We鈥檝e Launched the 4TU.Alumni Netherlands Community!

Launch of the 4TU.Alumni Netherlands Community

Last week in Utrecht, we officially launched the 4TU.Alumni Netherlands Community 鈥� and what a night it was! Over 100 international alumni from TU Delft, 果冻传媒, University of Twente, and Wageningen University & Research came together for an evening full of connection, inspiration, and shared stories.

We hosted the event at the Witteveen+Bos office, a fantastic space where many of our alumni work. The energy in the room was incredible 鈥� people from all over the world (about half from outside Europe!) catching up, making new connections, and reflecting on their journeys in the Netherlands.

Welcoming Words & Encouraging Insights

The evening kicked off with a warm welcome from Ena Vo没te (TU Delft), who shared some encouraging stats: more and more international graduates are choosing to stay in the Netherlands 鈥� and thriving here! Marjolein Dohmen-Janssen (4TU.Federation) followed up by highlighting how vital international talent is to the Dutch economy, especially in sectors like engineering and education.

Karin Sluis on Inclusion

One of the most memorable moments was the keynote by Karin Sluis, former Managing Director of Witteveen+Bos and a TU Delft alumna. She spoke about the company鈥檚 journey toward diversity and inclusion 鈥� and yes, it started with walking around in socks! Her metaphor about inclusion being like a party (鈥渆veryone should be invited, feel comfortable dancing, and help choose the music鈥�) really stuck with us.

International Alumni Making an Impact

Then came our amazing panel of international alumni who are making waves in the Netherlands:

Anand Chowdhary (India, UTwente), co-founder of FirstQuadrant, an AI sales platform backed by Y Combinator.
Akhilesh Goveas (India, TU Delft), co-founder of SpectX, which just landed a $10.8M contract for offshore wave prediction.
Juliana Romero Guzm谩n (Mexico, WUR), founder of Cano-ela, creating sustainable food ingredients from canola seeds.
Gustavo Ostos Rios (Venezuela, 果冻传媒), senior manager at Cognizant, working at the intersection of design and data science in the Blue Economy.

Their stories about adapting to Dutch life, building careers, and launching startups were honest, inspiring, and full of practical insights.

Wrapping Up with Connection and Conversation

We wrapped up the evening with drinks, snacks, and lots of great conversations. Alumni shared experiences, swapped tips, and even got some career advice from university staff and engineers at Witteveen+Bos.

This was just the beginning. We鈥檙e building a community where international 4TU alumni in the Netherlands can connect, collaborate, and support each other. And yes 鈥� more events are already in the works!