Growing up in Iran, Sharifian’s original plan was to make a lot of money in the oil and gas industry. After a Bachelors in petroleum engineering in Teheran, she went to the Netherlands to study petroleum engineering MSc in Delft. Soon after, the oil crisis started.

Before wrapping up 2022, we met for our Impact Week 6, hosted in De Baak, in Driebergen. Our fellow Yari started this session by presenting his case to the other fellows.

Impact Week 5 took place at the International School of Philosophy. We began this week by zooming in on a nice, complicated case of one of the fellows that involves negotiating for IP with a foreign party.

On the 10th of October, we gathered at Vrije Universiteit. This time we had the opportunity to introduce projects and their progress to parliament member Hatte van der Woude, who recently filed a motion to continue Faculty of Impact funding.

On the 10th of October, we gathered at Vrije Universiteit. This time we had the opportunity to introduce projects and their progress to parliament member Hatte van der Woude, who recently filed a motion to continue Faculty of Impact funding.

Scientists who want to take an idea to the market do not always have the space to do so. The financial system doesn't seem set up for this and there is a lack of a joint approach. That must now change. 'Young researchers who want to start a company get stuck in a quagmire of decisions and unclear guidelines.'

Big news from The Hague: representative Hatte van der Woude filed a motion yesterday to continue the funding of Faculty of Impact. The motion was accepted by a clear majority, illustrating the broad support amongst the Representatives for this initiative.

After a summer break, we rolled up our sleeves again, this time at TU Delft Campus. On Monday, the 5th of September, fellows walked us through their projects, meaning their deal, technology, solutions, market opportunities, customer interviews, prioritization matrix, and milestone planning.

The first Impact Week is behind us, which means our fellows have 22 months left. (Oh yeah, the countdown has begun.)

Honorable, but also humbling to be part of a program that so many people have worked hard on to make it a reality.