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ECsens has won the 4TU Impact Challenge. The start-up from the University of Twente is designing sensitive sensors for a faster diagnosis of cancer. This year, for the first time, the technical universities in the Netherlands have organized a joint innovation competition where students can showcase their groundbreaking solutions to social problems. The winner will go together with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of companies on a trade mission to the World Expo in Dubai.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance that we have got to take,” says Pepijn Beekman in response to his ECsens company’s victory. “It’s great that it was a success.” His aim with this start-up is to ensure that every patient can be given personalized treatment. A major elimination round preceded the final in the Zuiderstrand Theater in The Hague. The technical universities in Eindhoven, Delft, Twente and Wageningen had each held their own preliminary rounds last spring. A total of around 800 students took part in the competitions, 80 teams per TU. In the end, sixteen finalists made it through.
One of the reasons why the independent jury chose the Twente start-up was because their product solves a major social problem. It has the potential to have an impact on the lives of many people. Nevertheless, jury chair Esther van Someren, deputy general of the Dutch consulate in Dubai, admitted that it was a tough decision.
Each and every one of the teams has brilliant solutions for social problems. For example, from more efficient healthcare with eye tests at home, to the smart repair of coral reefs. The food industry and the impending food shortage are also popular themes. As an example, students researched the substitution of meat with insects as a way to get sufficient protein. Another team devised practical products with a clear goal. Such as a tool for recognizing PTSD symptoms in aid workers and care providers early on. This would mean that employers, for instance, could offer professional help at an earlier stage. Or a toy train that grows along with children as it teaches them programming in a playful way.
LoCoMoGo’s pitch, the play- and programming train © Cindy Langenhuijsen
A few months ago, the students received pitch training so that they could present their story in a clear and concise manner. “The students had demonstrated in the preliminary rounds that their idea has potential in technical fields. But transferring that idea is a profession in its own right,” Pitch Academy trainer Nathalie Mangelaars told IO at the time. “To do that, students need to get out of their comfort zone.” The students learned to pitch in three different ways: for journalists, politicians and the general public during the final. At the end of the training, students stated that explaining the idea in a simple way is not always easy, but it is important.
You can read more about the pitch bootcamp here.
Prior to the final e-pitches, a number of students handed over their ideas to the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at the Binnenhof, the Dutch parliament building. “Rutte was open to our ideas and asked several questions,” says Beekman. Now there is hope among the technical universities that the Dutch government will actually invest more in innovation. According to Robert-Jan Smits, chairman of the Executive Board at TU/e, this will not nearly be enough. He would find it a good move if, for example, the government were to support start-ups through incubation programs.
© Cindy Langenhuijsen
“We want to remain at the forefront of innovation and technological development in the Netherlands,” says Victor van der Chijs, chairman of the 4TU collaboration. “It is essential to continue to invest in young talent and the innovations they come up with. The social importance of this is tremendous. Moreover, companies are eager to get in touch with young talent who are able to shape the future and who can work well together.”
Eindhoven University of Technology does this together with TU/e innovation Space, among other things. Student teams, start-ups and companies can meet each other and work together on innovative solutions for social problems through this community. Four teams from this community participated in the 4TU Impact Challenge. For example, Team RED is making a model for quickly providing insight into changes within the field of sustainable energy. Team CORE is building an incinerator that recycles metal which is becoming increasingly scarce. Intense Keyboards is designing a pressure-sensitive keyboard that helps to recognize stress-related complaints more quickly. And SpaceSea came up with a solution for the impending food shortage using seaweed.
Read more on TU/e innovation Space here.
Robert-Jan Smits is convinced that being part of a student team is a worthwhile experience within a study program. “I daresay that students learn more in one year in a student team than in two years during their regular studies,” he tells IO at the end of the event. He emphasizes that gaining knowledge is extremely important, but that students in student teams develop other skills such as presentation, communication and solution-oriented thinking.
