Joost van Cruchten

Energy Innovation Professional

Barcelona, ES.

About

Dynamic Energy Innovation Professional with a proven track record of leading multi-million euro EU projects, managing high-performing teams, and driving strategic initiatives in the energy transition sector. Blending entrepreneurial acumen with deep expertise in energy policy, asset analysis, and data-driven solutions, I excel at transforming complex challenges into impactful, sustainable outcomes for public and private stakeholders. Seeking to leverage my strategic thinking and innovation management skills to advance cutting-edge energy solutions and foster societal impact.

Work

Focal Grid

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Founder

Barcelona, Spain, Spain

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Summary

Led the founding and strategic development of Focal Grid, a grid-planning software startup aimed at urban energy transition coordination.

Highlights

Pitched innovative grid-planning software to NL's three largest DSOs (10M+ connections), demonstrating deep market understanding and strategic communication.

Identified critical market timing challenges for a pioneering solution, informing strategic pivots and future development.

Spearheaded the conceptualization and initial launch strategy for a software solution addressing urban energy transition coordination.

Bax Innovation

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Team Lead - Local Energy Systems

Barcelona, Spain, Spain

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Summary

Led a 7-person team within a European innovation consultancy, driving revenue growth and strategic project acquisition in local energy systems.

Highlights

Managed a 7-person team responsible for €650K annual revenue, consistently presenting performance to C-level management in quarterly reviews.

Co-led the acquisition of strategic projects ranging from €20K-360K, securing public-private collaborations in management, advisory, and development.

Drove team performance and strategic direction in the local energy systems domain, achieving revenue targets and fostering key partnerships.

Bax Innovation

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Project Lead - Energy

Barcelona, Spain, Spain

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Summary

Directed multiple large-scale EU energy projects, providing strategic advice and developing policy recommendations for diverse stakeholders.

Highlights

Managed multiple €5M+ EU-projects, each involving 12-15 EU stakeholders, focusing on Energy Planning, Communities, and Smart Energy Hubs.

Delivered comprehensive EU market studies on emerging energy topics (e.g., DSO-city collaboration), translating insights into actionable policy recommendations and strategic client advice.

Orchestrated complex project timelines and deliverables across diverse international teams, ensuring successful project execution and stakeholder alignment.

Starke Energy

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Business Developer & Advisor

Barcelona, Spain, Spain

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Summary

Drove business development and advisory for Starke Energy, a social spin-off delivering integrated BESS-as-a-Service solutions.

Highlights

Managed the full project cycle for a 160 kWh / 80 kW BESS-project, overseeing implementation and both Front-of-the-Meter (FTM) and Behind-the-Meter (BTM) activation.

Developed a compelling €2.5M+ investment case for a 3MW Virtual Power Plant across 20 residential complexes in Amersfoort, NL.

Conducted in-depth technical analysis and modeling of building energy systems, integrating PV and BESS to optimize performance and value.

Bax Innovation

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Energy Innovation Consultant

Barcelona, Spain, Spain

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Summary

Contributed to the development of major EU innovation programs and supported project management for advanced energy concepts.

Highlights

Co-developed €5-10M+ innovation programmes for the European Commission, targeting innovative energy concepts (Digital Twin, Virtual Power Plants, Energy Communities, Collective Self-consumption).

Supported comprehensive project management, including EU-level reporting, budget management, bid preparation, and tender processes.

Facilitated the advancement of innovative energy concepts through detailed program design and administrative oversight.

MAN Energy Solutions

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Business Analyst

Rotterdam, Netherlands, Netherlands

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Summary

Enhanced global sales process efficiency and supported business development through data-driven strategies and analytical tools.

Highlights

Built automated, user-friendly dashboards using Power BI and SQL for operational and C-level stakeholders, improving data accessibility and decision-making.

Delivered quantitative pre-sales analyses in Excel for teams across EMEA, APAC, and America, directly supporting global business development efforts.

Implemented data-driven strategies by integrating SAP & CRM systems, significantly enhancing global sales process efficiency and effectiveness.

Education

Tilburg University

Tilburg, Tilburg, Netherlands
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MSc Strategic Management: Entrepreneurship Grade: 8.5/10

Courses

Winner Best Master Thesis Award

Thesis: "Ownership Advantages as a Source of Competitive Advantage in the Sharing Economy"

Hanze University of Applied Sciences

Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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BBA International Business & Languages

Courses

Thesis: Internationalisation strategy for a Dutch CoWorking

FHWien der WKW

Vienna, Austria, Austria
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BBA Minor Management & Entrepreneurship

Courses

International exchange programme of 6 months

Languages

Dutch

English

Spanish

German

Skills

Leadership & Management

Team Management, Coaching, Multi-stakeholder Management, Project Management, Innovation Management.

Strategic & Advisory

Strategic Thinking, Strategic Advisory, Entrepreneurial Mindset, Business Development, Policy Recommendations, Market Analysis.

Energy & Innovation

EU Project & Innovation Management, EU Energy Policy & Funding, Energy Asset Analysis (PV, BESS), Local Energy Systems, Smart Energy Hubs, Virtual Power Plants, Digital Twin, Energy Communities, Collective Self-consumption.

Data & Analytics

Data Analysis (Excel), Data Visualisation (Power BI), SQL, Quantitative Pre-sales Analysis, SAP Integration, CRM Integration.

Communication

Public Speaking, C-level Presentations, Stakeholder Engagement.

Project & Program Management

EU-level Reporting, Budget Management, Bid Management, Tender Preparation, Project Cycle Management.

Joost van Cruchten