Lees hieronder de ervaringen van studenten die je zijn voorgegaan:

Marketing & Communication stage – Alex Verkerk

Voor mijn opleiding 'Creative Marketing & Sales' heb ik vijf weken stage gelopen bij Tomatoworld, waar ik betrokken was bij vergaderingen, sociale media en het Global Tomato Congress. Ik verbeterde samen met collega's het klanttevredenheidsonderzoek door een nieuw formulier te ontwerpen en een feedbackruimte in te richten. Het was uitdagend om het formulier kort te houden, aangezien veel bezoekers weinig tijd hadden voor feedback, maar ik heb hier veel van geleerd. Ik vond het leuk om stage te lopen in mijn buurt, Westland, waar ik trots op ben en geniet van de unieke omgeving van telers en kassen. Mijn vriendelijke collega's en de prettige werksfeer bij Tomatoworld hebben mijn interesse in marketing en communicatie verder versterkt.

Tuinbouw & Agribusiness, teelttechniek & veredeling Stage - Renske Marck

Voor mijn opleiding Tuinbouw & Agribusiness, specialisatie Teelttechniek & Veredeling aan Hogeschool Inholland, vernieuwde ik de kinderrondleiding bij Tomatoworld. Na een kennismakingsgesprek mocht ik beginnen. De rondleiding voor basisschoolkinderen uit groep 6, 7 en 8 heb ik interactiever gemaakt met opdrachten en puzzels, zodat ze de diversiteit van de moderne tuinbouw konden ontdekken. Het was geweldig om nieuwe opdrachten te ontwerpen en rondleidingen te geven. Ik heb veel geleerd van het vertalen van complexe informatie naar begrijpelijke taal voor kinderen van tien tot twaalf jaar. De rondleiding werd enthousiast ontvangen door kinderen, leerkrachten en Tomatoworld zelf 😉

Stage lopen bij Tomatoworld was een waardevolle ervaring vanwege mijn passie voor tuinbouw, onderzoek en maatschappelijke doelen zoals educatie over gezonde voeding en duurzaamheid.

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.