Patrick Alders is Chairman of the Board of the Delitelabs Foundation, whose role is, ultimately, to ensure that Delitelabs operates in a way that fulfills its mission. We spoke to Patrick about his career, as well as his journey to Delitelabs and what makes participants at Delitelabs unique.
Shifting to inclusion
After studying psychology in Amsterdam, working in advertising and media, and then living in Berlin for a while, Patrick decided he wanted to move out of “corporate life” and focus on building a more inclusive society.
He discovered Delitelabs on LinkedIn and decided to attend an information evening. As they say, the rest is history – or in Patrick’s words, “It was love at first sight and I have been involved ever since.”
Patrick is also currently the Founder & Managing Director of Fabrique des Lumières, a digital art center in Amsterdam that uses cutting-edge technology to create immersive art exhibitions.
Driving inclusion at Delitelabs
With his background in media, culture, and education, Patrick’s definition of inclusion spans multiple disciplines.
His definition of inclusion is “to lower the threshold for people to participate in society, whether it be in education, media, or culture.”
As you might’ve guessed, Patrick’s passion and personal mission of building inclusion go hand in hand with that of Delitelabs: to empower newcomers to unlock their full potential. As Chairman of the Delitelabs Foundation, Patrick works with other board members to guide Delitelabs in driving its mission and vision. “This is done relatively hands-on, not only with advice but also with strategic sessions and opening our networks,” Patrick explains.
Bravery, resilience & an unstoppable drive: What makes Delitelabs participants unique
While Patrick is passionate about inclusion, his introduction to Delitelabs was in itself a learning experience. “Already at the information evening, I realized that I knew absolutely nothing about what it’s like to have to flee your mother country,” he shares. “It requires a lot of bravery to make such a decision and even more to build a new life somewhere else.”
At this year's cohort’s final event, Patrick served on the jury, evaluating each participant’s business ideas and proposals and observing each participant’s strengths first-hand.
“I am always impressed by the variety of people and their business proposals. All participants have one thing in common: an unstoppable drive to make a success of what they believe in and a willingness to adapt.”
All participants at Delitelabs are newcomers to the Netherlands. Delitelabs equips newcomers with fundamental business and entrepreneurial skills to not only support them in settling in and adapting to their new homes, but also to give them the tools they need to build a sustainable livelihood. Participants at Delitelabs are also matched with mentors – experienced business professionals with diverse backgrounds and experience who help participants navigate their careers and potential business ideas.
As Patrick states, “If we can help by pointing people in the right direction, making introductions, and building communities, I believe this contributes to a foundation for the future.” Written by Sophie Poulsen - Content Creator at Delitelabs
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