Read here about the experiences of students who have been through it before you

Marketing & Communication Internship – Alex Verkerk

For my Creative Marketing & Sales program, I completed a five-week internship at Tomatoworld, where I was involved in meetings, social media, and the Global Tomato Congress. I worked with colleagues to enhance the customer satisfaction survey by designing a new form and setting up a feedback space. It was challenging to keep the form brief, as many visitors had little time for feedback, but I learned a lot from the experience. I enjoyed interning in my local area, Westland, which I take pride in, and I appreciated the unique environment of growers and greenhouses. My friendly colleagues and the pleasant work atmosphere at Tomatoworld further strengthened my interest in marketing and communication.

Horticulture & Agribusiness, Cultivation Technology & Breeding Internship – Renske Marck

For my Horticulture & Agribusiness program, specializing in Cultivation Technology & Breeding at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, I revamped the children's tour at Tomatoworld. After an introductory meeting, I was able to start working on it. I made the tour for primary school children in grades 6, 7, and 8 more interactive with assignments and puzzles so they could explore the diversity of modern horticulture. It was wonderful to design new activities and give tours. I learned a lot from translating complex information into understandable language for children aged ten to twelve. The tour was enthusiastically received by the children, teachers, and Tomatoworld itself 😉

Interning at Tomatoworld was a valuable experience due to my passion for horticulture, research, and societal goals such as education on healthy eating and sustainability.

Project - Simone Vascotto

The project began with the idea of capitalizing on the data collected in the Tomatoworld (TW) greenhouse. Given the project's vast scope, extensive research was conducted to shape its direction, ultimately leading to an educational focus. I developed RISE, an educational platform aimed at teaching students the role of data in horticulture, how to analyze it, and how to put it into practice. This direction emerged from identifying inefficiencies between plant physiologists and data analysts within the industry.

The project was holistic and approached much like a startup. Initially, I defined the possibilities with the data and its usage. From there, I identified a specific market segment to further narrow down the project. This involved defining market possibilities and understanding the needs of potential users. Once these were established, I developed the resource itself and shaped the value proposition, focusing on the teaching method, the medium of the resource, and specific content. 

Decision-making was at the core of the project. From determining the target market to setting up ideal methods for diverging and converging, and identifying the necessary features for the prototype, each decision was made using design methodology as a tool. I spent considerable time planning and conducting research, which helped me understand user needs, market gaps, and competition. This guided the project's direction, ensuring it remained user-centric. It wasn't just about following design methodologies but choosing the right tools at the right moments. With this approach, I maximized the project's impact, always keeping the user in mind. This allowed me to create a product tailored to their needs and wants, making it viable for both B2B and B2C scenarios.

The project will continue beyond my initial work. I have developed a strong prototype, and the next steps involve working with Aart to develop an MVP. Thus, the project will progress outside university grounds and purposes. Additionally, I have been approached by Source, another IoT company in horticulture, offering me a job and the adaptation of the solution I built for TW. This further demonstrates that what I have built is not only innovative but also necessary, with demand in both the educational and private sectors.

The internship was great. I was given lots of space to carry out the project. I really appreciated this as in this was, I could shape it the way I wanted. I was quite proactive which helped move the project forward. Meetings with Aart were also great to brainstorm and define the next steps forward. I was able to also attend meetings with Aart and events which really made the overall experience great. Meeting other interns was amazing too as this created a nice environment to work together. (and improve my Dutch)🙂 

I had previously worked with Tomatoworld 1 year ago with a robotics project. I had already enjoyed my time and was open to working with the team again. And again, the team did not disappoint. Everyone was very open and willing to help. I had a great time and really appreciate Aart's approach of creating an environment where both TW and I would benefit from this collaboration. And indeed, this was the outcome.