Intellectual Property Walk-in session

Monthly IP walk-in for health & hightech entrepreneurs. Are you a startup or SME in the health or hightech sector? Every month, we host a free walk-in session where you can get expert advice on Intellectual Property (IP).

Why IP matters

As an entrepreneur, protecting your ideas, technologies, and brand is crucial. Whether you’re developing medical innovations, software, or high-tech devices, having a solid IP strategy can help you secure funding, attract partners, and stay ahead of the competition. From patents and trademarks to design rights and trade secrets—knowing your options can make all the difference.

Meet Rienk Rienksma – IP Advisor at RVO

Rienk is an Intellectual Property advisor at the Netherlands Patent Office. The Netherlands Patent Office is the official body responsible for granting patents in the Netherlands. It supports startups and SMEs with questions about IP rights in the broadest sense—whether it’s patent protection, trademarks, or understanding how to safeguard your innovation roadmap.

The advice is confidential, free of charge, and completely independent—no commercial interests involved.

You’re welcome to just walk in, or if you prefer, you can make an appointment in advance.

Contact Rienk Rienksma: rienk.rienksma@rvo.nl

Global Investor Forum

Health~Holland Global Investor Forum (GIF) facilitates private capital match with promising investment-ready Biotech, MedTech, E-health and AI start-ups, scale-ups and tech transfer opportunities, providing a powerful network of life sciences entrepreneurs, formal and informal investors, physician key-opinion leaders and innovative companies executives, to discuss investment opportunities, and strengthen their business network for future partnerships.

The first day of the next edition of GIF will take place on 25 March 2026 at Kadans Accelerator in Utrecht. And the second day will take place on 26 March 2026 at Jaarbeurs Utrecht in the Beatrix Building. GIF will be held in conjunction with Innovation for Health, the leading conference in the Netherlands for Life Sciences and Health.

Entrepreneurs

Do you want to pitch your companies to leading investors and other key players in Life Sciences & Health? Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the next edition of the Global Investor Forum.

Investors
Do you want to meet the founders and CEOs of start-ups and scale-up companies in biotech, medtech and digital health and explore the investment opportunities?

“The Global Investor Forum is a great place for Life Science entrepreneurs to meet and network with peers and investors. The event offers a great mix of formal and informal meeting opportunities, and learning. Hat tip to Hyphen Projects for the organisation.”

Van juridische verplichting naar strategisch voordeel: de vier pijlers van een moderne octrooistrategie

In veel bedrijven staat de octrooistrategie los van de bedrijfsstrategie. Pas wanneer een ingenieur iets nieuws heeft ontwikkeld, wordt er contact gezocht met de octrooigemachtigden.

Die aanpak is reactief en beperkend. Octrooien worden dan vooral gezien als een verplicht nummer en al snel weggezet als kostenpost. Het gevolg: het gesprek blijft hangen bij kosten en naleving, terwijl de kansen voor waardecreatie nauwelijks worden benut.

Door verder te kijken dan alleen de defensieve functie wordt het makkelijker om de diepere waarde van octrooien te zien. Dat vraagt om een mentaliteitsverandering: van octrooien als juridische verplichting naar octrooien als veelzijdige bedrijfsmiddelen die je doelgericht inzet om commerciële resultaten te behalen.

De vier pijlers van een moderne octrooistrategie

Pijler 1: Het schild (verdediging)

Een goed opgebouwd verdedigend portfolio werkt afschrikwekkend en ontmoedigt juridische aanvallen en agressieve marktbewegingen.

Het schild is de bekendste functie van octrooien: het beschermen van kerntechnologie door exclusieve rechten vast te leggen. Maar wanneer dit ad-hoc en zonder strategische basis gebeurt, ontstaan vaak aanvragen die te makkelijk te omzeilen zijn. Het schild moet stevig én doordacht zijn om zijn rol goed te vervullen.

Pijler 2: Het zwaard (aanval)

Het zwaard staat voor het actief inzetten van octrooien om nieuwe waarde te creëren: omzet genereren, markten vormgeven en nieuwe verdienmodellen mogelijk maken.

Een bekend voorbeeld is het verlenen van licenties: anderen mogen jouw technologie gebruiken in ruil voor royalty’s of andere vergoedingen. Daarmee verandert de octrooiportefeuille van een kostenpost in een bron van nieuwe inkomstenstromen.

Pijler 3: De kroonjuwelen (waardering)

De kroonjuwelen zijn de som van alle octrooien in de portefeuille. Wanneer je octrooien actief meeneemt in de bedrijfsstrategie, vergroten ze niet alleen de waardering van het bedrijf, maar ook de aantrekkelijkheid voor investeerders, partners en mogelijke kopers. Een sterk portefeuille staat voor innovatiekracht, beschermingsniveau en langetermijnpotentieel.

