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.
UtrechtInc has been recognized in the Financial Times “Europe’s Leading Startup Hubs 2026” ranking.
While UtrechtInc is proud of this recognition, the real stars of the story are the entrepreneurs, researchers, and students who walk through its doors every day.
Are you participating in the Utrecht Marathon or are you a keen runner? Register for the Running Symposium on March 19th.
On Sunday, May 31st, Utrecht Science Park will once again be the setting for the Utrecht Marathon. Thousands of runners will line up at the starting line to achieve a fantastic feat: running a quarter, half, or full marathon! To help you prepare optimally, the Utrecht Science Park Foundation, in collaboration with partners Utrecht University, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, and Olympos Sports Centre, is organizing a running symposium where you’ll be informed and inspired to get the most out of your running performance.
Applications Now Open for UtrechtInc Validation Programmes
Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn research or an idea into a startup? The validation programmes offered by UtrechtInc may provide the first step. Applications are now open.
Utrecht Science Park researchers receive prestigious Cancer Grand Challenge grants
Several research groups, including researchers from UMC Utrecht, the Princess Máxima Center, and the Hubrecht Institute, have been selected for a prestigious Cancer Grand Challenge (CGC) grant. Cancer Grand Challenges was co-founded in 2020 by Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute in the United States. The initiative supports international, multidisciplinary research teams focusing on major challenges in cancer research.