{"id":3800,"date":"2026-06-01T08:20:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T06:20:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/sign-up-for-doing-business-with-defense-strong-smart-and-together\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T10:35:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T08:35:53","slug":"sign-up-for-doing-business-with-defense-strong-smart-and-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/sign-up-for-doing-business-with-defense-strong-smart-and-together\/","title":{"rendered":"[FULL-BOOKED] Doing business with Defense: ‘Strong, smart and together’"},"content":{"rendered":"

FULL-BOOKED: The maximum number of participants has been reached.<\/b><\/p>\n

The event is fully booked. It is no longer possible to register. Would you like to stay informed and receive the retrospective? Then sign up for our newsletter below this page or send an email to info@keyregionleiden.nl o.v.v. Business with Defense. <\/p>\n

On June 18, VNO-NCW Rijnland<\/strong>, Key Region Leiden<\/strong> and Rabobank <\/strong>are jointly organizing the Defense Summit<\/strong>: Doing Business with Defense – Strong, Smart and Together<\/em>. Led by chairman of the day Alex de Vries<\/strong>, crisis advisor and former journalist, we will explore the opportunities created by the rapidly changing geopolitical situation and the growth of the defense budget. These developments offer entrepreneurs new opportunities to contribute to security, resilience and economic growth with innovative solutions (dualuse). <\/p>\n

Our region has a strong starting position here, where innovative strength meets the growing importance of the defense and security sector. During the meeting we will discuss how entrepreneurs can take advantage of these opportunities and how the cooperation between business<\/strong>, knowledge institutions<\/strong> and government<\/strong> can be further strengthened. <\/p>\n

You will gain insight into Defense’s strategic priorities, discover how to apply innovations, and meet relevant network partners from the region.<\/p>\n

Program<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
2:30 p.m.<\/td>\nWalk-in meets the innovation ecosystem<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15:00<\/td>\nOpening and welcome by Tino Meijn<\/b>, chairman VNO-NCW Rijnland
\nBrief explanation about Unmanned Valley by Theo de Vries<\/strong>, director<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3:10 p.m.<\/td>\nHugo Leyte<\/strong>, Head of ODIN (Orchestrating Defense Innovation), MinDef.
\nChristine Foekens<\/strong>, Program Manager National Defense Industry and Innovation Program, MinDef<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15.30 uur<\/td>\nSiete Hamminga<\/strong>, CEO Robin Radar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15.50 uur<\/td>\nRob Postma<\/strong>, CEO Airbus Netherlands<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4:10 p.m.<\/td>\nYorick Cramer<\/strong>, Rabobank industry and defense sector manager<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4:30 p.m.<\/td>\nOpportunity for questions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4:40 p.m.<\/td>\nBreak<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5 p.m.<\/td>\nBreak-out sessions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5:45 p.m.<\/td>\nBrief summary of breakout sessions by moderator<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6 p.m.<\/td>\nNetworking drinks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7 p.m.<\/td>\nEnd<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Notes on main program<\/h3>\n

Guest speakers: Hugo Leyte, Christine Foekens, Siete Hamminga, Rob Postma, Yorick Cramer.<\/p>\n

\"Doing Hugo Leyte, ODIN <\/strong><\/p>\n

Hugo will provide insight into how the Department of Defense is trying to strengthen collaboration with the market, thereby shortening innovation cycles now and in wartime. He himself was in the military for 8 years until an accident forced him to choose a different path. After several successes including setting up PROJAXION, which provides e-commerce solutions, he returned to Defense in 2019. Here he now leads the department that manages a public-private partnership in which at regional and national level Defense, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, ROMs, provinces and industry act together in the dual-use innovation domain. <\/p>\n

\"Doing Christine Foeke<\/strong><\/p>\n

Christine Foekens is program manager of the new National Defense Industry and Innovation Program. She will explain the operation and design of this program. She has worked at the Ministry of Defense for three years at the Policy Directorate of Industry and Innovation. Before that, she worked for the Province of South Holland for 8.5 years as team manager of Knowledge and Innovation Policy. <\/p>\n

\"Doing Siete Hamminga<\/strong><\/p>\n

Siete Hamminga is the CEO and founder of Robin Radar Systems, a technology leader in radars for small, short-range objects such as birds and drones. He received his Master of Science from the University of Twente and completed his studies in Silicon Valley. He then founded several high-tech companies, before corporatizing TNO’s radar technology into the commercial company Robin Radar in 2010.Under his leadership, Robin Radar’s focus shifted from preventing bird collisions at airports such as Schiphol Airport to protecting against drones within defense and security. A winner of several prestigious entrepreneurial awards, he won the Martin Schr\u00f6der Entrepreneur Award on behalf of the Netherlands Air and Space Fund, Hamminga has grown the company to more than 250 employees and revenues of more than \u20ac100 million.Driven by the changing landscape of defense and security, he recently completed the Leadership in National Security (LNV) course. He is the author ofBeyond the Hype<\/em>, a board member at the NIVD and a member of the Strategic Advisory Board of TNO Industry. <\/p>\n

\"Doing Rob Postma<\/b><\/p>\n

Rob Postma is Managing Director of Airbus Netherlands BV, the largest aerospace company in the Netherlands. He leads the Leiden-based company with about 265 engineers in Leiden, Oegstgeest and Eindhoven. Airbus Netherlands develops solar panels, launch structures and technology for earth observation and optical communications, among other things, and is also active in sustainable aviation, safety, cybersecurity and helicopters. <\/p>\n

\n

Postma has worked within Airbus since 2007 and held several international positions, including VP Head of Governmental Export Business for Space Systems, with responsibility for global satellite sales.<\/p>\n

In addition to his work, he is involved in Holland High Tech’s Roadmap Space and a member of several (strategic) advisory boards within the Dutch aerospace sector.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Doing Yorick Kramer<\/strong><\/p>\n

Due to geopolitical tensions, the urgency to make Europe more resilient is growing. This leads to a strong increase in defense spending, also in the Netherlands. This creates new opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs in industry. More and more companies are directly or indirectly involved in this development. What does this mean for your company? In my role as Sector Manager Industry & Defense at Rabobank, I share my knowledge and network with both clients and colleagues and share responsibility for Rabobank’s policy towards the defense industry. On behalf of Rabobank, I am active within Defport and the Expert Committee Defense of VNO-NCW. I also fulfil the role of chairman of the NVB Defense Working Group. During the session, I will take participants through my vision of the defense industry and discuss recent developments within Rabobank in this area. Topics covered: <\/p>\n