🚀 Meet the DLAB team: Marike and Celinha

For those who already know us: indeed, we’re not new. We started at VU StartHub in March 2022, when it hadn’t even been built yet. At the time, we were self-employed and working on other assignments outside the VU. A year later, we were asked to help with the events and community at DLAB, and a few months later, the VU Dream Teams followed. It is only since the beginning of this year that we have been permanently employed by the VU.

It’s wonderful to see students land in the - or even move through the entire - entrepreneurial funnel. Through the Dream Teams, we help prepare students for global citizenship by supporting them in developing entrepreneurial skills. Through DLAB we support students and researchers in becoming academic entrepreneurs. And at the VU StartHub, we provide space for startups that no longer need DLAB’s support, but still want to stay connected to campus and the VU network.

Did you meet here at the VU?

No, we met while working together as MarCom & Community Managers for WTC Amsterdam. We both have a background in Marketing & Communication, as well as plenty of experience in community management, events, and even coaching. People sometimes joke that we’re practically married. We’re very in sync, complement each other well, and bring out the best in one another (except when it comes to eating a lot of chocolate). When we were offered permanent contracts earlier this year, we even negotiated them together.

What’s the most fun part of your job?

Our DLAB & StartHub team! We share the same energy and entrepreneurial spirit, and we love a good party. We give a lot in our work, but it's very rewarding and we’re very aware that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. That’s also something we try to communicate and foster within our entrepreneurial community: you can work, work, work and have all the skills, but if you’re not out there talking to people, you miss out on a lot of opportunity, validation, and especially fun.

Another thing we really enjoy is that we get to make a lot of noise on campus. We need to, because DLAB is well hidden in the W&N building, and what we need is for students and researchers to find us, feel welcome, and see that, just like them, we are very active: we learn by doing!

We’re also really proud of the entrepreneurial community we’re helping to shape and happy that we get to support them every day. They’re up to some really cool stuff! Follow us on LinkedIn to see for yourself:

Linkedin Demonstrator Lab

Linkedin VU StartHub

One last thing?

Well, it was to be expected that we would use this opportunity to promote something. So please allow us to invite you to the next entrepreneurship party: our annual DLAB Summer Pitch Event on May 7: Sign up here. It will be fun!!

We are looking forward to it very much and we would love to see you there (Theatre 1 at 4:00 PM) to support these brave VU startups and join us for a drink afterwards at 5:30 PM, on the VU StartHub terrace. We promise you real energy and fun!

And don't forget to invite us to your events and parties. You know where to find us 🙂

(preferably somewhere on a unicorn)