Jimmy van den Aker: BIS Memories, Rebrics’ Vision, and What One Should Master in Life

Can you share your journey living in the Netherlands and how those experiences influenced the founding and evolution of Rebrics?

I graduated from BIS in 2014 and returned to the Netherlands to study International Business and Administration at Tilburg University. After a year, I switched to a Business Innovation (HBO) program to focus on practical, hands-on solutions for real companies.

While finishing my degree, I joined Dutch SaaS startup Boloo, which helps e-commerce businesses grow with AI and software. I started as Product Manager and became CEO for the final two years. There, I learned how to scale products and teams and discovered that I prefer solving operational and technical challenges directly rather than managing large organizations.

In 2025, I founded Rebrics as a solo entrepreneur. Rebrics helps logistics and fulfillment companies solve complex operational problems by combining software development, AI, automation, and deep logistics expertise to deliver measurable, real-world impact.

What is Rebrics’ long-term vision, and how do you see the company navigating the biggest opportunities and challenges arising from AI today?

Without AI, Rubrics likely wouldn’t exist as they do. I founded the company as AI-assisted programming and tooling became accessible, and I leveraged that wave.

AI is now central to my work — accelerating development, analyzing large datasets, and improving operations: optimizing pick routes and inventory placement, workforce planning, and reducing stress and sickness through better forecasting.

Rebrics’ long-term vision is to stay small, specialized, and highly effective. AI lets focused teams deliver impact that once required entire departments.

Many companies still confuse AI hype with real value. I concentrate on practical implementation: fixing operational bottlenecks, not using AI for its own sake

How did your studies at BIS shape your professional path, and can you describe specific lessons or surprises from that experience that continue to influence your work?

One of the biggest things BIS taught me was how to approach complex problems in a structured way. Breaking down a large challenge into smaller, manageable parts and then solving them step by step is something I use to this day.

The school exposed me to many different cultures and perspectives. Growing up in such an international environment taught me early on that people do not all think the same way. Everyone approaches problems, communication, and collaboration differently based on their background and experiences.

That lesson continues to help me enormously today, especially when working with different teams, clients, and industries. Understanding people is just as important as understanding technology.

Thinking about students graduating this year, what one thoughtful piece of advice would you give them—and why does it matter to you?

“Master the thing that genuinely fascinates you. If you become exceptionally good at solving problems in an area you truly care about, your skills will become incredibly valuable.”

This matters because the world is changing very quickly, especially with AI. Knowledge alone is becoming less rare. What really stands out is curiosity, practical problem-solving, and the ability to deeply understand things that others overlook.

What do you miss most about living in Bali and about your time at BIS, and how have those memories influenced your personal or professional life?

What I miss most is the combination of freedom, adventure, and community. Some of my strongest memories are climbing Gunung Agung, exploring Bali with friends, and being surrounded by classmates from completely different cultures and backgrounds.

Those experiences shaped both my personal and professional life. They made me more open-minded, adaptable, and curious about different ways of thinking and living. Even today, I still value freedom, exploration, and meaningful connections very highly, both in business and in life.BIS felt like one big family. Looking back, I realize how unique that environment really was.