Haptontech wins LEVELUP 2026 award: touch in the virtual world

TU Eindhoven spin-off Haptontech has won the LEVELUP 2026 award, securing a coveted ticket to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Runners-up Kyvvu and ATA Mute also took the stage as top finalists during an afternoon packed with founder grit, candid investor lessons, and hard truths about crossing the ‘valley of death’.

“It feels like someone put sparkling water into my blood,” said a visibly thrilled Dr. Mert O. Astam, CEO and founder of Haptontech, moments after being announced as the overall winner. Astam pitched without traditional presentation slides, challenging the audience and jury to imagine feeling digital content instead of merely looking at it.

Haptontech develops programmable materials that can dynamically change shape, alter tactile softness, and even secrete and absorb liquids to simulate real physical texture. Originating directly from research and perception studies conducted with professors at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), the startup aims to integrate tactile human-machine interfaces into everyday compact electronics.

“Making us feel the future”

During the jury deliberation, chair Gilbert Gooijers praised Haptontech’s bold vision for human-computer interaction. “Haptontech really made us feel the future,” Gooijers remarked. “It doesn’t happen often that a completely new way of interfacing comes by. We are used to blips and beeps from audio interfaces, and many of us stare at visual screens for six hours a day. But tactile touch opens an entirely new field of opportunities.”

Gooijers cited high-impact potential use cases ranging from discreet wearable touch notifications to dynamic, real-time Braille displays that can dramatically empower the visually impaired. Astam noted during the Q&A that while dynamic Braille screens could be produced up to 50 times cheaper than current market alternatives, Haptontech is also in active discussions with consumer electronics manufacturers to integrate tactile feedback into smart devices, tablets, and e-commerce shopping experiences.

Runners-Up: Kyvvu and ATA Mute

Haptontech emerged from a competitive lineup whittled down from ten semi-finalists to the final top three.

The two runners-up, Kyvvu and ATA Mute, demonstrated the breadth of startup innovation on display. ATA Mute brought seasoned technical experience and deep competitive drive to the stage. Kyvvu emphasised operating in high-velocity markets where pace, quick execution, and founder conviction are paramount.

Constantijn van Oranje: "Dutch founders must hustle and move faster"

Before the final pitches, Techleap envoy Prince Constantijn van Oranje sat down with the audience to discuss what truly separates startups that scale from those that perish in the valley of death.

Constantijn emphasised that investor conviction hinges on founder resilience and a clear line of sight to paying customers. However, he issued a candid warning regarding Dutch entrepreneurial habits:

• Speed over perfection: “Dutch founders often underestimate speed and the power of capital,” Constantijn noted. “Money buys you time. If you run out of money, you run out of time, and you die. Too many founders spend months chasing non-dilutive grants or small funding rounds when they could be moving much faster.”
• Building relationships before you need them: “Founders here are often transactional and individualistic. They only knock on an investor’s door when they urgently need cash. Investors are herd animals; they move when there is momentum, belief, and FOMO. If you create a relationship early, you might get €2 million instead of scraping by on €500,000, giving you a much longer runway to build.”
• Escaping complacency: Constantijn cautioned against falling into an unhurried, comfortable mindset. With initiatives like the National AI Hub (The Stack) expanding to thousands of square meters, he stressed that European deep-tech and AI builders must match global velocity: “If you have better technology with €10 million, and a competitor has worse technology with €100 million, who do you think wins? We have to be bigger hustlers.”

Next stop: Las Vegas

For Haptontech, winning LEVELUP 2026 means an immediate passport to CES in Las Vegas, complete with exhibition space and high-level matchmaking. Both Gooijers and Constantijn urged the team to use the global spotlight strategically. “CES is a massive media and relationship event,” Constantijn advised. “You don't just wait for people to wander by your booth; you prepare beforehand, understand the cohort, and play the game to get international traction.”

Astam is ready for the leap: “We will definitely be back in 2027 with good news.”