Hey👋

Welcome to my portfolio website! I’m Richard Kroesen, an Embedded Systems (master)student at TUe driven by a passion for disruptive innovation, engineering, and research.

My Journey

Reading autobiographies of pioneers like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates gave me insight into how skills and success evolve through persistence. Here’s a short overview of my personal and professional growth:

1. Early Curiosity

From a young age, I was drawn to computers, electronics, and problem-solving. As a teenager, I spent countless hours experimenting with website building, game development, UI design, digital graphics art, and tearing apart old electronics to understand how they worked.

At the same time, I ran a YouTube channel for three years, growing it to 750 subscribers and over 100,000 views in total. Producing weekly videos taught me time management, content creation, and how to navigate feedback from an audience.

2. High School Exploration

My foundation in engineering began in high school, where I was introduced to the fundamentals of hands-on problem-solving.

Starting in my third year, I took informatics classes that covered databases, digital information, Java programming, and computer architecture. I particularly enjoyed the latter it left such a strong impression that I can still recall most of it today.

I was naturally drawn to STEM subjects, especially mathematics, physics, and chemistry. I also participated in my first real technical projects with friends, such as 3D-printing quadcopter propellers and building physics-based musical instruments.

During the COVID-19 lockdowns in my final year, I began planning my first e-commerce venture, spending several months preparing while waiting until I turned 18 to register the business (a milestone I found both amusing and exciting).

3. Gaining Real-World Experience

After high school, I worked full-time (summer-vacantional) at a sheet metal fabrication company while developing my e-commerce business in the evenings. I managed all aspects—logistics, inventory, supplier negotiations, customs, customer service, and bookkeeping.

Once I started studying at HAN and relocated to Arnhem, I outsourced logistics to maintain ‘passive’ income. Though initially profitable, market saturation soon affected sales. I decided to close the business before it declined further, realizing that while entrepreneurship intrigued me, my true passion lies in engineering and technology.

4. HAN Embedded Systems Engineering

At Hogeschool Arnhem Nijmegen, my formal engineering education truly began. I gained foundational knowledge in electronics, programming, and systems design. More importantly, I found a supportive community of like-minded students and instructors. The balance between theoretical coursework and practical, project-based learning suited me well, especially in hands-on lab environments where theory came to life.

After my first year, I had the opportunity to work as a student assistant at Royal Eijkelkamp, which accelerated my learning and provided valuable real-world experience.

Although I appreciated the environment at HAN, I felt the need to broaden my perspective and dive deeper into the theoretical and academic side of engineering. This led me to pursue a transfer to TU/e.

5. TUe Embedded Systems (Master)

I am currently preparing to start my Master’s in Embedded Systems at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in September 2025. Alongside my studies, I am also exploring opportunities to launch a startup or collaborate on a community-based engineering project.