Willem Mees van der Bijl

Founder / CEO

The Randstad, Netherlands

About

Expert Medical Device Developer with a passion for realising better patient outcomes and building successful businesses. "I love creating user insights, applying the latest design methodologies, and translating these insights into opportunities for better futures. My aim is to grow trans-disciplinary creative teams, so that we together, can actually realise better futures and build successful businesses around them." Specialties: Product Development Team management, User Insights, Medical Device Development, Innovation Strategy, Industrial Design Engineering, Design for Usability, Project Management, Consultancy, New Business Development, Facilitation of creative sessions, Manufacturing and Supply in China. Guest lecturer and mentor at universities and incubators, industry representative in academic programs.

Experience

  • Director - co-owner at Panton, designers for healthcare
    Jan 2025 - Present · 1 yr 6 mos

    Director at the Rotterdam site of Panton, Willem Mees brings 25+ years of experience in Design, Development and Entrepreneurship to the field of healthcare innovation. After founding Dune Innovation in 2022, Dune and Panton quickly joined forces and in 2025 we decided to continue as one team with two locations. The team of 17+ experts, designs, develops and implements healthcare innovations. Together with SME's, Multinationals, StartUps, Hospitals and Clinical professionals we are creating the future of healthcare.

  • Co-Founder at YSVOGEL
    Oct 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 9 mos

    co-founder and Chief Technology Officer

  • Founder CEO at Spatium Medical
    Apr 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 3 mos

    Medical device development and manufacturing. Bringing the next generation insufflation technology to surgeons worldwide.

  • Founder at Dune Innovation
    Aug 2022 - Jan 2025 · 2 yrs 6 mos

    January 2025, Dune Innovation and Panton merged. combining their strengths. Under the Panton brand we will continue to design for healthcare and wellbeing. From our offices in Deventer and Rotterdam. Building multidisciplinary development teams that develop and deliver medical innovations.

  • IDE Group (9 yrs 3 mos)
    • Director IDE Netherlands
      Jan 2019 - Aug 2022 · 3 yrs 8 mos

      Building better futures for people, and successful businesses Discovering, Developing and Delivering products and services

    • Design & Entrepreneurship Group Leader
      Jan 2017 - Jan 2019 · 2 yrs 1 mo

      Creating better futures for people and building successful businesses through Design leadership.

    • Product Development Manager
      Jun 2013 - Jan 2017 · 3 yrs 8 mos