At MEMSYS, we talk about innovation, collaboration and pushing the limits. None of that happens without the incredible minds and energy driving it all forward. So, we are doing a series of interviews and handing the mic to our team.
These interviews are a window into the people behind the projects – their passions, perspectives and what fuels them everyday at MEMSYS.
Get ready to meet the talent and see why teamwork makes the dreamwork !
Today, the floor is to Sander Kooiman, product manager at MEMSYS.
Hi Sander! Tell us a bit about your background
I grew up in Capelle aan den IJssel, where I had my school, friends, supermarket job, sports. I studied Mechanical Engineering at Delft University of Technology, which was during the pandemic. After my Bachelor’s, I took a year off to work and travel, later moved to Rotterdam. I pursued my master’s at the Precision and Microsystems Engineering Department, graduating in the summer of ’24. In September I joined MEMSYS full time as a Product Manager.
Studying during the pandemic… must have been tough?
To me, it helped to have other projects and hobbies. I 3D printed phone stands and sold them to friends & supermarket colleagues. I built a web shop and did orders for corporate Christmas gifts! Other things I enjoyed and still do today is sports and investing in cryptocurrencies.
What drew you towards Energy Harvesting?
I like to work on highly promising technology. Not the ‘invisible’ stuff, like electronics or software, but things that are physical, things I can see. I recall coming across the opportunity to do a graduation project at MEMSYS. What appealed to me was the concept of Energy Harvesting itself, working on promising technology, the opportunity to make a serious impact in the world, combined with the entrepreneurial spirit and freedom that is part of a startup.
What do you do at MEMSYS?
Currently I’m working on the development of the Energy Harvester. Particularly on the mechanical system together with the integration of piezoelectric material, making the system perform better while reducing its size.
I like the dynamics in my work: rapid developments, fast pace and number of milestones we achieve in short amount of time, the amount responsibility you get. One moment I’m building a product, the next I’m deep in R&D, and recently I’m focusing on building supplier relationships. I also like the fact that as the company evolves and grows, I’m also growing as a person!
Where do you see Energy Harvesting technology in the future?
I think there is a constant and increasing need for data. Sensors are a substantial source of this data, and they need to be powered. I think aside from I-IoT sensors, there’s many more applications for Energy Harvesting than we’re currently aware of. Take for example wearables: the number of bio/health-focused sensors worn on the body will only increase. We can’t just power that with chemical batteries, can we?!