Pijler 4: De brug (samenwerking)

De brug staat voor samenwerking op basis van sterke intellectuele eigendom.

Met een solide octrooi behoudt een bedrijf regie bij het kiezen van partners voor productie, marketing of distributie. Het is een manier om niet alleen anderen buiten te houden, maar juist om geschikte partijen binnen te laten, op voorwaarden die voor jou werken.

Bijvoorbeeld: samenwerken met betrouwbare distributeurs om nieuwe markten te betreden en zo de omzetstromen verder te verbreden.

Je octrooiaanpak heroverwegen

Door een modern strategisch kader te omarmen, gebaseerd op deze vier pijlers, kan een octrooistrategie veel verder reiken dan het beschermen van IE alleen. Het maakt het mogelijk om nieuwe waarde te creëren, inkomsten te diversifiëren en innovatie doelgericht te sturen.

De sleutel ligt in een andere manier van kijken: octrooien niet langer zien als pure juridische verdedigingsdocumenten, maar als strategische bedrijfsmiddelen die bijdragen aan groei.

Wil je hier meer over lezen? Bekijk dan ons e-book Hoe octrooien je bedrijfsstrategie versterken.

Download uw exemplaar van Hoe octrooien je bedrijfsstrategie versterken

SMB Network Meeting: Bridge the talent delta, connect, learn & collaborate

Date: April 13, 2026
Registration and company market: 15:30
Program: 16:00-17:00 hrs (+ networking, drinks & bites)
Location: Noviotech Campus Nijmegen, building M, Meet&Greet area

We are excited to invite you to a new edition of the SMB Network Meeting, organized in collaboration with Pharma Delta and the HAN University of Applied Molecular Life Sciences Master, featuring students from the Applied Molecular Sciences Master.

This event brings professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, and students together around the theme of Pharma. You can combine this network event with a practical workshop on Networking earlier that afternoon.

This afternoon is all about mutual discovery:

Students explore the broad and dynamic world of molecular and pharma innovation.
Companies and organisations meet the next generation of talent, not to recruit, but to understand their skills, ambitions, and fresh perspectives.
Together, we bridge the talent delta by learning what each side can offer the other.

The meeting opens with an introduction to Pharma Delta and its vision on regional talent development, followed by perspectives from MSD Animal Health and the HAN University of Applied Sciences.

You’ll then hear more about the Applied Molecular Sciences Master’s program and how its students can contribute to innovation and talent development, illustrated through a joint experience story shared by a student and a company representative.

Important: This is not an internship or recruitment event. It’s about connection, collaboration, and understanding the ecosystem.

Program

Workshop (for more information & registration please click here)
13:30-14:00 Walk-in workshop
14:00-15:30 Short workshop ‘Networking skills’ by Frank Smallegange

SMB Networking meeting (please register via the form below)
15:30-16:00 Walk-in and company market
16:00-17:00 Plenary topics
17:00-19:00 Active networking, drinks & dinner bites plus company market

Speakers

Martin van Collenburg, Supervisory board member & Executive Director Capital Investments, driving strategic investments that support innovation and growth, MSD Animal Health, Boxmeer

Harmen Neidig, Dean School of Applied Biosciences and Chemistry, HAN University of Applied Sciences

Andrea Thiele, Coordinator Master Applied Molecular Sciences at HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen.

Alyza Braamskamp, MSc. student and 2nd year Intern, MSD Animal Health, Boxmeer

Mateusz Walczk, Project Leader Poultry R&D, MSD Animal Health, Boxmeer

Good to know
Presentations are in English & the entrance is free (registration upfront is needed though). We welcome new guests, so please feel free to pass on this invitation to relevant people in your network!

Be one of the first to register for this SMB Network Meeting via this link.

Improving your networking skills

Time to work on your networking skills!

Networking is part of your job. When meeting new potential business partners, ambassadors, employers or clients, it’s essential that you can tell a compelling story tailored to your audience. This requires a combination of listening and storytelling skills. In this workshop, we’ll work on both.

This short session is especially designed for HAN Molecular Science students and the SMB Networking Meeting afterwards as a warm-up to the SMB Network meeting later that day, providing the perfect opportunity to immediately practice your newly learned networking skills. Of course, other interested participants are more than welcome to join!

We start by fine-tuning and adapting your story for any audience. Then, we practice how to tell this story effectively in a networking setting. This includes identifying the right people, starting conversations, and, just as importantly, knowing when and how to exit a conversation when it’s not the right fit. You’ll also learn when and how to follow up successfully after a meeting.

