UtrechtInc startups win big at the Philips Innovation Awards
It was a remarkable evening of innovation and entrepreneurship, with UtrechtInc startups taking the spotlight during the 20th edition of the Philips Innovation Award Grand Final.
At Theater Rotterdam, eight promising student-led startups competed live for the most prestigious student entrepreneurship award in the Netherlands: the Philips Innovation Award. In front of a packed audience and a jury of leading industry figures, including Philips CEO Roy Jakobs, two groundbreaking innovations from the UtrechtInc community took home top honors:
Innovator Award – Lumox, for their light-activated cancer therapy that targets tumors with high precision, reducing the need for invasive surgeries.
Rough Diamond Award – I See U Baby Care, with an AI-powered monitoring system that improves the sleep of premature babies, offering support to both families and hospital staff.
In addition to the pitches, the audience was inspired by talks from speakers such as Ali Niknam (bunq), Eline van Beest (Hybridize Therapeutics), and Joost Smit (Google).
It was especially inspiring to see female founders like Chanel Sam and Irati Beltrán Hernández leading the way and making a strong impact with their innovative solutions.
These achievements highlight the strength of young, innovative entrepreneurs at the Utrecht Science Park, where science and entrepreneurship come together to tackle major societal challenges. Together we strive towards a healthy, sustainable society.
Utrecht Science Week: Art and science unite at the Betweter Festival on 25 September
From 25 September to 4 October, the Utrecht Science Park will be alive with curiosity and exploration during the annual Utrecht Science Week. For over a week, the Utrecht Science Park opens its doors to everyone interested in both applied and fundamental science. In close collaboration with various partners, a diverse programme is put together, with special focus on themes such as sustainability and health.
Record number of children from across the province of Utrecht meet researchers
A morning spent interviewing, pipetting or philosophising with researchers from Utrecht. That’s what 3,400 children from Utrecht did on the morning of Wednesday 1 April during the eleventh edition of Meet the Professor. 280 researchers from Utrecht cycled to primary schools in the city and surrounding area to show the children who they are, what they do and what sparks their curiosity. In pairs, because research is something you do together.
ALS gene discovery forms basis for treatment development
Researchers at UMC Utrecht’s ALS Center have found new genetic abnormalities that play a role in the development of ALS. As a result, the group of patients in whom the cause of the nerve and muscle disease can be pinpointed has grown from 20 to 25 percent. The finding also helps to better understand ALS and may eventually contribute to the development of targeted treatments for some of the patients.
