Financial Internship

AkzoNobel internship proposal for Master student with a passion for technology, innovation and business

Objective: Plan and execute a market research for a new water treatment technology

Organization & background:
AkzoNobel is the world’s largest paints and coatings company, with over 60,000 people employed in 80 countries and a pro forma turnover of over € 15 bln (2008). Our business unit Surface Chemistry has identified an interesting start up and will enter into collaboration together with this start up company and TU Delft. The water treatment technology is not AkzoNobel proprietary knowledge but developed by this start up company. The technology is at a very early stage but potential impact to the world (and AkzoNobel) can be huge.

The technology: Afira Water Technology
AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry has scouted a technology developed by a group of PhD’s at the University of Eindhoven. Afira Water Technology have patented (WO2009/028944) a technology for softening water by only using a hydrogel and changes in temperature. Applications lie in the field of household washing (laundry and dishwashers) equipment and several industrial water treatments. AkzoNobel can become a raw material supplier to the technology once it is on the market but potentially also the key supplier of the whole technology for industrial applications.

Deliverables:
Your final report needs to include the following:

⇒ Market size & geography
⇒ Market segments & customers
⇒ Competition
⇒ Industry driving forces & key success factors
⇒ SWOT Analysis
⇒ Strategic options

Candidate:
This assignment can be a single internship or final thesis, fitting in curriculum’s like Technology Management, Industrial Engineering & Management or similar. Strong commercial business acumen, combined with a passion for technology. The candidate should be a self-starter with a high degree of autonomy.

Governance:
A three-weekly meeting will safeguard the progress. As people from AkzoNobel involved travel on a regular basis, the candidate does not necessarily have to work from an AkzoNobel office, but can work from the Afira office in Eindhoven*. A network token will be provided to enable maximum mobility and flexibility. Auke Talma (chief scientist) and Harmen Kielstra (ventures manager) will be responsible for the total process and quality of the final report. Several AkzoNobel colleagues from Business Units (BU Surface Chemistry) will be involved as well plus ideally a daily interaction with the people from Afira Water Technology.

Contract:
The project starts between February 1st and April 1st, 2010 till June 30, 2010 with the option of adding one additional month. An internship contract with AkzoNobel Chemicals BV includes both a Non Disclosure Agreement and a Non Competition Clause. For more information or applications (CV and motivational letter) contact:

Willemijn Spreij
Recruitment Officer
Willemijn.spreij@akzonobel.com
06-21679129

*) Exact location to be defined before start of the project