This will be an interactive & fun workshop with ample opportunities to test and refine new versions of your story and tactics. One thing is guaranteed: by the end of the session, at least 10 people in your network will be able to share a version of your story. #NetworkingStartsNow

About Frank Smallegange

Frank is a pitch coach for (technical) start-ups. Trained as a chemical engineer, he has extensive work experience as a designer and builder in IT. He is also a master of improvisation and storytelling, having taken courses from Las Vegas to Berlin. This unique combination of skills enables Frank to understand what makes a pitch successful and show you how to captivate your audience.

Location
Noviotech Campus, Transistorweg 5, Building M, Meet&Greet, Nijmegen.

Good to know
The workshop is facilitated in English and is free of charge. use the button below to register for the workshop Networking skills. And if you want to join the SMB-network meeting as well, please register via this link.

Participation in the workshop is free for everyone, including drinks and bites. However, for noshow and cancellations within 24 hours prior to the event, we will charge a fee of 15 euros (excluding VAT) to cover incurred expenses.

Lifeport Semicon Event 2026: where technology, talent and impact came together

On January 27, 2026, the Lifeport Semicon Event brought together the Dutch semiconductor ecosystem at the Goffertstadion. Industry leaders, researchers, policymakers, educators and innovators met for a day defined by depth, openness and a shared sense of urgency.

More than 400 participants explored how semiconductors shape our future, not only from a technological perspective, but also through talent development, health applications and cross-sector collaboration. What stood out was the quality of the dialogue: strategic, forward-looking and rooted in real cooperation.

From cutting-edge research to future computing

One of the highlights of the programme was the keynote on neuromorphic computing by Alexander Khajetoriaans, offering a glimpse into how brain-inspired chip architectures could radically change the way we process information. His talk illustrated how fundamental research and semiconductor innovation are increasingly intertwined, and how Europe can play a leading role in this next wave of computing.

Across plenary sessions and deep-dive tracks, themes such as AI, advanced chip design, strategic resilience and Europe’s technological autonomy returned time and again, underlining the importance of long-term investment in both knowledge and people.

Innovation Square: where technology meets creativity and entrepreneurship

At the heart of the event, the Innovation Square showcased the region’s innovative strength. Entrepreneurs presented cutting-edge semiconductor applications alongside artistic interpretations of chip technology and its history. This unique combination of startups, scale-ups and art made abstract technology tangible and sparked conversations well beyond traditional sector boundaries.

The presence of students and young professionals, also actively involved in organisation, hospitality and content, further reinforced the event’s focus on learning, growth and future talent.

Semiconductors as an enabler for health and society

A recurring theme throughout the day was the crucial role semiconductors play in healthcare and life sciences. From medical devices and diagnostics to data-driven care and sustainable health systems, advanced chips are a key enabler of innovation in health. By explicitly connecting semicon technology with health applications, the programme highlighted why collaboration between these domains is essential for societal impact.

A shared ambition for the Lifeport region

The Lifeport Semicon Event made clear that the Arnhem–Nijmegen region is not only part of the semiconductor conversation, it actively shapes it. With strong research institutions, an engaged public sector and a growing innovation ecosystem, the region demonstrated its ability to connect strategy, execution and talent.

Above all, the event showed the power of bringing the right people together in the right setting. The atmosphere of trust and openness turned ambition into concrete steps forward.

With this first edition, the Lifeport Semicon Event set a strong foundation for the future. Building on this momentum, the community will continue to strengthen collaboration, invest in talent and work towards a resilient, innovative and impactful semiconductor ecosystem.

Meeting Your Peers Engineers #7 Deep Dive into Photonics: fundamentals, applications and opportunities

Deep Dive into Photonics: fundamentals, applications and opportunities
With Carol de Vries (PhotonDelta)

Photonics is one of the key enabling technologies shaping the future of high-tech systems. By using light instead of electrons to generate, transport and detect signals, photonics unlocks new possibilities in speed, accuracy and energy efficiency.

In this edition of Meeting Your Peers Engineers, we invite engineers and technical specialists to join a deep dive into photonics: what it is, what you can do with it, and why it matters for industries such as semicon, sensing, medical technology , automotive ,agrifood , quantum and next-generation communication.

This session is designed for engineers who want to go beyond the buzzwords and gain a clear technical understanding of photonics and its real-world impact.

Why Photonics?
Photonics is rapidly moving from niche technology to large-scale application. Through Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), photonic functionality can be integrated into chip-based systems, enabling new generations of compact, high-performance solutions.

The Netherlands plays a leading role in this field through PhotonDelta, which is accelerating the integrated photonics ecosystem and supporting industrialization and scaling of photonic chip technologies.

