Many tech companies are started at TU/e each year. TU/e helps these companies to get underway with support via The Gate and with participation via TU/e Participations. Former mayor Jorritsma will respectively become an advisor and president of the Supervisory Board.

“I am very much looking forward to this new role,” Jorritsma says, who will commence on July 1. “I have always viewed entrepreneurship at TU/e with great pride and pleasure. The university creates new innovations and start-ups non-stop, all of which have smart ideas for solving societal and industrial challenges. I think that it’s great to be able to contribute to that.”

Robert-Jan Smits, president of the TU/e Executive Board: “We are very pleased that John Jorritsma will take on this role. We know him as an enormously committed and driven board member with a great passion for entrepreneurship. The start-ups themselves will particularly benefit from his extensive network in the Brainport Eindhoven region.”

His appointment at TU/e will last for four years. He succeeds Ben Hiddinga in his role as president of the TU/e Participations Supervisory Board. Previous positions of Jorritsma included King’s/Queen’s Commissioner in Friesland and director of the Brabant Development Agency (Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij, BOM).