HYBRIDE INTELLIGENTIE

a symbiosis of AI and humans

AI outperforming humans has become a source of anxiety, a feeling that only intensified upon last year’s introduction of stunning generative AI’s such as ChatGPT, Bing Chat and Dall-E. It is however no secret that humans and AI’s function differently. AI excels in pattern recognition or gathering and finding rules to sort extremely large amounts of data, while evolution has set us apart in our ability to draw complex parallels, structure knowledge and integrate it in the world we live in, to adapt and collaborate with others. A likelier and much less dystopian scenario to AI taking over is therefore the one of ‘hybrid intelligence’, where artificial and human intelligence complement each other in a symbiotic way. The realization of such a symbiosis brings serious R&D challenges and requires AI to explicitly take people, humanity and sometimes even biases into account, calling for explainability (no black box), reciprocity, social skills and awareness of cultural diversity, values and ethics. A symbiosis that might in turn give us the opportunity to grow and to learn more about ourselves.

To address the many different research questions a great variety of experts in the Netherlands have teamed up in the Hybrid Intelligence Centre. On Wednesday November 15 two of its prominent members will be guests in the Science Café to present the HI project and delve deeper into associated key scientific and philosophical questions. Professor in Human-Centered Computing Mark Neerincx (TUD, TNO) will elaborate on the concepts and research related to ‘mutualistic symbiosis’ and the co-development of human and artificial intelligence, illustrated by his work on social robots. Professor in Ethics and Technology Ibo van de Poel (TUD) will introduce us to the fundamental philosophical differences between AI and humans and how they shape their intricate interaction. Can AI systems integrate properties such as intentionality, moral agency, and responsibility? Can we trust such systems and to which extent shall we stay in control? During this evening, indie-electronica wizard Jaro will let us experience live how exciting a human-machine symbiosis can sound.

scientists /8pm Mark Neerincx (TUD, TNO) and Ibo van de Poel (TUD)

music /7.30pm Jaro

moderator Maïté Tjon A Hie

time Wednesday November 15th 2023, 7.30/8 – 10 pm
venue The Shamrock, Smetiusstraat 17 in Nijmegen

admission free admission (no reservation)

language Dutch

info www.sciencecafenijmegen.nl

Avantor Meet&Greet @Noviotech Campus

Let us introduce ourselves and tell you more about the extensive product range we offer from the leading distributors in Life Science research.

With VWR as the convenient purchasing channel, Avantor provides single-source access for all the solutions you need.

Several suppliers will be present, with expertise in Life Science. Do not hesitate to stop by and ask us anything!

LOCATION

You can walk-in in the Meet&Greet in Building M at Noviotech Campus in Nijmegen during 10:00 and 14:00hrs.

CONTACT

Liz Fransman

Product Specialist Life Science
+316 899 220 81
liz.fransman@avantorsciences.com

Derde Radboudumc Investment Day opnieuw druk bezocht

Op 12 oktober vond voor de derde keer de Radboudumc Investment Day plaats. Wetenschappers, ondernemers en investeerders uit de life sciences & health sector kwamen bij elkaar in het Radboudumc Experience om kennis uit te wisselen, te netwerken en te praten over nieuwe samenwerkingen.

Het evenement werd gezamenlijk georganiseerd door Briskr, Oost NL, Radboudumc en Radboud Universiteit. CFO Mark Janssen opende het evenement als gastheer namens Radboudumc. “Als Radboudumc willen wij een significant impact on health en healthcare hebben. Dat kunnen we niet alleen; dat doen we samen met ondernemers en investeerders. We hopen dus ook op deze dag dat er veel nieuwe connecties worden gelegd en nieuwe ideeën ontstaan, die uiteindelijk tot waardevolle verbeteringen leiden voor patiënten en de maatschappij.”

Hoge opkomst

Het animo voor het evenement was groot. Er waren bijna 200 deelnemers aanwezig, zo’n 60% meer dan bij de vorige editie. Alle doelgroepen waren ook ruim vertegenwoordigd. Naast presentaties van experts uit het veld konden de deelnemers dit jaar ook productdemonstraties bekijken van negen innovatieve ondernemers.

De keynote speaker dit jaar was Nettie Buitelaar, CEO van Biotech Booster. Zij raakte een snaar bij het publiek met de observatie dat Nederland goed scoort bij wetenschappelijke kennisontwikkeling en patentaanvragen in de biotechsector, maar onderaan bungelt als het gaat om het vertalen van die kennis naar succesvolle producten en bedrijven. Het Biotech Booster-programma hoopt dat laatste te gaan verhelpen.