What to expect
During this deep dive, Carol de Vries will provide a technical and application-focused introduction to photonics, including:

What photonics is and how it differs from electronics
Key building blocks of photonic systems and integrated photonics
What Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) are and how they enable new applications
Current and emerging applications across multiple high-tech domains
Q&A with the audience and space for technical discussion

Who should attend?
This session is especially relevant for:

Engineers and technical specialists working in semicon, high-tech and engineering
R&D teams exploring next-generation technologies and system innovation
Professionals working on sensing, communication, data-intensive systems or hardware innovation
Anyone who wants a clear and technical understanding of photonics and its applications

About the speaker
Carol de Vries – PhotonDelta
Carol de Vries has a long track record in the high-tech industry and has been part of PhotonDelta since 2019. He previously served as CTO of PhotonDelta and has played a key role in the ecosystem’s technical strategy, including technical due diligence, strategic roadmapping and thought leadership around integrated photonics.

Within PhotonDelta, he is currently active as Chief Strategy & Startup Support (previously CTO), focusing on supporting integrated photonics startups and strengthening the ecosystem strategy.

Carol brings over 40 years of experience in the electronics industry, including management and executive roles at organizations such as Philips and NXP, working across markets like automotive, datacom and healthcare. He holds a Master’s degree in Physics from Eindhoven University of Technology.

Programme

11:30 – 11:45 Walk-in & registration
11:45 – 12:45 Deep Dive
12:45 – 12:50 Q&A and wrap-up
12:50 – 13:15 Lunch & knowledge exchange

Location
Noviotech Campus, Building M, Meet&Greet

Registration
Participation is free, but registration is required. Sign up here.

Recap: Briskr Company Valuation workshop

Yesterday, we hosted another successful edition of the Briskr Company Valuation Workshop, an important step in the trajectory towards pitching at the Business Angels Network Nijmegen (BANN) in March. A diverse group of entrepreneurs joined: founders who have already pitched at BANN, those preparing for an upcoming pitch, and others eager to strengthen their investment readiness. Together, they created an open, energetic atmosphere where sharing experiences and learning from each other came naturally.

Sjoerd Klabbers (BDO Tax & Legal) guided participants through the fundamentals of startup valuation. Determining a company’s worth is rarely simple, especially when emotions, early-stage uncertainty and a mix of valuation methods all come into play. Sjoerd broke down the essentials, offering practical tools to help founders understand their value drivers, prepare for investor conversations, and set the right conditions for future deals.

In the second part of the workshop, Björn Schaap (Oost NL) invited participants to step into the investor’s shoes. What do investors really look for? How do they assess a business case, and what do they expect from entrepreneurs, not just today but once they become shareholders? His session emphasized alignment and long-term partnership: it’s not about claiming the biggest slice of the pie, but about working together to make the pie grow.

As always at Briskr events, the networking moments proved just as valuable as the content. Entrepreneurs exchanged challenges, insights, and experiences, strengthening the community that helps fuel innovation in our region. A big thank you to all participants, and to Sjoerd and Björn for sharing their expertise. We look forward to seeing these founders take their next steps!

We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to Sjoerd Klabbers, who has delivered this workshop with dedication and expertise three times a year since 2023. His insights have been invaluable to countless entrepreneurs preparing for their next growth step.

€ 13,8 miljoen beschikbaar voor startups vanuit onderzoeksinstellingen

Defensie wil dat onderzoeksinstellingen hun dual-use kennis naar de markt brengen. Zo kan op den duur ook de krijgsmacht ervan profiteren. Er komt € 13,8 miljoen euro beschikbaar voor de oprichting van dual-use startups. Die gaan zich richten op high-tech ontwikkelingen voor zowel militaire als civiele toepassingen.

De nieuwe startups moeten betrekking hebben op een van de 5 defensiethema’s. Dat zijn: slimme materialen, ruimtevaarttechnologie, quantumtechnologie, intelligente systemen en sensoren. Binnen het programma zullen verschillende kennisinstellingen met elkaar samenwerken. Door van elkaars expertise gebruik te maken zijn ze in staat om innovatie sneller naar de markt te brengen.

Van kennis naar praktijk

De subsidie valt onder de bestaande subsidieregeling Thematische Technology Transfer (TTT). Deze regeling is bedoeld om kennis uit onderzoek sneller om te zetten in praktische oplossingen. Vanuit het programma worden innovatievouchers uitgekeerd aan startende ondernemers. Bijvoorbeeld om hun innovatie door te ontwikkelen naar een product. Daarnaast krijgen de nieuwe bedrijven vanuit het programma begeleiding en ondersteuning in het ondernemerschap. Verder wordt er in samenwerking met particuliere investeringsmaatschappijen een fonds opgericht. Daaruit kunnen de startups een eerste investering krijgen. Dat startkapitaal maakt het mogelijk om te blijven ontwikkelen en door te groeien.

Consortia van kennisinstellingen kunnen nog tot en met 15 april hun aanvraag voor een TTT programma indienen.

Meer informatie

De TTT-tender Defensie is een samenwerking tussen het ministerie van Defensie en de Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO). Meer informatie over de regeling en de voorwaarden is te vinden via RVO.