MedTech architect Carmen van Vilsteren crowned Female Tech Hero

The confetti has barely settled at the High Tech Campus Conference Center, but the message of the night is loud and clear: true innovation is about people, not just patents. Tonight, during the Fe+Male Tech Heroes 2025 Awards ceremony, a woman who has spent decades bridging the gap between "wires, code, and steel" and human impact was named the Female Tech Hero of the Year: Carmen van Vilsteren.

While the evening celebrated diversity across the entire tech spectrum - honoring hidden gems, male allies, and inclusive corporations - the spotlight firmly rested on Van Vilsteren. As the Chair of Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (Health~Holland) and former Director of e/MTIC, she is widely regarded as the "Architect of Impact" in the Dutch MedTech ecosystem.

"Carmen van Vilsteren is the definition of a trailblazer", the jury said. "From pioneering microsurgical robotics to leading Health~Holland, she has fundamentally shaped the Dutch MedTech landscape. Patient impact is always first and foremost: Her motto is often cited as "Innovation for Health"; technology is meaningless if it doesn't improve quality of life. But her greatest innovation is the path she has carved for women in engineering. She didn't just break the glass ceiling; she reached back down to pull others up through mentorship and advocacy. Carmen proves that the future of technology is diverse, human-centric, and undeniably female."

From the lab to the boardroom

Van Vilsteren’s win is a recognition of a career that defies categorization. She is the embodiment of the "Triple Helix" model, having successfully navigated and connected the worlds of science (TU/e), business (Philips and Microsure), and government.

During the ceremony, the jury praised her not just for entering the male-dominated world of MedTech, but for "engineering her way to its center." Her journey began at TU Delft and moved quickly to Philips Medical Systems, where she led teams developing cardiovascular X-ray systems that have since treated millions of patients.

However, Van Vilsteren is perhaps best known for her entrepreneurial spirit. As the co-founder and former CEO of Microsure, a TU/e spin-off, she helped turn a concept for microsurgical robots into a reality: technology that stabilizes a surgeon’s hand to perform operations previously deemed impossible. It is a testament to her philosophy: technology serves humanity best when it enhances capability rather than replacing it.

Kicking open doors

Yet, tonight’s award wasn’t just for technical brilliance; it was for her relentless advocacy. Van Vilsteren has been a "Female Tech Hero" long before the term existed. When she was promoted to R&D manager at a multinational earlier in her career, she looked around and saw she was the only woman in leadership. Instead of accepting the status quo, she changed the fabric of the department.

Van Vilsteren is known for her open-door policy, famously stating that she "always says ‘yes’ to women who want to network." Beyond mentorship, she puts her money where her mouth is as an active investor in female-led startups, helping to correct the venture capital gender gap. By holding prominent positions on boards and in government, she has shattered the "imposter syndrome" for a generation of young female engineers watching her climb.

A night of winners

While Van Vilsteren took the main honor, the Fe+Male Tech Heroes awards showcased the depth of talent within the Brainport region and beyond.

• The Hidden Gem Award went to Foziyeh Sohrabi of SMART Photonics. In the complex world of integrated photonics, Sohrabi was recognized for her crucial behind-the-scenes work that powers the chips of the future.
• The Male Ally Award was presented to AJ Jagtap from ASML. Jagtap was honored for his active role in championing diversity within the semiconductor giant, proving that gender equity is a collective mission, not just a women's issue.
• The Corporate Inclusion Award was claimed by TNO. The research organization was celebrated for its systemic approach to diversity, including initiatives like the Women@TNO network, demonstrating that deep-tech research thrives best when it is inclusive.

Carmen accepted the award with the same energy and humility she brings to every challenge: “Innovation only matters when it reaches people. When it heals, when it connects, when it opens doors for others.”

Few have opened more doors.