Tussendoor maakten veel deelnemers gebruik van de mogelijkheid om 1-op-1 gesprekken te hebben, die van te voren en tijdens het evenement ingepland konden worden via een matching tool. Eén van de aanwezigen, CEO Hans Platteeuw van Galenicap, had zelfs al een succesverhaal te melden: “Ik ben vorig jaar op dit evenement mijn investeerder tegenkomen. Nu ben ik hier om zelf te kijken of ik andere mensen verder kan helpen met hun idee.”

Lars Boogaard wint postercompetitie

De Investment Day kende dit jaar voor het eerst een postercompetitie. De inzendingen werden niet alleen op hun wetenschappelijke kwaliteit beoordeeld, maar ook op hun potentieel uiteindelijk tot een succesvol product uit te groeien. Promovendus Lars Boogaard won de competitie met zijn concept voor een aanpasbaar pessarium dat door gebruikers zelf in de juiste vorm te brengen is. Hij ontving een stimulatieprijs van 2500 euro voor zijn idee.

Brug slaan tussen wetenschap en ondernemerschap

Dagvoorzitter Martijn Kriens, programmamanager bij Briskr en mede-initiatiefnemer van het evenement, benadrukte bij de afsluitende paneldiscussie nogmaals het belang van goed contact tussen alle drie de doelgroepen. “Sommige investeerders doen niets anders dan honderden businessplannen lezen die ze opgestuurd krijgen, in de hoop dat er een keer iets goeds tussen zit. En sommige wetenschappers produceren in hun leven honderden peer-reviewed artikelen, zonder dat er ooit in de praktijk iets met hun kennis wordt gedaan. Mijn hoop is dat zij vaker én eerder met elkaar in gesprek gaan, zodat ze elkaar beter gaan begrijpen en in afstemming met elkaar toewerken naar impact op onze maatschappij, ook in de periode tussen de evenementen door, want een nieuwe datum is reeds gepland; woensdag 9 oktober 2024.”

Improving your networking skills

Time to work on your networking skills!
Networking is part of your job. When meeting new potential business partners, ambassadors or clients it is essential that you can tell a story about your proposition especially for this audience. This requires a combination of listening and storytelling skills. In this workshop we’ll work on both.

We start with finetuning and adapting your story for any audience. Then we practice how to tell this story to the right people in a networking setting. First defining the right people and then finding out how to get into a conversation with them and maybe even more important getting out when they turn out not to be the right fit. And how/when do you succesfully follow-up on the meeting?

This will be an interactive workshop with ample opportunity to try out new versions of your stories and tactics to tell them. One thing is guaranteed; At the end of the workshop there will be at least 10 people in your network who can tell a version of your story. #networkingstartsnow

About Frank Smallegange
Frank is the pitch coach for (technical) start-ups. He was trained as a chemical engineer and has extensive work experience as a designer and builder in IT. He is also a master of improvisation and storytelling. For this, he took courses from Las Vegas to Berlin. This combination makes that Frank understands what a pitch is about and he can show you how to engage an audience.

Good to know
We finish off with drinks & bites. Participation in the workshop is free for everyone, including drinks and bites.

However, for cancellations within 24 hours prior to the event, we will charge a fee of 15 euros (excluding VAT) to cover incurred expenses.

Please register upfront!

Location

Meet&Greet in Building M, Noviotech Campus, Transistorweg 5, Nijmegen

Partnering and Business Models in Precision Medicine

Thu 16 November | 11:00 – 18:00 hours | Utrecht, the Netherlands & Virtual

Bringing a precision medicine solution to patients, comes with a unique set of challenges, especially for early-stage life sciences companies. A key question is who is going to pay for your innovation and which business model supports the execution of such a revenue structure. Additionally, you may have to navigate complex collaborations between pharma, academia and government. Join startups, established companies, key opinion leaders as well as J&J experts in precision medicine as we discuss these unique challenges.

Early innovators, academic researchers, and entrepreneurs are welcome to register here https://jji.jnj/3ZxErKL. We also welcome stakeholders supporting these startups.

EuroPAT 2023

The European Packaging, Assembly, and Test Workshop 2023 took place on September 6-7 in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Organized by Sencio BV, Oliver Maiwald and Steffen Kröhnert the event aimed to foster collaboration and mutual engagement across the semiconductor packaging supply chain.
Key discussions included market trends, industry capabilities, and advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening the European semiconductor packaging ecosystem.

An exhibition space offered companies a platform to showcase
their innovations and services. Alongside the technical sessions, attendees had opportunities for networking and business development, capped off by a social evening event for more informal interactions.

With a range of registration options, including special packages for ESiPAT-TC members, the event was accessible to professionals at various stages of their career. Keep an eye out for future editions of this increasingly significant European workshop.

