Coaching start-ups and helping the best ideas in Food & Agri flourish

Building a more sustainable food system

“The challenge of feeding everyone without overburdening the environment calls for a fundamental rethinking of how we view food and its production: a food transition. And I find all the alternatives incredibly interesting. That’s why I try, in my job and beyond, to help as many entrepreneurs as possible who have good ideas that contribute to that change. Through financing, by connecting them with useful producers, or by brainstorming alongside them.”

Sander was once one of those people with a good idea himself. He founded De Krekerij and for several years produced burgers, meatballs and shawarma made from crickets and grasshoppers. Until rising gas prices threw a wrench in the works, his nutritious and tasty products were sold at a major supermarket chain and even served by large caterers. “Insects have quite a few advantages. They offer high nutritional value and minimal greenhouse gas emissions. On top of that, they don’t require antibiotics to be farmed, and they use very few raw materials: the perfect source of protein in a new and more sustainable food system.”

Contributing to the food transition through innovation

The road to a more sustainable food system was always the real goal. So when the cricket adventure came to an end, a switch to Rabobank after a brief detour was a logical next step.

“I knew I wanted to do something with start-up and scale-up financing to contribute to the food transition. The vacancy for Start-up and Scale-up Banker in Food & Agri felt like a perfect fit but I did have doubts about whether someone with my entrepreneurial background would fit into such a corporate organization.” One conversation later, Sander was incredibly enthusiastic. “Rabobank’s vision for the food and agri sector and the way they look at start-ups really appealed to me. Providing capital at an earlier stage so innovation can actually happen – like with the Rabobank Innovation Loan – is incredibly important. That’s how you truly stimulate innovation and take meaningful steps forward.”

And stimulating innovation is exactly Sander’s role today with start-ups with strong ideas approaching Rabobank for funding. Sander prefers to get involved as early and broadly as possible, “money is ultimately just a means to an end.

We look at their plans: what do they want to do, where is the demand, and where can we help or not? Sometimes we give advice or insights, or refer them to another party who can take them further, for example if you’re dealing with entirely new products and have to comply with Novel Food regulations. The internal knowledge we have here is incredible. Want to know something about hooved animals? We’ve got a specialist who’s been thinking about that for years. But we also help with preparing documents for subsidy consultants. And sometimes we help by simply getting money into their account so they can start building on their great ideas.”

Sander’s desire to contribute to a more sustainable food chain innovation doesn’t come from nowhere. “We’re putting so much pressure on the environment in so many ways that it’s becoming nearly irreversibly damaged, while we actually have the technology and innovation to counter that. That’s why financing companies that contribute to solutions is so important. Our team specifically has the tools to make a real impact quickly through financing, helping innovation become better or faster.”

Mentoring start-ups at PlusUltra on the side

With such a love for innovation, it’s no surprise Sander feels right at home at Plus Ultra in Wageningen: a hub for start-ups and innovative businesses. This is also where you’ll find StartLife, a programme that Rabobank partners with. StartLife supports innovations that accelerate the transition to a more sustainable food system. For the past two years, Sander has been coming here at least one day a week, outside of his regular work, to coach start-ups. And he absolutely loves doing it.

“Freedom in my job means being able to approach projects in my own way. Because I can manage my own time, I also get the space to work on things that give me a huge energy boost, like mentoring start-ups. I also participated in the first StartLife programme with my own company, so I know how great and valuable it is to have more experienced people helping you. Asking tough questions, sparring… I just know how long and painful that early stage can be. So here too, I try to be as involved as possible. Like identifying real customer needs. And offering advice or connections that help them move forward. And yes, I do that in my free time too. Sometimes even during holidays,” he says, laughing. “Luckily I have a manager who keeps a close eye on that and regularly checks in to see if I’m still happy and following my passion.”

And is he? “I think I’d be deeply unhappy if I came home, sat down in a chair, and couldn’t do this. It just depends on how you look at it. Some people watch TV for two hours in the evening. I enjoy spending that time diving into another innovative idea.”