The Netherlands is an exciting destination for startups to create innovative and scalable enterprises. Numerous startups with the potential to change the world for the better are flourishing in the country.
In addition, various institutions, including the government, are ramping up efforts to make the Netherlands a more attractive place to start and grow a business.
Gerard & Anton Award
Now, 11 startups from the Brainport region have been honoured with the Gerard & Anton Award as the most promising startups during the LEVEL UP event at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven. The startups were selected as they follow the criteria set by Gerard and Anton Philips, who formed the first truly successful startup in the region 125 years ago.
Aristotle Technologies, a startup developing a cognitive training tool for soccer players, was added as the 11th winner in the Young Talent category list.
“Keep a close eye on these startups in the near future, folks,” states jury member Bert-Jan Woertman. “Once again, selecting the top 10 ( +1 this year) was no easy task. An independent jury handpicked the winners from a shortlist of more than 50 nominations. All of them are fantastic companies that are moving society forward,” Woertman says.
“Startups have the opportunity here to network with such major companies as NXP, Philips, and ASML. Moreover, where many tech spin-offs spring from, the university also retains close contact with the business community. It means that startups, tech giants, and investors know how to find each other easily.”
This was the eighth edition of the Gerard & Anton Awards organised by Innovation Origins. A total of 80 winners have so far been announced.
“I am proud that we have provided a platform for eight years to the companies that deserve it. The world is faced with great challenges. And even though they start small, innovative startups are coming up with solutions that can help us in the future. After all, ASML once started small too,” says Woertman.
According to the jury, the following eleven startups will make significant steps in the upcoming months and therefore are to be watched.
Autoscriber – It develops AI-enabled speech recognition software that can be used to record and summarise conversations between healthcare professionals and their patients. The software can also record and transcribe medical matters discussed during consultations.
VBTI – It is developing a software platform for companies active in the agricultural sector, predicated on Deep Learning (DL) solutions. The technology allows companies to automate their processes and production, for example, by making their robots and machines more intelligent.
Since it is difficult to use in practice, VBTI AutoDL enables customers to integrate DL technology into their applications without having to be experts themselves.
Axelera AI – Axelera AI is developing a high-performance chip for IoT devices, capable of extremely high levels of performance and energy efficiency. It can also support multiple networks.
Ambagon Therapeutics: Ambagon Therapeutics is a biotech company focused on developing new cancer treatments. The company is developing molecules that enable so-called ‘good’ proteins to access pathogenic proteins, which subsequently stall tumour growth. The molecule binds the two proteins together, creating a kind of molecular glue. The goal is to continue developing the glue into a fully-fledged drug.
Cellcius: Currently, the Netherlands’ primary heating source comes from gas. However, Cellcius wants to change that by using a heat battery that harnesses heat from industrial waste. Millions of homes can be heated this way without producing extra CO2 emissions or requiring more wind turbines or solar fields. The Cellcius Heat Battery technology uses two simple and safe ingredients: salt and water.
InPhocal: The startup uses a unique laser beam technology to revolutionise laser processing. This technology was originally developed at CERN, the particle research institute in Switzerland. Among other industries, the chip industry is benefiting from this technology, claims the company.For example, when cutting wafers, by focusing light on a smaller area, the area affected can be narrowed down much more precisely. After all, if a surface area that is being heated starts getting bigger, chips can be damaged. InPhocal is counteracting this issue with its innovation.
LionVolt: LionVolt is going to launch solid-state batteries on the market. According to the company, it should raise the safety level of batteries significantly. Besides safety, these batteries can be recharged faster than present-day lithium-ion batteries.
RIFT: The startup aims to help companies to cut down on their CO2 emission with its Iron Fuel Technology. Iron fuel is a good alternative to gas and uses iron as a circular fuel. RIFT’s goal is to move energy-intensive industries, heat grids, and power plants worldwide away from fossil fuels.
Pharmi: It has developed a pharmacy platform called MedicijnWijs. The app offers users information and guidance on the proper use of medication. In addition, the app contains text, videos, and animations that inform users about how a drug works and its common side effects. The company is also developing a chatbot based on artificial intelligence to facilitate medicinal care.
InnoSIGN: InnoSIGN specialises in precision medicine and is developing OncoSIGNal: mRNA-based tests that measure the activity of signal transduction pathways in cancer and immune cells. The goal is to use it to predict how patients will respond to specific drugs.
Aristotle Technologies: Winner Young Talent Award
Aristotle Technologies is developing a cognitive training tool for soccer players to help them stay focused when their brains become overstimulated. The software from Aristotle features scientifically based cognitive tasks. This helps sports scientists train individual players to react, make decisions and act faster on the field. Aristotle recently signed a contract with the Dutch soccer club PSV for a long-term partnership.
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