TFHC offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with each other, partners quickly become part of a large global network!

Hospitainer, TFHC partner since 2010, builds and transports mobile hospitals to disaster- and war-stricken areas 72hospitainer-render_360_200
in need of extra medical capacity. Starting from a single container in 2009, Hospitainer is now active worldwide and works for/together with major organisations such as Doctors Without Borders, Philips and the United Nations. Creator and CEO of Hospitainer, Rolof Mulder: “The TFHC offer entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with each other, partners quickly become part of a large global network. ”

At the beginnning…

Mulder started developing Hospitainer after experiencing first-hand how a high-tech, high-cost hospital in an underdeveloped rural area quickly fell apart due to understaffing and maintenance costs. The Hospitainer solution:
low-cost, durable mobile hospitals build within traditional shipping containers that can easily be transported to different areas.

“The first Hospitainer was barely finished”, says Mulder, “when a great earthquake struck the country of Haiti in 2010. Doctors Without Borders, in need of extra equipment, purchased the mobile hospital, about 2000 surgeries were performed.” From that point onwards, Hospitainer quickly expanded both its activities worldwide and its range of products. The company is now active in four continents and offers mobile hospitals on the ground, on wheels (Hospitrailers) and on boats (Hospivessel). Recent examples are projects in the Middle East, on a MSF refugee boat in the Mediterranean Sea, and six projects in Syria of which 4 Hospitainer arranged funding by consortia of NGO’s, UN and local partners. With regards to the latter, Mulder explains: “Profit is our primary goal. But, our primary goal is also to reach those in need, which we realise together with local and international partners”. These two goals balance each other and facilitate healthy growth.

Becoming a TFHC Partner…

Hospitainer became a TFHC partner in 2010 when the company was still in its start-up phase. Mulder: “I have a medical background myself, so when I first started my knowledge of international business was limited. Joining some of the (TFHC-organised) trade missions was an easy way to become familiar with entrepreneurship in an international context. More importantly, perhaps, being part of the TFHC network was a great help in finding the right people at the right time and seize opportunities together. For example, Hospitainer collaborates with Philips on various projects, after travelling together during trade missions. These type of activities are extremely helpful to starters.”

Working together within the TFHC network…

With Philips we partner as their humanitarian medical specialist and we empower each other when we come across opportunities. Philips medical equipment is a good match with the infrastructure we supply. This can apply to the Philips Community Live Centres, our mobile hospitals and the networks we can combine. A great asset is that we as a small flexible young company can partner with a well established and experienced big company.

After experiencing a doubling of the turnover each year, one of Hospitainer’s main challenges is to grow in a sustainable way without losing sight of its goals. Integral to this process is strengthening existing collaborations and the formation of new partnerships. Mulder: “At the moment, we’re looking into the possibility of expanding to stable, rural areas together with Philips. Additionally, we are working on a collaboration with Rabobank after winning the Rabo Regional Starter Prize in 2014. The TFHC partnership shows that your company values cooperation, and are willing to collectively put The Netherlands on the map in international healthcare.”

Rolof Mulder, Creater & CEO Hospitainer

More information about Hospitainer