Smart chess, art recognition: Fresh ideas from Strijp-TQ rooftop
Seven startup pitches, funding news and a rooftop full of energy: Drinks, Pitches & Demos is the go-to event for Brainport’s startup scene.
Published on June 7, 2025
Bart, co-founder of Media52 and Professor of Journalism oversees IO+, events, and Laio. A journalist at heart, he keeps writing as many stories as possible.
At the buzzing rooftop of Strijp-TQ in Eindhoven, entrepreneurs, investors, and tech enthusiasts gathered for a new edition of Drinks, Pitches & Demos. Host Marthe van Pijkeren (LIOC Patents & Trademarks) set the tone: “I love working in this innovative area. People are always happy when they reach out, full of great ideas that we can help protect.” Yimo Luo, a guest from the U.S., added: “As a deep tech guy who just landed in Rotterdam, everyone pointed me to Eindhoven. This event shows why: it’s one of the premier places to be.”
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The pitches: Chess, sound, art, and much more
The evening kicked off with Chessie, a wearable-tech solution designed to help chess players - amateurs and professionals alike - deal with stress and fatigue. By integrating biofeedback with chess engines, the platform offers real-time performance insights.
Do BEttR posed a bold question: why aren’t more innovations reaching the military? “Two months ago, we started from scratch. In mid-May, we had already held an event featuring 11 pitches, over 30 participants, and two knowledge institutes. A new consortium is already co-writing a grant proposal. We might even scale this to a Benelux-wide format.”
Sorama impressed with its acoustic cameras that detect, localize, and visualize sound, ideal for cities tackling noise pollution from loud vehicles. Although sales are going well, development is far from ready: “We’re looking for field locations to test our products.”
The Nest invited people to join a supportive community for early-stage founders. “No judgment, just 10 Saturdays of learning, building, and growing your idea together with experts and peers.”
ArtVista, an art-tech startup from Eindhoven, presented a tool they described as the ‘Shazam for art’. Their AI app recognizes 2D and 3D artworks, providing instant context without the need for QR codes or tour guides. “It’s an interactive, AI-powered alternative to audio guides, and a platform where artists can showcase their work.”
SynthGen showcased synthetic data for agriculture, with applications in AI training for crop and weed detection. They also shared use cases in retail and marketing, including synthetic fashion photography that eliminates the need for traditional shoots.
Scattered Data Solution addressed a very real pain point for R&D teams: scattered experimental data. “Engineers lose time trying to find or recreate past results. Our platform keeps data - plus context - in one place, so they can focus on building great hardware.”
Breaking news: €50K in startup funding
Then came the surprise of the night: the official launch of Startupvibes.nl, a new initiative offering €50,000 annually to support grassroots startup events in the region. “Think founder drinks, venture weekends, AI workshops, and even Drinks, Pitches & Demos itself. You can apply for up to €10,000 per initiative,” the announcers shared. “It’s meant to be easy. If it’s not, let us know.”
The website is now live, featuring application details, rules, and examples. “Maybe next time, we’ll have more announcements to share,” they hinted with a smile.
Growing community, growing momentum
With every new edition, Drinks, Pitches & Demos continues to build a stronger, more connected ecosystem. Whether it’s about AI-powered agriculture, sound visualization, or international innovation programs, the Strijp-TQ rooftop pulsed with ambition and potential.
Or, in the words of the U.S. visitor: “This really is one of the premier events.”