Boukje Huijben

Boukje Huijben serves as an Assistant Professor in Sustainable Business Model Innovation within the Innovation Technology Entrepreneurship and Marketing (ITEM) group at Eindhoven University of Technology's Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences. Her research bridges academic theory and practical application in sustainable business transformation across AgroFood, Energy, and Logistics sectors. With over 44 research outputs and 934 citations, she leads significant projects including URBANE (2022-2026) focused on agroecological transformation in West Africa and C-PlaNeT on circular plastics.

• PhD in Innovation Sciences, TU/e (2015)
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Strategic Area Energy (SAE), TU/e
• Lecturer in sustainability transitions (TU/e and external institutions)

Huijben's research centers on sustainable business model innovation, with particular expertise in circular economy implementation, actor engagement strategies, and overcoming regulatory barriers. Her work reveals how businesses can successfully transition to circular models through stakeholder collaboration, value chain reconfiguration, and context-specific adaptation. Current projects examine agroecological business models in West Africa and circular plastics networks, demonstrating practical applications of theoretical frameworks.

Her recent publications (2023-2025) show increasing focus on systemic transitions, particularly in plastic waste management and agricultural transformation. Key trends include developing actor engagement frameworks for circular transitions, analyzing barriers for circular start-ups, and designing business models for peri-urban farming systems. Her work consistently bridges theoretical innovation with practical implementation across multiple sectors.

• First Price Posters COMBURA conference (2008)
• STW valorisation grant (2009)
• Winner New Venture Business Plan Competition (2010)
• Top 20 New Venture Business Plan Competition (2011)

Huijben actively supervises bachelor and master theses while involving students in ongoing research projects, particularly in sustainable business model development. She leads significant grant-funded initiatives including the €2.5M URBANE project funded by the European Union and the C-PlaNeT network focused on circular plastics training. Her teaching includes the bachelor course 'Green Business Models' and an Innovation Bootcamp for PhD/PDEng students in smart cities.

As Chair of the International Sustainable Business Model Research Community and member of 'Het Groene Brein' (The Green Brain), Huijben facilitates connections between academic research and industry implementation. Her work through the URBANE project involves multi-stakeholder teams across Europe and West Africa, while C-PlaNeT coordinates a European training network for circular plastics innovation.