AI startups as the foundation of Brabant's economy
The ambition of the AI Pitch Competition extends beyond the competitive aspect. It aims to connect AI with other sectors in Brabant.
Published on October 1, 2026
AI Pitch Competition 2025
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On November 12, the finals of the AI Pitch Competition 2026 will take place: the event where the most promising AI startups present their ideas. For this year’s eight finalists from Brabant, it’s an important moment to look forward to. The underlying ambition of the competition extends beyond the competitive aspect. “It’s meant to connect AI with the sectors in which Brabant already excels,” says Brigit van Dijk - van de Reijt, CEO of the Brabant Development Agency (BOM).
AI has become part of everyday life. We use generative AI such as ChatGPT and Mistral to search for information and develop ideas. At the same time, physical AI is also on the rise: technology that links AI to machines and systems in the physical world. This offers many opportunities, particularly in the Brainport region. “This can make existing Brabant technologies and industries, such as semiconductors and automotive, even smarter and more efficient,” explains Van Dijk-van de Reijt. With companies like Euclyd and Axelera AI, Brabant also has firms developing the computing power needed for the next generation of AI applications.
It’s no surprise, then, that BOM, as the organizer of the AI Pitch Competition, is committed to the further development of AI startups in the region. The jury selected eight finalists: Be-Inc.ai, Offensys, One Horizon, UNSEQ, YourNeuroTune, Kyvvu, Synthgen, and Rigidbody. The Wildcard goes to Alzheimer.App. The solutions range from cybersecurity, industrial installations, music, and computer vision to dementia care and new infrastructure designed to keep AI agents under control. The participants also vary widely, from student teams to serial entrepreneurs starting over.
Spotlight on AI startups
In Brabant, AI startups are regularly put in the spotlight, says the CEO of BOM. “We do this with the AI Pitch Competition, but also, for example, with the LEVEL UP Awards and BrabantHack, the hackathon for AI talent that took place in April.” According to her, such competitions offer startups significant benefits. “Startups can test whether their idea holds water; moreover, they exchange knowledge and get the opportunity to raise capital.” Also important: it’s a chance to attract talent. “Talent is scarce, so that’s another reason for organizing the competition—to make it attractive for young people to work at a startup.”
Growing into major players
According to Van Dijk-van de Reijt, this year’s finalists could become Brabant’s major AI players. They will thus join a rapidly growing group of AI startups in the region. Avendar develops AI software that enables governments to automate complex investigative processes. Euclyd, which recently raised 200 million euros, is working on AI chips and computer systems that are more energy-efficient and enable greater data capacity.
The importance of startups for the region
It’s important that AI startups are given a platform, but ultimately, the competition revolves around a broader question: where can Brabant excel in ten, twenty, or thirty years? Van Dijk-van de Reijt cites the semiconductor industry, systems engineering, medical technology, and the automotive sector as areas where Brabant is already strong. “In these areas, we can compete at the highest level—not just now, but for decades to come.”
To maintain that position, she believes the region must constantly keep an eye on new technological developments. “Every day, we’re on the edge of our seats watching how the world is changing and how we can respond to it.” The AI Pitch Competition is a concrete example of this: a moment that reveals which AI applications are on the horizon and which technologies can help shape Brabant’s future. “We desperately need those AI startups. They bring ideas to market, build a team around them, and raise capital.”
More and more startups
Brabant now has more than 750 startups and scaleups. Increasingly, these include AI startups. The AI Innovation Center at the High Tech Campus is now home to more than forty AI companies. A cluster of young AI companies is also emerging at JADS (Jheronimus Academy of Data Science) in Den Bosch. This makes Brabant one of the largest physical AI hotspots in the Netherlands. Naturally, BOM is seeing rapid growth in AI within its own portfolio. “We have more than 10 portfolio companies in AI.”
Big and small: bringing parties together
The AI Pitch Competition is primarily focused on startups. At the same time, Van Dijk-van de Reijt aims to bring together as many parties as possible—large and small—from various sectors on November 12. “Because only when large companies, research institutions, innovative SMEs, and startups find common ground can new technologies evolve from idea to application. We want to be the incubator where those worlds converge, and new technology can flourish.”
This marks the third edition of the AI Pitch Competition. The 2026 edition is organized by Erasmus Enterprise, BOM, and IO+ and made possible in part by the province of North Brabant.
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