Maarten - Careers at Catalyze

Hello, I’m
Maarten

We partner with clients for innovative tech, addressing global challenges.”

Hello, I’m
Maarten

We partner with clients for innovative tech, addressing global challenges.”

Maarten Hillen

Managing Consultant

“At Catalyze, you quickly see the results of your own work. You contribute to innovative life sciences related projects that can genuinely help people. From developing new drugs for cancer to medical devices improving the execution of a colon operation. As a Managing Consultant in Life Sciences and Health, I witness numerous projects that have a real impact.

With a background in biomedical sciences and having worked as both a Ph.D. candidate and postdoc, I engaged in thorough research. Eventually, I came to the realization that my place was no longer within that environment. I observed that my contributions to the world were somewhat abstract. Although there were undoubtedly valuable studies with potential benefits for patients, the role of a researcher often entails a considerable distance from the immediate impact on patients, and the tangible results might only manifest years in the future. The slow decision-making processes in my previous work environment also posed a challenge for me.

It’s precisely the speed and dynamism that I appreciate here at Catalyze."

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It’s precisely the speed and dynamism that I appreciate here at Catalyze. There are streamlined processes, and decisions are made quickly but thoughtfully. Additionally, we contribute significantly to products and technologies that are relatively close to the market – and thus, the patient – making it much more visible to me the direct contribution I make.

In my role as a Managing Consultant in Life Sciences and Health, I lead a team of five consultants and support their work on funding applications and business cases. As a team, we collaborate with our clients on how their technology is developed and the best way to bring it to the market. This includes strategies for fundraising from investors, the potential impact on patients, and how to test the innovation. A crucial part of our expertise lies in storytelling: we dedicate considerable attention to structuring and formulating the story about the technology optimally, with the goal of presenting it as convincingly as possible. I primarily focus on the process and quality.

Additionally, I step in challenging discussions with clients or more complex issues. I am ultimately responsible for what happens in my team and oversee around forty to fifty projects annually. About two-thirds of my time is dedicated to this, and the rest is spent on improving processes within the company. This is also one of the great aspects of Catalyze. It’s a very open and transparent organsation without ‘office politics.’ Teamwork is crucial, and there is ample room for personal growth. I see this reflected in my own team. When someone is unwell or there are challenges within a project, the entire team collaborates to resolve the issues. Everyone has their own projects, but when there’s a glitch, we all pitch in.

We collaborate with clients in the development of groundbreaking technologies aimed at addressing critical global challenges. Witnessing the emergence of these innovative solutions is truly inspiring. My ultimate motivation lies definitely in the contribution to a better world.”