The week of IO+: Curiosity is the fuel
Every Sunday we present an overview of the most striking reports of the previous week.
Published on April 19, 2026
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.
Sometimes progress does not begin with a business plan, but with a conversation. This week IO+ shows that innovation often arises in unexpected places: in a full hall with alumni, on a care ward that is getting stuck, in a classroom full of curious girls, or in the question of how Europe remains competitive in a world full of geopolitical pressure. From startup energy to healthcare technology and from AI to energy independence: this was the week of IO+.
Talk to strangers: every startup begins with curiosity
During the Alumni Startup Night in Eindhoven everything revolved around one theme: Curiosity Connects. Hundreds of former students of Eindhoven University of Technology, Tilburg University, JADS and TIAS School for Business and Society came together to listen to entrepreneurs who once sat in those same seats themselves. Their message was strikingly unanimous: innovation rarely begins behind a screen, but often in contact with others. Marijn van Aerle of Avendar said it succinctly: talk to strangers, that is where ideas with real impact arise.
The founders of Neople also showed how erratic entrepreneurship can be. Their original dream of a digital AI colleague turned out to be too big for its time. So they made it smaller, more concrete and more usable: a smart customer service bot. It was precisely that scaling back that made growth possible. A lesson many founders will recognize: first simplify, then scale up.
Perhaps even more important was the broader conclusion of the evening. Universities provide knowledge, talent and infrastructure, but real entrepreneurship, according to the speakers, is mainly learned by doing, failing and starting again. With the new Pre-seed XL Fund, North Brabant is now trying to better support that first vulnerable phase of startups. Curiosity thereby also gets capital behind it.
Read the report of the evening here.
But there was more.
The Titanic of healthcare
UMCG warns that healthcare is heading for an iceberg if nothing changes. Their answer: autonomous systems that relieve staff and make processes smarter. Not a luxury project, but a necessity.
Creativity in the AI era
Streaming platforms and generative AI are fundamentally changing the position of musicians. Who still earns from creativity, and who will soon own the music made by machines?
Smart beds and AI apps
At the Jaarbeurs, it became clear how fast healthcare innovation is moving. From smart beds to digital monitoring, technology is explicitly seeking out the patient.
Girls' Day opens doors
Across the Netherlands girls became acquainted with engineering and technology professions. Much needed, because the labour market of tomorrow asks for much more diverse talent.
The Netherlands independent? Search in its own soil
Can the Netherlands become less dependent on energy imports? Geothermal energy and other sources from its own soil are rapidly gaining strategic importance.
Brainport’s next test
Roger Dassen and Wayne Allan of ASML outlined a double assignment for Brainport: broaden and deepen at home, scale internationally toward Asia.
Beyond the chatbot
The next AI wave will not take place on your screen, but in the physical world. Robots, autonomous systems, and smart machines will become the real stress test for artificial intelligence.
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