Jan Willem Dik, Author at Verhaert Masters in Innovation

European Green Deal: The shift from compliance to market advantage

Jan Willem Dik — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:35:26 +0000

Since the European Green Deal (EGD) launched in 2020, the conversation has shifted from theoretical planning to real-world execution. After six years observing how these policies settle into supply chains and business models, the data is clear: the EGD is no longer just environmental targets; it is the most significant coordinated market shift in decades. While the initial announcement met with pushback and skepticism, the companies pulling ahead treat these regulations as a forced evolution of their core strategy. At BEACON, our project managers see this daily on-site with customers. They aren’t just seeing ‘compliance’; they see a fundamental rewrite of how products are engineered and sold.

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The 2050 reality: Why your strategy needs a hard reset

The primary objective remains making the EU the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. For the private sector, this means the old ‘take-make-waste’ cycle is becoming prohibitively expensive.

When our teams are on the factory floor, the shift is visible in three specific areas:

Restricted market entry: Meeting sustainability standards is now a ‘license to operate.’ Without documented circularity, products simply won’t reach European shelves.
Capital realignment: Investment is flowing toward assets that can prove a net-zero contribution, largely driven by the EU taxonomy.
The cost of inaction: Carbon-intensive models are being phased out by rising costs and stricter oversight.

From regulatory burden to engineering edge

New directives like CSRD and the Digital Product Passport (DPP) often look like an overwhelming collection of technical acronyms. However, BEACON’s experience in the field shows these are actually the design requirements for the next generation of products:

Digital Product Passport (DPP): We help clients build digital tracking for material composition and recyclability from day one.
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR): This regulation requires a move toward repairability and durability, values that our project managers find are increasingly demanded by end users.
Supply Chain Transparency (Scope 3): Most emissions are hidden upstream. We work with suppliers to find low-carbon alternatives, turning a reporting requirement into a sourcing advantage.

Did you know?

Practical circularity in action: Litterbits

We don’t just advise on policy; we build the hardware and software that makes it work. For example, our project managers co-developed Litterbits, a digital return system that cut circularity costs by 50%.

By using serialized codes instead of expensive reverse vending machines, we proved that meeting the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) can be a profit driver rather than a cost center.

Learn more about Litterbits

Turning mandates into action: Sector applications

Our project managers have documented how these transitions move from ‘problems’ to ‘assets’ in two specific sectors:

The packaging evolution

Under PPWR, an FMCG producer had to update packaging that had remained stagnant for years. By treating this as a design challenge, they moved to materials that met recyclability standards while simultaneously extending shelf-life and sharpening brand perception.

The right to repair in industry

For a machinery manufacturer, opening maintenance software to third parties (driven by ESPR) initially looked like a revenue threat. Our teams helped them pivot toward a service-based model where modular design and extended part availability built a more resilient, long-term relationship with their clients.

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Driving innovation success with requirements ownership

Jan Willem Dik — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 13:39:27 +0000

As products become more layered – blending hardware, software, connectivity and intelligence – unclear requirements can create costly risks. Misaligned priorities, scattered ownership and overlooked details ripple through development, affecting performance, budget and time-to-market.

This expert session is designed for product owners, innovation managers, R&D leaders and founders looking to bring clarity, alignment and control to their development process. Over the years, we’ve helped organizations accelerate innovation by structuring requirements ownership and bridging the gap between strategy, design and engineering.

During the ‘Driving innovation success with requirements ownership and engineering excellence’ webinar on December 9th, BEACON and Verhaert shared how on-site project managers and engineering specialists work together to translate complex customer needs into scalable, market-ready products. Their insights show how strong requirements ownership keeps teams aligned, reduces risk and supports faster, more confident decision-making.

Access the recording and session summary below to learn how you can bring this approach into your own innovation projects.

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Meet BEACON | Verhaert Nederland: Your innovation factory in the Netherlands

Jan Willem Dik — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:55:42 +0000

Verhaert has been driving innovation in the Netherlands for many years – collaborating directly with Dutch organizations and through its daughter company BEACON. BEACON has built a strong reputation in on-site project management for complex innovation initiatives, serving clients such as FrieslandCampina, Gazelle, DORC, and more. As a leading European innovation service provider, Verhaert brings complementary engineering expertise from Belgium, trusted by organizations like Bosch, TKE and ESA. Together, as BEACON | Verhaert Nederland, we turn complex ideas into tangible, market-ready products: locally anchored and globally experienced.

Complex innovation needs a local anchor

In today’s challenging innovation landscape, turning ideas into market-ready products is more complex than ever. More demanding requirements, multiple stakeholders, regulatory pressures and emerging technologies can easily slow progress. To meet the growing complexity of innovation, Verhaert and BEACON have joined forces under the new identity of BEACON | Verhaert Nederland. With a strong local presence and deep connection to the Dutch innovation ecosystem, Verhaert Nederland combines BEACON’s disciplined project management with world-class engineering and product design, creating a fully integrated innovation factory in the Netherlands.

