The Dutch 4TU Tech Startups Podcast

On the day before Hello Tomorrow 2026, the Dutch delegation gathers to kick-off the mission on home turf. During the Orange Welcome Drinks, Vera talks to startups about what they want to get out of Hello Tomorrow and speaks with figureheads about the importance of summits like these. With: Kees Franken (Sabratha, UT) Constantijn van Oranje (Techleap) Shahriar Mirpour (Gelion Care, TU/e) Renato Cal...

It's been rather quiet here... And there's a reason for that. And no: this podcast is not dead. More to come! 

Sweaty palms, quivering voice... Pitching isn't always easy. So how do you go about it - especially when there's €10K at stake? Bekk Blando (Thoughtful Oasis, UT), Anne Vortkamp (CARAPAX), and Shahriar Mirpour (Gelion Care, TU/e) were among the lucky teams selected to pitch in the 10K Pitch Competition. The day after they delivered their pitch for the judges - and right before the start...

What’s it like to participate in a student challenge? How does it work? And how does it feel to pitch your idea in front of a live audience and a panel of judges? Three student teams from different universities talk about their experiences with the 4TU Impact Challenge.  Wouter van Amelsvoort (SimplyPill, UT), Jolke Beijnvoort (Vindi Biosystems, TU Delft), and Daniel Panigori Simanjuntak (Sea2Skin...

International missions can be overwhelming - even so much that you can't make it to a podcast recording session. Tim Tiek (Brilliance RGB - UT) & Rabih Hamid (maxairea - WUR) joined the mission to Hello Tomorrow in Paris. Now, several months later during Enschede Slush'D, they look back on the mission and the steps taken afterwards.  This episode was recorded during Enschede Slush&ap...

What is necessary for successful deep tech transfer in The Netherlands? A big question with a lot of different answers.  Vera Boertien is joined by Roy Kolkman (UT), Kenneth Heijns (TU Delft) and Arjan Goudsblom (Techleap) to discuss the national valorisation landscape. Together, they look at what is going well and where there is room for improvement.  This episode was recorded during the Hello To...

As technology evolves, we're inching closer to the day when quantum computers are part of our daily lives, in some way or another.  But what's the current state of quantum? And what are the challenges entrepreneurs in this field face? During Hello Tomorrow, host Vera Boertien invited Stefan Hengesbach, CEO of Quix Quantum, for a deep tech deep dive on quantum computing.  Don't forget to...

During the mission to Hello Tomorrow, the majority of the delegation was male. Where are all the female founders in deeptech?  Host Vera Boertien sits down with Laure van der Sande (ARTIC) to talk about the position of women in deeptech. Does she see it as a hurdle? Or is it an advantage?  This episode was recorded during Hello Tomorrow.  Don't forget to rate this episode on whatever platform you...

As of 2026, Hello Tomorrow's Global Summit will be organized in Amsterdam. During this final edition in Paris, host Vera Boertien sits down with Cees Links (Superlight Photonics) to talk about why it's worth joining Hello Tomorrow if you run a deeptech startup.  How is it different from other events, such as CES? What can you get out of it?  This episode was recorded during the Discover...

Senior Advisor of Alumni Relations Joe Laufer (UT) talks to Quirina de Ruiter (UT) about her journey from the city of Breda to University of Twente and her recent adventures as senior research scientist at Intuitive in San Francisco.  How did she decide to study Technical Medicine at the UT? And how did she end up as a senior research scientist at Intuitive, the global technology leader in minimal...

Doing business in the Netherlands is one thing. But the US? That's a whole new ballgame. So how do you tackle the differences? And how do the US and Europe compare to one another?  Host Cindy Marsman dives into this topic together with Marcel Verheijen of Amplify and Mike Verkouter of the 4TU. This podcast was recorded during the CES/Bay Area mission.  Don't forget to rate this episode on wha...

CES is one of the biggest tech events in the world. Combined with the flashing lights of Las Vegas, it can be quite an overwhelming experience. So how do you thrive at CES?  Host Cindy Marsman (Novel-T & UT) talks to Cees Links of Superlight Photonics (UT) & Jeroen Glansdorp of Veridis (TU/e) about what to expect at CES and dives into the most valuable tips and tricks on how to make the mo...

