“What is the role of universities within the startup ecosystem?” 

This question will be the focus of an interactive panel discussion during the Venture Vibes event on September 29 at Startup Village. The event marks the official launch of four Amsterdam Venture Studio locations at the Amsterdam universities: Startup Village (UvA Science Park), VU Incubator, HvA 10k Incubator and AMC AHTI.

As a university incubator based at Amsterdam Science Park, we have seen many bright minds pass through the ACE Incubation Program. Researchers, MSc’s, Postdocs and professors have been among ambitious founders of innovative tech and science-based companies such as Scyfer (recently acquired by Qualcomm), LUMICKS, Radically Open Security and many more.

We strongly believe that creating a dedicated environment within the universities where innovation can thrive, empowers academics to acquire the right skills and network to start and grow impactful companies.

Allocated incubator spaces have also been created at other Amsterdam campuses at VU Amsterdam, Hogeschool van Amsterdam and AMC AHTI, collectively named the ‘Amsterdam Venture Studios‘. The Venture Vibes event takes place on the closing day of Amsterdam Capital Week 2017.

Meet our panel

Constantijn van Oranje

Special Envoy of the Netherlands for StartupDelta2020. Constantijn van Oranje was appointed the role of Startup Envoy in July 2016, succeeding Neelie Kroes. Prins Constantijn is an advisor of corporate innovation and co-initiator of Startup Fest Europe. He is also director of ‘Digital Technology and Macro Strategy’ at MAP in London and a member of the ‘High level group of innovators’, a group of independent advisors of the European Commission on tapping into new markets through research and innovation programs.

Vinod Subramaniam

Rector Magnificus VU Amsterdam, chairman of IXA board. Vinod Subramaniam was appointed as Rector Magnificus in September 2015. Creating the best possible environment for excellent education and research are high on his agenda. Vinod is a board member of the Netherlands Physical Society and a member of the FOM commission for more female scientists in the Dutch field of physics. He is also program leader of the FOM program: “A Single Molecule View on Protein Aggregation”.

Wiebe Draijer

Chairman of the Board of Directors at Rabobank. Wiebe Draijer took the position as Chairman of the Board at Rabobank in March 2014. He previously chaired the Social Economic Board (SER) from 2012-2014, succeeding Alexander Rinnooy Kan, and was a member of the innovation platform for government and experts which aimed to stimulate entrepreneurship and innovation in the Netherlands. He worked as a consultant with McKinsey until 2003 when he became director of the institution.

Olivier Heyning

CEO at LUMICKS. Olivier Heyning is co-founder and CEO of LUMICKS, a spin-off from VU University founded in 2014. LUMICKS develops instruments that enable the disruptive techniques of live measurement and imaging of interactions at the single-molecule level, which is key for the prevention and cure of cancer and other diseases. Live observation and measurement at the molecular level is game changing, and LUMICKS aims to make these technologies available to biologists worldwide.       

Other activities at the Venture Vibes event will include an exclusive interview with Kajsa Ollongren (substitute Mayor of Amsterdam) and meet & greets with the Amsterdam incubators and their affiliated startups and scale-ups.

Image: Equinix AM4 opening.