The Solidflow team is well-known to the space business community at SBIC Noordwijk. CEO Berry Sanders and CTO Amanda Hogedoorn have been working from the SBIC building on NL Space Campus, ever since participating in the European Space Agency’s business incubation programme (ESA BIC Noordwjk). Having built up an experienced team of entrepreneurial engineers with expertise in cool gas generators, they are committed to sharing that expertise with the community. We are therefore thrilled to announce that the company has now joined as the newest technical partner of SBIC Noordwijk and will be on hand to offer ESA BIC incubatees support in technical design, building and testing. Read on to discover more in this interview with Berry.
At the heart of the entrepreneurial ecosystem
The activities at the Space Business Innovation Centre Noordwijk (SBIC Noordwijk) inspire and support startups that use space technology in new and innovative business ideas. It is a destination that empowers individuals as they become established in the entrepreneurial network and gain a multitude of benefits from the unrivalled connections and rich resources at hand.
One such company that is developing novel applications utilising space-proven technology from its headquarters at the SBIC space business hub is Solidflow. The team is developing and building cool gas generators that produce a pure gas at ambient temperature from a solid propellant and have numerous applications, including in space and for terrestrial purposes.
Berry Sanders, the company’s co-founder and CEO, is a shining example of someone who has built a business from a base at SBIC and has seen it flourish into a successful venture. Beneficial for this is the invaluable proximity to cutting-edge space research, combined with the strategic location near ESA/ESTEC within the heart of the Dutch space ecosystem. From its headquarters on the first floor of SBIC Noordwijk, the Solidflow team relishes being close at hand to the tech startups in the community and can often be found exchanging ideas in the atrium at SBIC, experimenting alongside each other in the FabLab or networking at events in the space business hub.
Technology: Solidflow provides a solid state gas storage solution in the form of non-pressurised, cool gas generators (CGG). The gas is stored chemically and is only released on activation. With solid state gas storage is robust, with no leaks and no requirement for maintenance. The storage life of a CGG can be up to 10 years without performance loss. More info
Team expertise and expansion
Since his time participating in the incubation programme at ESA BIC Noordwijk, Berry has seen an impressive expansion in his space tech enterprise. Solidflow now has a multidisciplinary team of people with its own office at SBIC, including space for product research. “With production and development facilities at hand, our team comprises experienced and highly educated engineers and business executives dedicated to developing and commercialising new products,” says Berry. Currently, the team of Solidflow consists of nine highly-skilled engineers and medical experts and three technical managers and staff.
“Solidflow develops hardware in a very structured way starting from requirements to development via different prototypes to full verification of a pre-production model. We do as much as possible in-house, but do have partners with whom we have good and long-term relations,” comments Berry. “We apply the same structured approach to business development and proposals working from a good plan from the start onwards.”
Rocket science saving lives
Solidflow develops and produces non-pressurised, safe and maintenance-free gas storage systems using CGG. This type of technology has many different applications – from space systems and inflatable rescue devices to emergency breathing apparatus and pneumatic power systems. Oxygen and carbon dioxide CGGs are demonstrated and in production, with a hydrogen system now in development. “What started as an experimental propulsion system for satellites, we then developed into a technology for emergency oxygen supplies for general practitioners and military applications,” Berry explains. “It is a beautiful example of the wider use of space technology and how it can even be turned into a life-saving product.” When asked about recent company developments that can benefit the SBIC partnership, he responds: “We have several different CGGs in product development and are planning to open a larger production facility by the end of 2025. In this way, we have been through the whole cycle of technology development as an incubatee, product development and production.”
“We can assist ESA BIC startups in designing and building electric, mechanical and pneumatic hardware, as well as testing and verification”
berry sanders
Technical partnership
The contract signing earlier this month marks Solidflow starting as technical partner of SBIC Noordwijk. This means, the team now offers startups participating in the ESA BIC Noordwijk programme with technical support, which can include prototype design and construction, as well as testing. “We can assist ESA BIC startups in designing and building electric, mechanical and pneumatic hardware. This includes testing and verification – and all of this can be done at SBIC. We can offer the use of our test facilities for pressure and leak testing, as well as design and construction of specialised test facilities and devices,” highlights Berry.
Other examples of the support on offer include test setups, electrical control systems, development and building of prototypes and the ideation and execution of test programmes for certification. “If incubatees need technical help in data acquisition and logging systems for tests and the data analysis that follows a test, Solidflow is on hand.”
Sharing knowledge
Additionally, Solidflow is now also a community partner of SBIC, which entails being open to share knowledge and services while connecting to the extensive space business network. It can also be an opportunity to be a sparring partner for entrepreneurs. The firm’s tech has already been in the spotlight due to the team’s involvement during the 2024 defence ministry visit and the 2025 seminar with MIND (Military Innovation by Doing) (pictured above).
Opportunities also arise to share expertise and knowledge while providing support to the next generation of space engineers – for example, working together with visiting students to the NL Space Campus. Berry regularly presents challenges for student delegations, such as the Delft University of Technology and the Erasmus University in Rotterdam visit in 2023 (pictured below left). There was also a Solidflow market research and business case presented for the 20th anniversary of the partnership between ESA, CEMS (Community of European Management Schools) and RSM (the Rotterdam School of Management) in 2024.
Benefits for the SBIC community
Berry is also keen to emphasise that outside of the technical support, Solidflow’s experience on a business level can be beneficial for the community: “We have a vast wealth of expertise of project management and product documentation. Solidflow can help in setting up a documentation train from project-plan, requirements definition, design documentation and verification plan and reports.”
“A good product documentation will impress your customers and investors and show that you have reached a mature level of professionalism. We are keen to share our business management and planning experiences. Having drafted strategies in these areas, we can help you to grow your business in a structured way,” Berry reiterates. “We have also helped other startups to set-up their own plans and implement them in a very down-to-earth and practical way. Come and see us to get to know each other and we can see how we can help you.”
Meet Solidflow at SBIC Noordwijk
For the SBIC community wanting to reach out with Solidflow, your first line of contact is Berry Sanders. And did you know that, through the partners-in-residence scheme that SBIC offers, a free half-hour expert session is available. Simply click on the Solidflow logo on this page of the SBIC website and select a time slot.
Getting in touch:
Contact: Berry Sanders
Email: berry.sanders@solidflow.nl
Website: solidflow.nl
About: Solidflow is based in Noordwijk and develops, builds and markets cool gas generators. Based on the expertise that its team members have built up, the company also offers technical design, construction and testing services to third parties. Solidflow is active in high-end markets, such as aerospace, defence and safety systems. Its product portfolio includes carbon dioxide and oxygen generators, and new gas generators are in development. solidflow.nl
Related news items:
Solidflow in consortium that secures ESA funding for inflatable sail to deorbit satellites
Dutch Ministry of Defence and Solidflow to develop new oxygen generators for wounded soldiers
