Lumox wins the NL Startup Competition at Upstream Festival
Lumox, a startup from the Utrecht innovation ecosystem, has won the NL Startup Competition at Upstream Festival in Rotterdam. Organised by the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship, the competition is one of the largest startup contests in the Netherlands, bringing together promising early-stage ventures from across the country.
As the winner, Lumox will travel to Silicon Valley for a visit to Draper University, a globally recognised hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.
Lumox is developing a novel cancer treatment that uses llama-derived nanobodies to deliver light-activatable drugs directly to tumour cells. The treatment is then activated using harmless light, enabling targeted destruction of cancer cells while minimising damage to healthy tissue. The company is initially focusing on head and neck cancer, where patients often face invasive treatment options and significant side effects.
Founded by Irati Beltrán Hernández and Sebas Pronk, Lumox’s technology is built on years of scientific research, preclinical validation and successful results in veterinary practice.
Lumox has been part of the UtrechtInc community for several years. The award highlights the strength of the Utrecht innovation ecosystem and the impact of science-based entrepreneurship emerging from Utrecht Science Park.