Timo van Balen

Dr. Timo van Balen is an Assistant Professor in the Section of Entrepreneurship at Utrecht University School of Economics. His research focuses on entrepreneurial resource mobilization, vision communication, and team dynamics, particularly how startups attract talent and funding through strategic storytelling. He obtained his PhD in Innovation Management from RSM Erasmus University and previously taught courses in innovation management, research methodologies, and team dynamics at Rotterdam School of Management.

• Education: PhD Innovation Management (RSM Erasmus University), M.Phil./M.Sc. Business Research (Erasmus Research Institute for Management)
• Research Themes: Social vision communication, disruptive innovation funding, lead user collaboration in product development, team dynamics in startups
• Skills: Quantitative research, R programming, academic writing, educational innovation, coaching

His academic work has been published in Journal of Management Studies, Organization Science, and Harvard Business Review, with key contributions on how disruptive entrepreneurial visions affect venture funding and talent acquisition. He maintains strong ties to entrepreneurial practice, having co-founded Goedgeboerd V.O.F. and worked as Operations & Innovation Lead at Innovation in Motion B.V.