In his opinion, these skills are also crucial when the students eventually start working for a company. This is one of the reasons why Eindhoven University actively involves companies in the creation of student teams. One of the partners is ASML. Herman Boon also gave a speech on behalf of ASML during the event, which focused on the start-up mentality they started out with. “It’s great that ASML still continues to show and cherish that,” says Smits. “Companies have to contribute to student teams because it is about their future employees in many cases.”
Things are looking good for that future. Smits: “Of the hundred ideas from students, perhaps only two or three actually reach the market. These are the companies that will really change the market and society.”
© Cindy Langenhuijsen
The 4TU Impact Challenge is part of the overall cooperation between the four Dutch technical universities. They are joining forces with a view to making optimal use of knowledge and creativity in the technology sector. They are doing this in the areas of education, research and knowledge valorization. This event is an example when it comes to the knowledge valorization category. The students transfer the knowledge that they have gained back to society through start-ups and student teams. Their products and services contribute to solving social problems.
Wauw, what a first edition this is: students have blown us away by presenting their – unprepared – pitch during the kick-off meeting, they’ve been chatting and speed dating with our partners as if it was an everyday job, and they’ve created their own business plans from scratch – well with a little help of TU Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship and our business panel. So, we must say that we are very impressed with each and everyone of you!
Via the many chats that were started in the first two months of the Contest students have grabbed the chance to introduce themselves and their project to our partners. But it was only until the speed dates where they actually got to meet for the first time. Rounding off to about 140 speed dates, we feel this was a great success!
As the final event of the first edition of the TU Delft Ideation Contest draws nearer and nearer, the selection jury had one final, and one might say impossible, task left.
It’s time to announce who will get the chance to impress the partners, the grand jury, and the rest of the audience. It’s time to announce who made it to the top 20.
These projects and students will be battling for amazing opportunities and prizes during the final event on the 11th of June. Curious? Reserve your seat and don’t miss this spectacular battle https://www.tudelftcontest.nl/finale
Let us just say that selecting 20 projects was not an easy task and if you don’t see the name of your project below, this still means that you are doing a great job and we would like to invite you to join us again next year!
For now: congratulations to the following contestants with your well-deserved spot in the final:
Ideation
Customized neck pain treatment device
Efesto
Dr. Medical
Funbook
Muumba
Sleep quality of patients in hospitals
Sparky : Smart Parkinson's Monitoring Device
V-Art-Exibition
Wrist Mounted Shock Absorber
iDRIVE - Mobility Solutions using smart technology for efficient traffic grid
Prototyping
AspecTU
iFEM
LineGuard
REFlex
Rock-N-Roo
DAEDALUS
Glimp
Gamification of Static Analysis Tools
Quantum Energy & Engineering
Roboxxy
Wildcards:
Reefy
sitWolf
Finalists, please check your email to see which steps you’ll need to follow next!
Good luck and see you soon!
TU Delft’s Ideation Contest has started. TU Delft students have until mid-May to submit their brilliant idea. They will then get support and advice for the finals in June.
The TU Delft Ideation Contest is a student competition for individuals and teams of up to six persons. You can submit your solutions for societal problems. The organisation is looking for innovations in the areas of energy, the built environment, food security and medical technology. The Contest is a proven concept at the Universities of Eindhoven and Twente which receive about 100 submissions a year. This year, TU Delft and Wageningen University are joining in. The national final is in June.
There are two levels in the contest.
The first 30 submissions will receive EUR 50. All finalists will be awarded EUR 250 to work on the presentation of their idea. The winners of the university final in both categories will be awarded EUR 5,000. There will be a national final after the summer.
Gertjan de Werk, an engineer at the Valorisation Centre brought the contest to TU Delft. “We need a lot of inspiration to deal with the transitions that await us. I see that the students have plenty of ideas and this contest gives them the chance to further work out those ideas.”
Many of the modules complement the contest well, De Werk says. He names Sustainability into Practice, Clean Tech Business Study, and Ideation Contest. Apart from the TU Delft Ideation Contest, there are comparable contests at the Universities of Eindhoven, Twente and Wageningen.
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