‘Startups are needed to explore AI's uncharted territory’
According to Deputy Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, we need to give startups in AI the space to grow.
Published on September 10, 2025
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AI offers opportunities to accelerate innovation. It provides solutions to social problems and increases labor productivity. Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, Deputy for Economy, Talent Development & Finance at the province of North Brabant, lists several advantages. Together with Erasmus Enterprise, Braventure, and IO+, the province is organizing the second edition of the AI Pitch Competition. Participants in this competition receive guidance to further develop their innovation.
On stage
Looking back on last year's AI Pitch Competition, Van Gruijthuijsen notes that it was a dazzling event, with ten promising startups on stage. “The best success of the previous competition is that this time we received more than 40 entries.”
According to Van Gruijthuijsen, a pitch competition is also a good fit for technology: dynamic, short, concise, and creative. At the same time, the competition offers a stage where multiple aspects come together. Van Gruijthuijsen says, “It's a platform to show appreciation for the startups. In addition, people in the audience can check out the themes that are playing out within AI. It might also attract potential investors or customers. A simple and accessible way to connect.”
Martijn van Gruijthuijsen
Balanced course
For Van Gruijthuijsen, there is no question that AI will play a role in the future. It is a given. “Given global developments, it is also necessary to use AI. The Netherlands must keep pace to ensure our companies remain competitive and leading.”
According to the director, it is important for the Netherlands and Europe to pursue a balanced course. “We must not be blind to the downside of AI: to what is going on with algorithms and the influence of those big tech companies. It is important not to react reflexively and want to set everything in stone, but rather to make and keep it safe and reliable, and to allow room for further development.”
European regulations such as the EU AI Act, which classifies AI according to risk, and the AI Continent Action Plan, which aims to lead the world in AI, contribute to that balanced course. At the national level, the Dutch government has established its vision on generative AI, which focuses on safety, fairness, human autonomy, and sustainability.
Gaining momentum
According to Van Gruijthuijsen, there are great examples of companies striving for social impact with AI. It accelerates drug development and enables personalized care. “AI can make better diagnoses than a specialist can see on an X-ray. AI will certainly yield great results in making calculations and predictions. Not only in healthcare, but also in the areas of smart mobility and sustainability.”
Supporting entrepreneurs
North Brabant helps entrepreneurs discover the opportunities offered by AI, including with data coaches that the province deploys in the field of digitization. Additionally, there is the SIR scheme, which is subsidized by the province, Brainport Eindhoven, Midpoint Brabant, B-Wise (REWIN), and the Development of Agrifood Capital. This scheme stimulates innovation among companies in Brabant. The Brabant Development Agency (BOM) and the Brabant startup fund also offer opportunities to further innovations with AI. With Brabant.ai, an AI community is also being created in Brabant, to which some 130 companies are already affiliated.
A competition like the AI Pitch Competition is a great opportunity to draw attention to the startups that are already working with AI, says Van Gruijthuijsen. “These are not only companies in Brabant: it also acts as a magnet for startups outside Brabant.”
“We need startups to explore the uncharted territory of this new technology,” says Van Gruijthuijsen. “Startups are not hindered by cumbersome large organizational structures. They are entrepreneurs who see creative opportunities and dare to take risks. This often leads to surprising solutions to the challenges we face.”
The application deadline for startups was August 29. The most promising startups will be selected for a coaching program leading up to the final on November 13. The winners of the latest edition will then be announced. The winner will receive €50,000, while the runners-up will receive €35,000 and €25,000 respectively. The public can also vote: the winner of the Audience Award will receive €10,000.
