First Student Base cohort wraps up; six months in, companies are lining up

In a January 2026 article introducing Student Base, Hilde, HTCE Director Ecosystem Management and creative force behind the project, said, “The future of our Campus stands or falls with our ability to attract and grow talent. Student Base will become the beating heart where education, industry and startups meet. In doing so, we not only strengthen the Campus ecosystem, but also help build the international competitiveness of Brainport.”

Campus hotspot

Student Base brings together educational partners – including the former Fontys Consultancy, now The Talent Factory – to give students a home base for collaborating with companies on Campus and in the Brainport region. The Talent Factory started out with space in the lobby of HTC 27, the main startup hub. Student Base evolved into a broader Campus initiative and therefore moved to The Strip to support its further growth and collaboration.

It’s a brilliant use of space. Student Base now has 1,000 square meters on the first floor next to Al Fresco, the lunch hotspot serving fresh pizza and pasta. There was some concern about the aroma of pizza wafting through the building, but that proved to be a short-term issue. “It takes just a while till you don’t smell it anymore,” says Marc Veldkamp, director of The Talent Factory. Instead, the location turned out to be a major asset, the perfect place for students to introduce themselves to the 300 people per day who come to lunch from Campus businesses.

Woertman encouraged the Student Base kids to interview diners during lunch hour. “He told us not to just learn about the ecosystem, but to be part of it,” said student Jody Geerings. “It’s the opportunity to sit together for customer acquisition.”

By the numbers

• 30 Fontys students worked at Student Base daily on projects with companies on and outside the campus.
• 100% retention of the companies using Student Base in the first semester
• 21 paid projects at €2,500 per project on the books for the coming year

“If you ask for money, clients will expect higher quality and students will feel pressed to deliver,” said Veldkamp. “It’s not a free ride. This is the proof of concept that companies are willing to pay for quality work.”

Project pitches

Out of that inspired outreach came several interesting projects for Student Base, which were showcased at its closing event.

Rick Beckers worked on a project to develop a go-to-market strategy for a company developing sustainable aviation fuel located in Chemelot, the chemical campus outside Maastricht.

Jody Geerings worked on a complex analysis of a company that constructed a 360-degree assessment with observations from employees within the company, management and their vision, and clients who saw the company from the outside.

Mo Berry and Jaden Reynoso worked on a marketing strategy for Student Base itself, developing marketing materials and designing a website. Student Base was a new concept and needed to market its student teams to clients willing to pay for them. Some of the client fees Student Base brings in will be used to build their own website. Pretty innovative.

Even with the new €2,500 fee, the initiative is now so popular that Student Base is having to say no to companies, Veldkamp said. “Sometimes, you have to dare to have money! What is proof of satisfaction is that 100 percent want to continue.”

To connect with teams at Student Base, contact:

• Bert-Jan Woertman: bertjanwoertman@gmail.com
• Hilde de Vocht: hilde.de.vocht@hightechcampus.com

For The Talent Factory, contact Marc Veldkamp: m.veldkamp@fontys.nl.