.
Celebrating 35 years of Business Analytics
‘Today is a special day,’ says Margrethe Jonkman, President of the VU Executive Board, as she opens the event. ‘We celebrate 35 years of Business Analytics. VU Amsterdam is one of the founding fathers of the scientific domain.’ Professor Ger Koole, co-founder of CCmath and one of the first speakers, adds: ‘I guess I am the most senior person from the programme who has been involved since 1996.’ The audience laughs. ‘Back then, it was called Business Mathematics and Informatics. We were doing Business Analytics before the name even existed.’
From professors to entrepreneurs
The first three talks are given by VU professors who (co-)founded businesses. They explain their motivations, what contributes to success, and which challenges they are facing along the way. Each talk offers a different perspective: Professor Ger Koole brings AI and machine learning into the call centre industry, Professor Sandjai Bhulai (PersonalAIze) applies academic machine learning techniques to healthcare, and Professor Rene Bekker (TONOS Care) develops smart solutions for staff planning in long-term care settings. The common thread in all three talks is that it is not just about having an application; you also need people who understand the concept behind it.
Live demo
Before the break begins, it is time for an interactive quiz. ‘I made it to the top 20 per cent,’ says Lucien (29), a second-year master’s student in Business Analytics, during the break. What stood out to him so far? ‘Sandjai Bhulai’s live demo was really interesting and funny. The professor asked an AI agent that looked exactly like him questions, such as: ‘I want to make a joke about generative AI. Can you provide one?’
PhD journeys in entrepreneurship
The final two talks come from PhD candidates: Robin van Ruitenbeek from Pon-Lensor, a startup using AI for automated vehicle damage inspection, and Leon Lan, developer of PyVRP and PyJobShop, who recently founded RoutingLab. Both share their entrepreneurial journeys and the problems they encounter: ‘Today I am going to take you through my journey from research to suffering’, says Leon with a smile.
Their stories resonate with the students in the audience. Laura (24) and Roos (26), both first-year master’s students in Business Analytics, reflect: ‘I really liked hearing from Leon that what matters to him is that what he builds is practical and usable. That connects to what we hear in our studies: it is always uncertain whether a model will actually be adopted, because people often do not understand the mathematics behind it.’
Bridging research and industry
Melania (41), a VU alumna who completed both a master’s and PhD and now runs a business in Silicon Valley, is glad she made the trip: ‘I am not often in Europe, but when I saw this event, I thought: this really looks cool. So I extended my stay to attend. The sessions that bridge the gap between scientific models and real-world applications, which I was particularly excited about, clearly showed how academic research can lead to meaningful business impact.’
Her words capture the essence of the day: showcasing how scientific ideas can evolve into real-world solutions, and how academic research in Business Analytics and AI is making a difference beyond the university walls.
VU Amsterdam regularly organises alumni events for various studies and faculties. Stay informed through our alumni newsletter or our LinkedIn page VU Amsterdam Alumni.
