TANKELECTRIK is an impact cycling expedition inspired by Bram Tankink. This one week cycling expedition was from 11 November to 19 November 2017. The expedition was led by Bram Tankink and Willem Grimminck and total of 19 cyclists and/or investors participated in the Expedition. It was exclusively designed for advanced cyclists and took the cyclists to the pristine environments of the Annapurna region. While cycling through the Annapurna the cyclists explored the meaning of solar energy in remote villages in the Himalayas – and the role electricity plays is realising the true potential of these villages. TANKELECTRIK is driven by the mission to electrify rural villages through solar microgrids, and in doing so, increasing the quality of life in rural settlements and enabling tourist business opportunities. In 2017 TANKELECTRIK, in collaboration with One to Watch and Gham Power, is promoting to finance a cluster of minigrids grids each connecting businesses and households households. The cyclists met several entrepreneurs running businesses along the circuit, notable amongst them was a trout farm run by Dambar Bahadur Gurung and his wife Inkashi Gurung, an apple farm managed by Pancha Gurung and a small lodge run by Samden Gurung and her husband Mingmar Gurung. Seven members of Tankelectrik and One to Watch founded Off-Grid Renewable Energy after returning home from Tankelectrik. The first investment of ORE was in Gham Power.
Tankelectrik provided a jumping-board to establish Off Grid Renewable Energy (ORE). Seven Tankelectrik participants and One to Watch founded ORE in Februari 2019.
Bram Tankink
Cyclist with Lotto jumbo pro cycling teamBram Tankink is a professional cyclist. He initiated Tankelectrik along with One to Watch and he leads the team. Bram is a pro-rider and an enthusiastic supporter of renewable energy.
Bram Tankink
Cyclist with Lotto jumbo pro cycling team
Edmond Hilhorst
Founder and Member of the Board of IndependerEdmond Hilhorst is an entrepreneur & investor with a history of founding and growing successful businesses. He is a board member, investor & founder at various purpose driven ventures.
Edmond Hilhorst
Founder and Member of the Board of Independer
Jeroen Quaegebeur
Partner at Mentha CapitalJeroen Quaegebeur is a partner at Mentha Capital. He started his career with Unilever, co-founded the internet start-up Casius and has also worked for General Motors in New York for four years.
Jeroen Quaegebeur
Partner at Mentha Capital
Thijs van Herpt
Resident Internal Medicine at Erasmus MCThijs van Herpt is a medical doctor in training at the Erasmus MC. He is fond of road cycling & mountain biking, he also loves to read on history & environment.
Thijs van Herpt
Resident Internal Medicine at Erasmus MC
Huub Tankink
Accountant Jr. bij Freedom InnovationsHuub Tankink loves cycling – both for commuting & competing. He is a rider for a German MTB team & is joining Tankelectrik led by his brother Bram Tankink. Huub likes to stay updated on companies that work in renewable energy & modern technology & also invests in them.
Huub Tankink
Accountant Jr. bij Freedom Innovations
Ruud van den Brink
Founder of Squash en WellnessRuud van den Brink has always been into several sports – Ice-Skating, Surfing, Skiing, Tennis…the list goes on. He worked in several sports organizations and in 1999 realized his dream of owning a commercial sport centre – Squash en Wellness. In the last 10 years Ruud has been passionate about road and mountain biking.
Ruud van den Brink
Founder of Squash en Wellness
Erik Defillet
Investor of FitopiaErik Defillet is rather sportive, longtime basketball player and marathon runner, Erik has a Masters degree in Physical Education. In 1994, Erik, with his wife, started a fitness centre in Antwerp called Fitopia – his passion is to get people moving!
Erik Defillet
Investor of Fitopia
Casper Peeters
Technology entrepreneur and Angel investorCasper Peeters is a technology entrepreneur and angel investor. He advises and invests in fast-growing companies that make the world smarter and more sustainable. He was CEO of Xsens, a 3D motion tracking company which he co-founded and led from inception in 2000 until after its acquisition by Silicon Valley icon Fairchild Semiconductor in 2014.
Casper Peeters
Technology entrepreneur and Angel investor
Bart Veldman
Executive Director Coloured FinchesBart Veldman is an entrepreneurial investment professional with a strong focus on financial strategy, corporate development and structuring. He is the executive director and partner at Coloured Finches, a downstream oil and energy focused investment vehicle. Previously he has worked with Kempen & Co. and was a part of Mentha Capital.
Bart Veldman
Executive Director Coloured Finches
Walter Balestra
CEO ZorgDomeinWalter Balestra has over 20 years of experience in healthcare. He is an active entrepreneur and investor in various startups in healthcare. He joined Plexus in 1999 and took on the role of managing partner from 2005 to 2009. He also co-founded ZorgDomein in 2000 and assumed the role of CEO in 2006. ZorgDomein makes healthcare in the Netherlands more transparent.
Walter Balestra
CEO ZorgDomein
Stefan van Eijk
Investment Manager at ifundStefan van Eijk is an investment manager at impact investment fund iFund, which was founded 3 years ago and has already invested in 2 companies in Nepal. Stefan is also a co-founder of 3ax cycling, a start-up that developed a bicycle pedal that adapts to natural leg alignment and improves performance and reduces injury.
Stefan van Eijk
Investment Manager at ifund
Berry van der Putte
Financial Planning & Analysis at ASMLBerry van der Putte completed an education to chartered accountant at Nyenrode university and worked in multiple roles at advisory firm PwC. After almost 15 years at PwC, he moved to technology company ASML where he is currently working in corporate financial planning & analysis.
Berry van der Putte
Financial Planning & Analysis at ASML
Willem Grimminck
Founder/ Director of One to WatchWillem Grimminck is founder of One to Watch, one of Nepal’s first Fund Managers. He started One to Watch with a vision – to build successful companies in Nepal, together with Nepali entrepreneurs and impact investors from around the world. He understands the potential that lies behind the challenging exterior of the Nepali economy, making him and One to Watch a pioneer in this industry here in Nepal.
Willem Grimminck
Founder/ Director of One to Watch
Erik Wellen
CEO/CoFounder ParhelionErik Wellen had been in the IT field for 15 years, and since 2015 together with two American partners he is firing up a scale-up lighting company- Parhelion . He is interested in entrepreneurship, innovation and impact, and cycling.
Erik Wellen
CEO/CoFounder Parhelion
Paul Lavrijssen
Director Product Development at ASMLPaul Lavrijssen joined ASML in 2010 after a few years at Philips and McKinsey. He has worked in supply chain and product marketing, and since October this year he is responsible for product developments on their ‘installed base’.
Paul Lavrijssen
Director Product Development at ASML
Lonekke Craemers
Director at Dopper FoundationLonekke Craemers is an expert in the field of social entrepreneurship. With her background as marketeer and anthropologist, she drives people to develop business models that make business sense and inspire social change. She is currently the interim director of Dopper Foundation and is on a mission to clean our oceans from plastics.
Lonekke Craemers
Director at Dopper Foundation
Christian Liedtke
Program Manager at GTZChristian Liedtke has works in the Development Sector for the German Development Cooperation / GIZ on rural energy. He arrived in Nepal on January of this year, and before was has worked in India, New Delhi, for 4 years.
Christian Liedtke
Program Manager at GTZ
Maarten van der Schaaf
Partner at IndiaConnectedMaarten van der Schaaf is a partner at consultancy firm IndiaConnected. He joined Tanklelectrik to support financing renewable energy in Nepal – and he loves a good challenge.