Founders Dinner: winning together in the Philips Lounge

This Saturday, the seats in the Philips Lounge not only looked out onto an exciting Eredivisie match featuring the national champions, but also onto other champions: the most successful startup founders from the Brainport region. For the third Founders Dinner, more than 100 former Gerard & Anton Award winners, investors, and partners came together. The program - lighthearted, personal, and sharp - was hosted by Bert-Jan Woertmann and Nina Hoff (byFlow). The common thread: collaboration that works.

“No one does it alone. Just like Gerard and Anton, entrepreneurship is always about ‘together,’” said Nina Hoff. “Ten years ago, we got together with a printed chocolate cookie as the grand prize,” she recalled. “That was great fun,” Bert-Jan Woertman added. “But everyone wanted a real award to hang on their wall. That was when we chose Gerard and Anton as role models. So, from cookie to cup – and above all, from a joke to a community that is making a difference today.”

Philips: “Innovation and growth connect us”

Sylvia van Es (Philips) opened as hostess and immediately set the bar high: "This is now the third time we have gathered here – a tradition we want to uphold. What connects us? Innovation and growth. You seize opportunities with both hands, and that's not only in your DNA, but in that of the entire Brainport region. Building on the foundations laid by Gerard and Anton, we have together created an ecosystem that offers opportunities for growth. While we celebrate today's winners, we must also continue to make room for tomorrow's innovators. Enjoy the evening, learn a lot from each other – that's why we're here."

Sylvia van Es, © Bram van Dal

Key figures: €2.57 billion in investments, 4,000 jobs

Richelle Kant (Braventure) presented a concise update with two key points: pride and urgency. “Together, all 110 winners have now raised more than €2.5 billion in funding,” she said. "Since the summer, companies such as Keiron Technologies, Traxcon, and Integer Energy have grown into the €5 million category. Ninety-one of the 110 companies are still active, eight have been acquired, and Gerard & Anton winners now employ 4,000 people. Collaboration stands out: 42 of you received MRE funding, which stimulates not only innovation but also collaboration. 61 of the 110 are spinoffs (HighTechXL/SRP), and Brabant financiers are participating in the follow-up phases at an above-average rate."

She was clear about the international position: "Dealroom shows that Brainport Eindhoven ranks in the global top 10 for deep tech financing per capita in the $0–100 million range. Sixth place ($0–15 million) and ninth place ($15–100 million) are really something to be proud of. But above $100 million, we still score zero. We don't have a deep tech unicorn yet – that's the gap we need to close together."

Data update Braventure (Richelle Kant)

• €2.57 billion raised by 110 winners (through Oct. '25).

• 91 active, 8 acquired, 4,000 jobs.

• 42 winners received MRE project funding: collaboration as an acceleration mechanism.

• 61/110 spinoffs (HighTechXL / Startup Readiness Programs) – Brabant financiers relatively often participate in follow-up rounds.

• Dealroom ('21–'24): Brainport in the global top 10 for deep tech per capita (0–100 million dollars).

• Zero rounds above 100 million dollars; no deep tech unicorns in the region yet.

Richelle Kant, © Bram van Dal

Boost: from individual sponsorship hunting to a structural backbone

Hugo van Hees (Boost Brabant) gave a glimpse into the engine room of the student teams: "For years, dozens of teams knocked on the doors of the same companies every year for individual sponsorship. That takes energy on both sides. Together with the province, we have therefore set up a scheme to ensure that teams are structurally funded, from secondary vocational education to university education. This gives every student the opportunity to be part of a well-funded team, and makes the ecosystem fairer and stronger."

On top of that, he launched Startup Vibes together with Bob van der Meulen: "A bottom-up community fund that helps us finance initiatives throughout Brabant – with the regional development companies and in collaboration with the High Tech Campus. Founders organize, we facilitate: location, a basic budget, and the space to build from the community for the community.“ The collaboration with the High Tech Campus was agreed upon and signed on the spot.

Hugo van Hees, © Bram van Dal

Alderman Steenbakkers: ”Not too dependent – continue to invest"

Stijn Steenbakkers (alderman, Eindhoven) put the figures into perspective: "Aren't we getting ‘too much ASML’ here? We often get that question. In fact, about 25% of our gross regional product is related to semicon; with Beethoven, that figure rises to 30%. If you look at the number of people employed in that sector, we're talking about 7% and 11%. Compare that to 1971, the heyday of Philips, when 41% of all jobs and 45% of the economy depended on a single company. So our base is much broader. But we must continue to invest in new technology and new companies. The real sticking point is the scaling-up phase. That is why we want to work with pension funds and the government to consider a contribution of 1% of pension funds' disposable capital, which currently stands at 1.7 trillion euros. That would give us more than enough clout to scale up deep tech and secure earning capacity. We, as a municipality, must also do our part: a larger portion of the 2 billion euros we spend annually should go to startups and scale-ups.

Stijn Steenbakkers, © Bram van Dal

From founder to founder

The stage was also emphatically for founders. Wouter van den Bemd (VBTI) pitched: “In high-mix, low-volume production, quality control is often still done manually. We have developed an AI inspection robot that learns to look for itself – without having to write a separate program for each component. We are looking for companies that recognize this and want to work with us in practice.”

Boudewijn Docter announced that construction of the new photonics factory at the High Tech Campus will start in January, financed by Europe and the Dutch government and implemented by TNO. “If you want to do semiconductors seriously, you have to do it on a large scale,” he said. “Public co-investments are needed to take that first step. At the same time, I want to stay closer to startups. That’s why we are launching the Tech Transfer Challenge: actively scouting at universities and connecting researchers with entrepreneurs. Often, people wait too long – even though the technology may already be market-ready to get started.”

Renato Calzone (new KTO director at TU/e) agreed: “We want to become much more visible and stronger in valorization internally. Together with partners such as TNO-Venturing and entrepreneurs, we are building more tech startups. So that we do indeed get unicorns – but above all: let the system become predictable and scalable.”

Rift (5 years old, 70 employees): “Now fully commercial”

Mark Verhagen was also called forward for a moment; he looked back and ahead: "We started as a student team and spent five years developing the technology. Now the next step is commercial scaling. We are making industry more sustainable with iron fuel – CO₂-free and cost-competitive – and we have opportunities in Eindhoven to take that further. With 70 people, we are ready for that. Any help from the network to implement this more quickly is welcome."

From drinks to business (and PSV – Go Ahead Eagles)

Between contributions, there was laughter – about King Philip being printed in chocolate (“Sire, it's you,” joked Nina) – and work: signatures, match-making, new plans. Then everyone sat down for dinner, followed by watching PSV – Go Ahead Eagles together. “You win soccer together; you win business together too,” said Nina Hoff in her closing remarks.

“We've gone from a printed cookie to a strong community: 2,700+ members, 17 events per year, 110 winners, and new connections every month,” Bert-Jan summarized. “Thanks to Philips, thanks to our partners – and above all, thanks to all the founders.”