If you want to crush it at Slush - or any other conference - a good pitch is essential. But how do you craft the perfect pitch and pitch deck? Host Jochen Meischke talks about it with Eva van Leeuwen from Young Heroes.  This episode is filled with valuable tips to build the most effective pitch for investors.  Don't forget to rate this episode on whatever platform you listen this to, and share it...

Don't you wish you could look into an investor's mind sometimes? Well, that's why we had this chat with Albert-Jan de Croes and Joost Mathot. In this episode, host Jochen Meischke talks all about investments for early-phase startups. What are things to consider? What are the biggest pitfalls? You hear it in this episode!  Guests Albert-Jan de Croes, investment manager at University...

Getting research off the shelves of universities is no easy feat. Of course, we have entrepreneurial researchers who spin out from the universities. But what if they don't? How do we ensure that their breakthroughs go to market and make an impact?  With ScoutInScience, Gilles Meijer aims to bridge that gap by actively scouting for business potential in published articles.  This episode was re...

Collaboration is necessary to make sure MedTech innovations break out through the university walls. That's why host Vera Boertien had a conversation with Adriana Berlanga (Maastricht UMC) and Alexander Nicastia (Radboud UMC) about the value of collaboration between business and knowledge institutes.  This episode was recorded during the Team Up Day, organized by the Thematic Technology Transf...

What do you have to think about when you do take your business to another country? And when does it make sense to live there, too?  Our host Vera Boertien sat down in the Enschede Slush'D studio to discuss the experiences of  Marcel Verheijen (Amplify), Lea Milovich (FlowBeams), and Shahram Sharif (Liva Healthcare). Don't forget to rate this episode on whatever platform you listen this to, an...

There's a lot of talk about impact. But how do we define it and - more importantly - how do we make it? We decided to talk a little more about it to settle it once and for all.  Joining our host, Vera Boertien, in the studio at Enschede Slush'D are Meron Mekonnen (Lumo Labs) and Bas Kerkwijk (Novel-T).  Don't forget to rate this episode on whatever platform you listen this to, and share...

In this special episode, we sit down with two remarkable female tech founders, Leona Turner – Co-Founder of Trialflow, and Amalia Bălan - Co-Founder & CMO of Managescape, as they share their incredible journeys in the tech industry. Join our host, Vera Boertien from Novel-T, as she delves into insightful conversations with Leona and Amalia. Discover their experiences, challenges, and triumphs...

Join us in this special episode of Enschede Slush'D 2023 as we delve into the world of co-founding and teamwork. Bas Buursma, co-founder of CodeSandbox, and Hans Scheffer, entrepreneur and CEO at Helloprint, share their valuable experiences and perspectives on building successful startup teams. This conversation uncovers the essence of effective collaboration in the startup landscape. Tune in...

We sat down again with Huawei Wang of WearM.AI, half a year after Slush. How did he experience his first time visiting the conference? What did he get out of it? And how is his UT spin-off doing half a year later? Listen to find out!  Don't forget to rate this episode on whatever platform you listen this to, and share it with someone who might enjoy it too. And follow us on Linkedin @4TU.Startups...

In this first episode of this two-part series, host Vera Boertien sits down with three startup founders on the first morning of Slush 2023. These founders are on the cusp of experiencing this crazy conference for the very first time. How did they prepare for it? What do they expect? And what are their goals?  Vera dives into it together with Huawei Wang of WearM.AI (UT), Thijs Blad of MEMSYS (TU D...

During the 4TU alumni mission to London, Vera Boertien (Novel-T & UT) talks to Jeroen Sassen from Heimdall Sensor Intelligence (TU/e). What is the value of alumni relations? How can they help you on your startup journey? And how has the 4TU alumni network benefitted Jeroen so far?  A recap of the mission: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7191734754717655040/ Find out more a...

The 4TU went on a startup mission to riveting London after being invited by 4TU alumni. Ronald de Bruijn from RapAgra (WUR) joined the mission, as he's preparing to expand to the UK. Vera Boertien (Novel-T & UT) talked with him about the challenges he faces and how a 4TU mission can help overcome them. How do you find the sweet spot? When do you open an office in a foreign country? And ho...

On the day before Slush 2023, host Vera Boertien (Novel-T & UTwente) sat down with three founders in Helsinki to find out how to hack Slush. From preparations to what to do during the event, the three founders share the tips that they learned from earlier visits to the world's most founder-friendly startup event.  With Jeroen Sassen from Heimdall Sensor Intelligence (TU Eindhoven), Christ...