UNIIQ invests €350K each in 7 Dutch startups: Meet them here

Hague-based UNIIQ, an investment fund focused on the proof-of-concept phase, has backed seven startups during a ceremony at the LantarenVenster theatre in Rotterdam.

UNIIQ claims this is the largest number of simultaneous investments ever made by the firm. The seven startups, each receiving €350K from UNIIQ, collectively secure €2.45M in funding.

In a statement translated from Dutch, fund manager Jasper Geselschap says, “The seven new companies in the UNIIQ portfolio are a nice mix of the research areas in which Zuid-Holland excels: software, hardware and life sciences & health.”

Here are the seven startups that got funded

Lobster Robotics: Founded in 2021, Lobster automates and improves the collection of seabed photographs, creating visual maps that reveal vegetation, creatures, and objects. This technology facilitates data-driven decisions for the offshore industry and research communities.

The company’s co-founders are Daan de Groot, Danny Looman, Stephan Rutten, Joris Quist and Bas van Vliet.

Weco – the Wave Energy Collective: Founded by Luc Hogervorst and Cas V., Weco is dedicated to safeguarding the planet and advancing technology. Specialising in wave energy, the startup develops solutions to generate electricity from ocean waves. 

With a novel wave energy converter, Weco aims to tap into the underused potential of wave energy, producing power equivalent to the needs of over 3 billion households and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Ore Energy: Ore Energy, a spin-out from TU Delft, focuses on developing a cost-effective, long-duration energy storage system. Launched in 2022, the startup’s mission is to create battery technology that facilitates the integration of renewable energy, contributing to a 100 per cent decarbonised electricity grid. 

Ore Energy is actively recruiting battery engineers, research scientists, technicians, and lab professionals to join our team.

BlueGen.ai: The startup specialises in creating privacy-safe synthetic data by mimicking real data, facilitating accelerated data-driven innovation. BlueGen.ai prioritises the protection of customers, consumers, citizens, and patients.

COUNCYL: Founded in 2020, Councyl supports public service providers in implementing laws and tasks, ensuring quality, efficiency, agility, and transparency.

In a company statement translated from Dutch, the startup claims it can create accurate, transparent, and explainable decision models, identifying areas requiring extra human attention to optimise the trade-off between quality and efficiency.

IridescentBio: Co-founded by Nicholas B. Tito, IridescentBio envisions a future where Biology integrates with data, the Cloud, AI, and modelling. 

With biomolecules as the foundation for potent therapies, the company’s mission is to offer a platform for deciphering, modelling, and predicting intellectual property (IP) in protein-based pharmaceutical sciences.

By empowering researchers and businesses, the company aims to accelerate the development of innovative therapies, transforming biotech and benefiting society.

ExCulture: Founded in 2022 by Ilaria Poledri and Aisling Foley, ExCulture claims to hold an exclusive license for a mixed culture fermentation bioprocess technology from TU Delft.

The company’s mission is to future-proof the supply chains of life-saving medications like heparin by implementing a bio-based, animal-free approach.

UNIIQ’s support for the selected startups

UNIIQ’s strategic investment aims not only to fuel the growth of these startups but also to showcase Zuid-Holland’s dynamic innovation ecosystem. In addition to financial support, UNIIQ aims to provide networking opportunities for these companies.

UNIIQ is a €22M investment fund that specialises in supporting entrepreneurs during the critical proof-of-concept phase. To expedite innovations to market, UNIIQ provides starting capital, bridging the risky gap from concept to the establishment of companies for entrepreneurs in South Holland.