His vision has always been clear: not only to look ahead to technical needs, but above all to discover who you need to bring together now to realize sustainable solutions.

Many parties involved in the energy transition are struggling with the new roles they must take on, yet they often already possess practical approaches and experience. The key is to build an ecosystem of people and organizations around you that share the same vision. Organizations of the future must be open to tackling the major challenges of our time together, working in isolation is a thing of the past.

His passion for innovation led him to Connectr, where speed and concrete results are central. As Klaassen puts it:
“Innovation only has value when it works in practice. For me, that means discovering, testing, making mistakes, and above all, doing.”
Thanks to his technical background, he understands the real-world challenges faced by skilled professionals better than most.

A new community for Urban Energy Systems

As the new Community Manager for Urban Energy Systems, Dick focuses on building an active community where knowledge sharing, experimentation, and real-world application are key. The initial focus is on new housing developments, where it is essential to think integrally—not in separate solutions such as heat pumps, charging stations, or solar panels, but in complete systems that function together. Three themes are central: heat supply, mobility, and housing/buildings.

In addition to the expertise within Connectr, Dick is building an ecosystem of partners such as builders, developers, and integrators to further accelerate innovation and integration. Using Connectr’s strong network as a foundation, he aims to create a community that collaborates quickly and flexibly.

His ambition is that within five years, visible and successful projects will be in place in Arnhem and beyond, built on a culture of trying, failing, and learning, a community where members can quickly find each other and where innovations are applied immediately, enabling neighborhoods to function in smarter, more sustainable, and more socially connected ways.

After all, the energy transition requires not only technology but also genuine engagement from residents, entrepreneurs, and social organizations. What begins here should grow into a nationwide approach that strengthens both the energy transition and society as a whole.