Made means business on USA trade mission

The delegation, which is led by Princess Astrid of Belgium, will set foot in San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Los Angeles. The goal? High quality meetings. Real business impact. A strong return.

In this article, Michiel guides us through the reasoning behind his participation and explains how it fits our innovation studio today.

A U.S. trip is always valuable. Even more when technology drives your work. With San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Los Angeles in the mix, this mission hits Made’s sweet spot.

Michiel joins the FIT delegation together with Jorik Rombouts (CEO, Techyard) and Wim Anrijs (Managing Director, Rombit). In other words: the Techyard Group shows up as a team.

“That, in itself, is a strong message we want to send out”, says Michiel Mol. “With offices in Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Michigan and Dubai, Techyard’s presence is more than ever a global one, making this trade mission a logical step in our development.”

In this current day and age, the world moves fast. Faster than ever before. At Made, it’s our role to help other organizations in seeing what their future could potentially look like. That means staying close to global trade dynamics, local concerns and shifting market trends.

“As a global innovation studio, the world is our oyster”, says Michiel Mol.

“We help companies from around the world to unlock new business opportunities, revive underperforming products, apply AI to simplify complex workflows, connect fragmented operational systems and shape circular business models. Hence, having a clear perspective on the world is essential. At the same time, it’s also a perfect opportunity to visit some existing customers in the region and get in touch with businesses we don’t know yet.”

Also in terms of content, the mission is spot on for Michiel and Made.

“Cloud technology. Artificial intelligence. Digital transformation. Green port initiatives. The San Francisco and Long Beach Port stops are key for us. As a city, San Francisco’s approach to urban development and sustainable architecture creates opportunities in design, construction tech and ecological solutions. Manufacturing and construction are core markets for Made. As is the maritime industry, where our expertise in shaping circular business models perfectly fits the activities that drive the Port of Long Beach.”

Obviously, Michiel is open to all conversations during the trip. On a personal note, however, three topics are on top of his list.

“First, circular business models. I’m keen to explore, gain insights and at the same time share our own experiences on how data and reuse can create real ROI and healthier supply chains. In addition, there’s the role of AI in today’s society. Obviously, it’s everywhere, but during this mission I want an optimistic, practical debate about AI’s positive impact on businesses, not doom and gloom. As an innovation studio, we can definitely add value there for many businesses, both domestically and abroad.”

“And thirdly, there’s our overall approach to the industry of maritime and logistics. Next to manufacturing and construction, this is a key market for us. During the port visits that are on the agenda, we’ll be discussing hot topics like decarbonization, vessel automation, digital adoption, AI and safety. This will really be our cup of tea and I’m eager to speak to the right people and share our insights on why mastering your data should be a key priority for every maritime business out there.”

If you are part of the FIT mission or leading a team somewhere around the world that wants to build what’s next, let’s talk.

Michiel will be in San Francisco and Silicon Valley from 5 to 8 October, and in Los Angeles from 8 to 11 October.

Want to meet in person with Michiel?
Get in touch. Coffee is on us. Results are for the both of us.