Synergy that makes innovation work

The strength of BEACON | Verhaert Nederland lies in synergy: BEACON’s project managers guide the organization of innovation projects, including defining and prioritizing product requirements, while Verhaert’s engineers translate these requirements into functional, market-ready products. This structured, flexible approach ensures that every step – from strategy and technology development to design, production and launch – is aligned with each client’s unique challenges.

“With BEACON joining forces under the name Verhaert Nederland, we’re building on years of expertise in guiding complex innovation initiatives,” says Jan Willem Dik, Managing Director at BEACON | Verhaert Nederland. “Our strength lies in combining structured project leadership with Verhaert’s decades of experience in product design and engineering. This synergy enables us to help organizations turn ambitious ideas into successful physical products – delivered on time, on budget and ready to meet market needs. By working together, we give our clients the clarity and confidence to bring their boldest innovations to life.”

Driving innovation in the Dutch start-up ecosystem

Deeply embedded in the Dutch deep-tech start-up ecosystem, Verhaert actively supports emerging innovators. Through initiatives like the imec.istart fund – a partnership with VDL, TNO, OostNL and the University of Twente – Verhaert provides guidance, technical expertise and investment. With Verhaert Nederland, these resources are now locally anchored, enabling start-ups and scale-ups to transform ambitious ideas into scalable, market-ready products with structured support and engineering excellence.

“Breakthrough innovation often comes from the start-up ecosystem, and at Verhaert we’re committed to helping them succeed,” says Koen Verhaert, CEO of the Verhaert group. “By guiding hundreds of tech start-ups across Europe, we’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to combine bold ambition with structured support and deep technological expertise. With our MyStartUp program and partnerships such as the imec.istart fund, we guide founders to turn ideas into scalable, market-ready solutions. With Verhaert Nederland, we bring this expertise closer to home, combining our innovation factory model with strong ties to the Dutch deep-tech ecosystem to support start-ups and scale-ups every step of the way.”

Take the fast track to innovation

Ready to bring your next product to market with confidence? Connect with BEACON | Verhaert Nederland and let our locally anchored innovation factory guide your ideas from concept to successful launch. Want to learn more about the synergy that brought BEACON | Verhaert Nederland together? Stay tuned for our webinar on December 9th!

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The missing link in innovation: Why R&D needs project management

Jan Willem Dik — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 22:42:31 +0000

When R&D and marketing departments operate independently, bringing a new product to market can be challenging. Successful innovation requires these two functions to work together seamlessly. While R&D ensures technical feasibility, marketing validates the product’s desirability to customers. Project managers play an essential role in bridging the gaps. They facilitate collaboration, accelerate development, and ensure innovative ideas are turned into successful products.

The common misalignment between R&D and marketing

While R&D prioritizes solving technical challenges, marketing looks at customer needs, market trends, and competitive positioning. However, problems arise when these disciplines fail to work together.

A product developed with cutting-edge technology but lacking a clear value proposition leads to poor adoption. Marketing campaigns sometimes promise features that are difficult to implement and this may cause frustration for both customers and development teams. These misalignments result in wasted resources, missed opportunities, and stalled projects.

Innovation cannot thrive alone. To be successful, companies must align R&D’s technical expertise with marketing’s customer insights from the beginning.

How on-site project management bridges the gap

A dedicated project manager (PM) significantly benefits both R&D and marketing teams. Their role is positioned at the intersection of these departments, allowing them to smooth coordination, enhance communication, and support decision-making. PMs work closely with cross-functional teams, aligning technical capabilities with market expectations and increasing the chances of a successful product launch.

PMs know-how in tackling the complexities of product innovation offers expertise in key areas such as:

Specification management: On-site PMs make sure all technical and functional requirements are clearly defined, documented, and progressively integrated throughout the development cycle. They minimize misalignment, avoid rework, and maintain the project’s momentum.
Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy: Project managers coordinate operations between the development process and the market entry phase. They speed up the transition from prototype to market launch by implementing positioning strategies to meet customers’ needs and address market differentiation.
Risk and feasibility assessment: Innovations must be both feasible and commercially viable. PMs proactively assess potential technical and commercial risks by balancing constraints with business objectives. They early identify roadblocks and help teams make informed decisions.

Beyond managing timelines and milestones, on-site PMs bring strategic insights that shape the trajectory of innovation. Because they work on different projects for different companies, they rapidly accumulate best practices and fresh perspectives. This exposure, combined with their deep industry knowledge and firsthand involvement enables them to refine product features, simplify processes, and optimize development strategies. They help companies bring impactful, market-ready solutions to life by encouraging collaboration and maintaining alignment between R&D and marketing.

The competitive edge of harmony

When R&D and marketing work in harmony, great ideas turn out to be successful products. Companies that break down silos and encourage collaboration bring products to the market faster without expensive setbacks, and create solutions meeting customers’ needs.

On-site project managers help make this happen. They keep communication flowing, streamline processes, and ensure innovation doesn’t get lost in translation. In a fast-moving market, the companies that connect R&D and marketing effectively will have the edge.

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