Katrien Herdewyn
Founder Elegnano
Phone:
+1 510 778 6537
Email:
Date of Birth
April 3rd, 1987
LinkedIn Profile
Highlights
40 under 40 Belgium (2021)
Honorary Professor, University of Leuven (KUL) (2021)
Inspiring Fifty Belgium (2020)
TEDx Speaker (2015)
A Bit About Me
Everybody has a story. Mine starts in the early nineties. As a little girl, I was obsessed with shoes. After a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering & Material Sciences and a Master in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, I obtained a degree in Fashion Footwear Design. In 2014, I started my own company - Elegnano® - combining my passion for science, technology, and shoes.
Over the past years, I have been on stage giving lectures and presentations for national and international audiences of all backgrounds about Elegnano®, (female) entrepreneurship, fashion tech, international business, nanotechnology, sustainability in the fashion industry, etc.
A Selection of Recent Talks & Publications
Talks & Presentations at
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imec
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American Chamber of Commerce & Belgian Chamber of Commerce
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Deloitte
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BNP Paribas Fortis
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ONSemi
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General Electric
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AstraZeneca
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European Union - Week of Europe
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Flanders Investment and Trade
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Prince Albert Fund
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HULT Business School (San Francisco Location)
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EU Horizon 2020 - WEAR Sustain
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Knack DataNews - She Goes ICT
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Federation of Belgian Enterprises
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Academics for Technology - Women in Tech Gala
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Vlerick Business School
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European National Young Academy
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KULeuven
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European Chamber of Commerce - European Pitch Night
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A Seat at the Table (ASATT EU)
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Erasmus Mundus Nanotechnology Conference
And many more
Podcasts
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De Tijd - Podcast (NL)
Recent Publications
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De Standaard (NL)
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Het Nieuwsblad (NL)
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Het Laatste Nieuws (NL)
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De Morgen (NL)
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Flair (NL)
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Vogue (EN)
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Trends (NL/FR)
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Sabato (NL)
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Weekend Knack (NL)
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Knack (NL)
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Feeling/Gaël (NL/FR)
And many more
List of Awards & Recognitions
2015
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Startup of the Year
Unizo
Belgium
Laureate Prince Albert Fund
King Baudouin Foundation
Belgium
50 of the Future
De Tijd (Newspaper)
Belgium
Best Women's Designer Footwear Label
Lux Magazine
United Kingdom
Inspiring Fifty 2020/2021
Belgium
40 under 40
Belgium
Top 100 Fashion Industry Influencers
MarSum
United States of America
Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, KULeuven
Belgium
Women in Footwear Awards
RetailBoss
International
Top 50 Women in European Tech
Inspiring Fifty & Financial Times
Europe
Best Luxury Footwear Label Belgium
Lux Magazine
United Kingdom
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
“Katrien Herdewyn is a fashion entrepreneur combining design, craftsmanship, and 21st-century innovation in the shoe industry. Her story provides inspiration on how to start and grow a brand. Her story is especially insightful on how to achieve global impact with limited resources applying a lean operational mindset.”
— M. Meuleman, Prof. Vlerick Business School