Voices of TU Delft Women: Different Perspectives on Innovation

Diversity as a Component of Innovation

The Delft Female Impact Community was founded in late 2023 by and for female TU Delft alumni, with the goal of connecting women from different generations with one another and with the younger generation. Through mentoring, Career Cafés, workshops, and events, knowledge, experiences, and networks are shared. The community also helps raise awareness within the broader TU Delft ecosystem about diversity and inclusion. For Lenneke, the community’s mission goes beyond simply increasing the visibility of women. In her view, diversity is also important for how new technology is developed. Technology ultimately affects a broad and diverse group of people. To develop technology that aligns with that society, different perspectives and experiences are therefore necessary.

“So it’s actually strange to develop that technology based on a very homogeneous group of experts. Diversity in teams isn’t just an inclusivity or HR issue, but also an innovation issue,” she explains.

Different Stories, One Community

This aligns with the broader theme of TU Delft’s annual program on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI): “Connecting beyond differences.” According to Lenneke, making differences visible is the first step. The next step is to actually meet one another, listen to one another, and harness the power of those differences. During “Voices of TU Delft Women,” 28 women connected to TU Delft in various ways are literally given a voice. In small groups, they share their personal stories, choices, and sources of inspiration. The discussion covers not only successes but also uncertainties, detours, and instances where things turned out differently than expected.

Lenneke recognises the importance of different perspectives from her own work. When she co-founded Do IoT Fieldlab with Professor Fernando Kuipers in 2019, they brought together vastly different backgrounds and areas of expertise. The telecommunication industry was not the first male-dominated technical environment she had encountered. Earlier experiences in her career had already taught her the importance of recognising (and trusting in) her own added value. In the telecom sector, she noticed that her background outside the industry sometimes raised questions. At the same time, that very background proved to be an asset. As an Industrial Design Engineer, she approaches technology and innovation from a different perspective.

“You don’t have to have the same background as the people around you to be valuable. It’s precisely what makes you different that can make a difference.”

Innovation requires various types of expertise: technical and design knowledge, as well as the ability to view systems as a whole, connect stakeholders, and understand the needs of users and organisations. It is precisely the combination of these different forms of expertise that can drive innovation forward.

Not Just a Women’s Issue

Although women’s experiences are the focus of the event, the broader conversation about diversity and inclusion is emphatically not just a women’s issue. Men are also more than welcome to join the discussion. They play an important role in identifying barriers and creating space for diverse talents, ideas, and leadership styles.

Voices of TU Delft Women

Voices of TU Delft Women will take place on October 7, 2026, during the EDI Week. The program consists of keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, and opportunities to get to know one another. For Lenneke, the goal is clear: to further harness the power of the network and connect more and more generations with one another. This involves concrete interactions that can help someone take the next step, but also broader change, namely, ensuring that diversity becomes an increasingly natural part of how we build teams, develop talent, lead, and innovate.

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