GUT BACTERIA AND BRAIN HEALTH: CHICKEN OR EGG?

You carry trillions of bacteria with you, which is even more than the amount of human cells. Most of them are living in the gut, with everyone having their own personal mixture. Although bacteria may have a negative connotation, your gut microbiota lives in symbiosis with your body. They not only help you digest food, the microbiota can influence your cognition through the gut-brain axis. This axis communicates in two ways; from your gut to your brain and vice versa. The communication goes via hormones, metabolites and the immune system. But exactly how does this bidirectional connection work?

In the Science Café on Monday the 9th of October, we will explore the gut-brain axis in health and disease with neuroscientist Esther Aarts (RU) and microbiologist Clara Belzer (WUR). The research of Aarts focuses on the brain end of the axis. She explores how cognitive and motivational functions are mediated through this axis in diseases such as ADHD and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. She is also interested in the neural mechanisms underlying eating behavior. At the gut end of the axis, Belzer studies the role of gut microbiota and their composition in the maintenance of health throughout life. Moreover, she investigates health interventions using pre- or probiotics in ADHD, obesity and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. In symbiosis with the speakers, the Epoxy Quartet will charm us with their lyrical melodies and improvisational skills. So, follow your gut feeling to this edition of the Science Café!

scientists /8pm Esther Aarts (RU) and Clara Belzer (WUR)

music /7.30pm Epoxy Quartet

moderator Sijbrand de Jong

time Monday October 9th 2023, 7.30/8 – 10 pm
venue The Shamrock, Smetiusstraat 17 in Nijmegen

admission free admission (no reservation)

language English

info www.sciencecafenijmegen.nl

Economische Visie – Kans voor Nijmegen

Op 5 oktober organiseert Gemeente Nijmegen weer een #kansvoornijmegen bijeenkomst voor #ondernemend Nijmegen.

Deze keer is het thema #impact maken, met in het programma onder andere: Joske Paumen van Start Foundation, Joke Westra van Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen én de uitreiking van de Impact Awards!

Wethouder John Brom nodigt iedereen van harte uit en doet een oproep: “Omdat samenwerking van cruciaal belang is, vraag ik u om voor deze editie een ‘young potential’ mee te nemen uit uw netwerk.”

Kom dus massaal en meld je aan via deze link: https://lnkd.in/eSdn8aV6

Datum: donderdag 5 oktober 2023
Locatie: De Vasim Nijmegen, Vasim Events
Tijd: 16:30 uur – 18:30 uur, netwerkborrel tot 20:00 uur.

Kadans Innovation Summit ’23

Thriving innovations within Science Clusters

Welcome to the Kadans Innovation Summit: a unique event dedicated to fostering collaboration within the Life Sciences & Health, Agri & Food, Energy, and Digital Economy. Our lineup of Kadans community members, all experts in their field, will take you on a journey of their success stories within Science Clusters. These clusters are more than just locations – these are ecosystems brimming with opportunities, driving progress in innovation.

Kadans connects ambitions with resources, connecting you to talent, research and capital within these thriving ecosystems. During the Kadans Innovation Summit, we will showcase inspiring examples of companies flourishing within Science Clusters. Because at Kadans, we believe in empowering your journey within the heart of innovation.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect, learn, and ignite your innovation journey.

Program November 8, 2023

12:30 – 13:00 Walk-in afternoon programme

13:00 – 14:30 Start plenary programme

14:30 – 15:30 Afternoon subsessions

15:30 – 15:45 Short break

15:45 – 16:45 Plenary closing programme

16:45 – 18:00 Drinks

Location: At the Park Rijswijk. Kessler Park 1 | 2288 GS Rijswijk | The Netherlands | +31 (0)411 625 625 |

If you want to join, please contact: innovationsummit@kadans.com

BANN, Business Angels Network Nijmegen

The Business Angels Network Nijmegen (BANN) is an initiative from Briskr and OostNL to connect angel investors with promising startups in health and hightech in the metropole region Arnhem-Nijmegen. In three events per year 12 startups in total are giving the opportunity to pitch their business idea and investment opportunity to an audience of interested investors. The normal range of investment is between 50K to 300K but in some cases a combination can be made with other investment channels. The event is invite only.

The meetings are held a Slot Doddendael in Ewijk (next to Nijmegen), start around 16:00 and are combined with dinner until 20:00.

For investors

The BANN is a network of 100+ investors interested in health and hightech sectors. Of these normally around 40 investors are present during the meetings. Before the meeting you will receive information about the startups to determine if a visit is justified. Beside the investment opportunities the BANN is also a social gathering including plenty of opportunity to network with other angels during dinner.

Interested investors and startups can contact Martijn Kriens (martijn.kriens@briskr.nl)