Job Nijs wins Gerard & Anton High Tech Piek Award 2026

The Gerard & Anton High Tech Piek Awards are intended for people who play an indispensable role in the high-tech and startup ecosystem of Brainport Eindhoven. Not necessarily the founders who take the stage or the executives who make the headlines, but the connectors: educators, program managers, entrepreneurs, catalysts, and community builders.

“They are often people who do this on top of their regular work,” says Bert-Jan Woertman, one of the initiators. “Alongside their jobs, they build networks, help others move forward, or set up initiatives that benefit the entire ecosystem. Without them, Brainport would not function the way it does today.”

That idea lies at the heart of the awards, which are presented in three categories:

• Stars 2025 – four people who made a visible and valuable contribution to the high-tech and startup scene over the past year.
• Breakthroughs 2026 – four talents from whom much is expected in the year ahead.
• Piek – the lifetime award, for someone who has structurally committed themselves to the ecosystem for many years and plays a lasting role within it.

The award ceremony took place on January 8 at MELT @ Avular on Strijp-T.

These are the nine winners:

Job Nijs, Braventure – Piek

Job Nijs receives the Piek Award for his many years of structural commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation in Brabant. Through Braventure, he helped build a solid foundation for startups and scale-ups, placing collaboration between regions, government, and industry at the center. Job thinks in long-term horizons and sustainable structures, without ever losing sight of the entrepreneur. His strength lies in connecting interests and building trust, often outside the spotlight. Thanks to people like Job, the ecosystem functions as a whole. His contribution is lasting and indispensable for Brainport and far beyond.

Beena Arunraj, Eindhoven News – Star

With Eindhoven News, Beena Arunraj has built a platform that extends beyond news reporting. She connects international knowledge workers with the region and with one another by telling stories that are accessible, recognizable, and relevant. In doing so, she lowers barriers in an ecosystem that can feel closed to newcomers. Beena does this alongside her regular work, driven by the belief that a strong Brainport begins with inclusion and shared understanding. Her contribution is not found in headlines, but in the daily work of building community, trust, and visibility.

Annemoon Geurts, Kazerne – Star

Annemoon Geurts is a connector par excellence between technology, design, culture, and entrepreneurship. With Kazerne, she has created a meeting place where disciplines converge and where innovation gains a human and cultural context. She naturally brings together makers, companies, students, and policymakers—not through systems, but through curiosity and hospitality. Her strength lies in making new perspectives visible and creating space for experimentation. In doing so, Annemoon makes a substantial contribution to a Brainport that is not only technologically strong but also socially and culturally rich.

Eelko Brinkhoff, PhotonDelta – Star

Eelko Brinkhoff plays a key role in bringing together parties within the Dutch photonics ecosystem. He moves effortlessly between startups, scale-ups, knowledge institutions, and government, aligning interests toward shared progress. His work is not about visibility, but about consistently building programs, trust, and long-term structures. In this way, he helps a complex technology mature into a full-fledged ecosystem. Eelko’s contribution exemplifies the quiet forces behind Brainport: people who make collaboration work, enable acceleration, and ensure innovation truly lands in companies and applications.

Hans Krikhaar, Dutch Society for Precision Engineering – Star

Hans Krikhaar has long been a driving force behind encounters in the high-tech manufacturing industry. Through the Dutch Society for Precision Engineering (DSPE), he has for many years brought together engineers, companies, knowledge institutions, and students around content, craftsmanship, and innovation. He understands that ecosystems grow through collaboration and knowledge sharing, and he organizes them with an eye to quality and relevance. This recently became evident in the way the Precision Fair evolved into a full-fledged Precision Week, and even more so in the long-standing Martin van den Brink Awards. Hans does all this with infectious enthusiasm and a sharp sense of what the sector needs.

Renato Calzone, KTO TU/e – Knaller

On the very first day of his new job, Renato already spoke enthusiastically at Demos Pitches & Drinks about his plans and ambitions—a breakthrough entrance in itself. Renato Calzone stands out for his ability not just to guide startups, but to truly help them move forward. At KTO of Eindhoven University of Technology, he connects young entrepreneurs with mentors, networks, and concrete opportunities, always with attention to the person behind the company. He translates university knowledge and technology into societal and economic impact through spin-offs, IP, entrepreneurship, and collaboration with industry and government. Research does not stay on the shelf; spin-offs are his mission, and he takes it seriously. His impact is already visible and set to grow.

Bas Klis, Dutch Ministry of Defence – Knaller

Bas Klis operates at the intersection of defense, technology, and innovation, connecting worlds that traditionally lie far apart. He fosters collaboration among startups, knowledge institutions, and defense organizations, balancing security and entrepreneurship. Bas brings openness into a domain that is often closed, creating space for new ideas and applications. His work contributes to a stronger, more resilient ecosystem in which Brainport also plays a relevant role in defense innovation. A clear breakthrough talent for the years ahead.

Marc Veldkamp, Fontys Talent Factory – Knaller

Marc Veldkamp plays a crucial role in connecting education and practice. As a lecturer at Fontys, he inspires students and links them to real challenges in the regional business community. Through Fontys Consultancy, now known as the Talent Factory, he stimulates curiosity, entrepreneurship, and collaboration, helping young talent find their place in the high-tech ecosystem. Marc works not from systems, but from personal involvement with students and partners. In doing so, he contributes to sustainable talent development, a key prerequisite for Brainport’s future.

Share the Vibe WhatsApp group – Knaller

The Share the Vibe WhatsApp group demonstrates the power of low-threshold community building. With more than 400 young high-tech entrepreneurs, the group functions as a daily sounding board for practical questions, honest feedback, and rapid support. Without a formal structure but with a strong culture of mutual help, this community strengthens Brainport’s social fabric. Problems are solved faster, connections arise spontaneously, and knowledge is shared without an agenda. Share the Vibe demonstrates that ecosystems are built not only in buildings and programs, but above all in people who know how to find one another.