These 11 startups are the winners of the 10th edition of Gerard & Anton Awards

The Gerard & Anton Awards, the annual election of the ten most promising startups in the Brainport Eindhoven region, announced on Wednesday, July 3, the winners of the tenth edition at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven.

The event drew over 300 attendees, making it the largest to date.

According to the award organisers, out of the 100 (former) winners of this award, 85 startups are still active. 7 have been acquired by other companies and only 8 have had to cease operations.

During the presentation, Beatrix Bos and Bert-Jan Woertman, the event’s presenters, highlighted the importance of refocusing attention on the startup community following the recent focus on Project Beethoven.

They state, “We have rightly had a lot of attention in recent months on the content and consequences of Project Beethoven. But now it’s time for that composer’s andante to be followed by the allegro of the startup community!”

The 10 (+1) winners were selected from a longlist of over seventy candidates.

“At least half of them could have been on stage as well,” says jury chairman Stijn Steenbakkers.

The winners of the 10th edition Gerard & Anton Awards are:

Vitalfluid

Based at the Eindhoven University of Technology, VitalFluid is working on developing a new and sustainable method for fertilisation and an alternative to chemical pesticides in greenhouse farming. 

The company focuses on natural nitrogen, seed treatment, plant health, and water treatment. Additionally, VitalFluid is exploring plasma applications in the medical and cleaning fields.

Upyther

Upyther is developing a single-shot gel therapy for peritoneal cancer, allowing continuous local drug exposure to improve treatment effectiveness, patient recovery, and survival. The innovative solution has been recognized as a life-changing startup.

Sirius medical

Sirius Medical aims to improve care for cancer patients by delivering solutions that enable precise and efficient removal of tumours. 

The company’s Pintuition technology provides surgeons with real-time distance and directional navigational guidance to locate tumours accurately. 

TracXon

Tracxon produces “roll-to-roll” printed electronics for medical patches and wearables. These applications measure body information like heart rate and blood sugar.

 With TNO technology, sensors can be seamlessly integrated into clothing and accessories. Tracxon is collaborating to build a Patch Factory, exemplifying the strength of Brainport.

Senergetics

Senergetics is using photonics technology to extend the lifespan of industrial processes. 

The company’s advanced sensors can function in extreme and hazardous environments, providing companies with proactive maintenance predictions, leading to lower costs and minimal downtime. 

This innovation brings increased safety in uncertain times, impacting the industrial world profoundly.

Veridis

Veridis specialises in promoting a circular economy by retaining the value and quality of plastics.

They utilise MADSCAN analysis technology, which accurately distinguishes between different polymer fractions in large volumes, benefiting the environment and increasing the commercial value of products.

Veridis also offers a solution to the challenging task of recycling plastics and supports plastics producers in complying with new laws and regulations, ultimately paving the way for a circular future.

Sandgrain

SandGrain offers an integrated solution for the trusted authentication of all connected systems. 

Such a solution enables system owners to verify the integral system configuration at any desired moment, which could be necessary for performing a secure download of new firmware.

Dembrane

Dembrane is developing a technology to extract insights from structured dialogues.

With its proprietary methodology, the Dutch startup has developed a powerful tool for enabling organisations to tap into their members’ collective knowledge.

Through the Dembrane technology, organisations can enhance stakeholder engagement, while facilitators can efficiently manage the entire process and leverage the wealth of data generated. 

Whispp

Whispp uses AI to provide individuals with speech impediments, a new voice. The company’s real-time assistive voice technology and calling app restore the natural voices of those affected by conditions such as stuttering, throat cancer, vocal cord paralysis, and ALS, impacting around 300 million people globally.

SCIL Nanoimprint Solutions

SCIL Nanoimprint Solutions is a company that offers solutions for patterning nanostructures on large wafers by using its lithography technology.

Starnus Technology

Starnus Technology has developed a modular robot technology called FMRS (Fully Modular Robotic System) and has won the 2024 Golden Pear Award.

The company offers full customisation options for customers. This plug-and-play system allows for on-demand adjustments with minimal disruption to operations, ensuring maximum efficiency for the robot fleet.