Brabant launches Brabant award for disruptive startups
Nearly all the players in the Brabant startup landscape have united for the launch of the Brabant award. Braventure, AgriFood Capital, Brainport Development, Midpoint Brabant, REWIN, B’Wise, The Gate and the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) are among the parties that are launching the Brabant40 competition for the best startups in Brabant.
The Brabant40 is a Brabant-wide award designed to encourage innovative entrepreneurs and give them a wider stage. Each year the Brabant partners select the best 40 startups in Brabant from a large group of candidates. The best three startups will be presented during the LEVEL UP Brabant Startup event, and the best startup will be elected the winner by a jury of experts and go home with the Brabant40 award.
Innovative Brabant
'Through this award we want to show how innovative Brabant is,' says Brigit van Dijk-van de Reijt, CEO of BOM. 'There are, give or take, five thousand startups active in Brabant and wonderful things are happening here with AI, bio-tech, the energy transition, within the domain of med tech and deep tech, not to mention gaming. It is high time for us to show the world that we are giving these entrepreneurial talents a stage to the world. The Brabant40 lets us do just that.' The ‘40’, by the way, is a nod to the 40-year anniversary this year of the BOM, and a nice number for a fascinating shortlist of candidates.
Impact as a criterion
To compete for the Brabant40, you must be a startup from Brabant that makes an impact and a tangible contribution to a societal issue within artificial intelligence, bio-tech, climate-tech, deep-tech, food-tech, gaming and med-tech. Also, the startup must have made demonstrable growth in the past 12 months, in terms of customers, team, business model, product or money. 'And, of course, you have to show ambition for the next step of your growth,' adds Van Dijk-van de Reijt. 'So not only do we look back at your achievements, but also reward an inspiring and relevant vision of the future within your domain.'
Procedure
The Brabant startup partners determine the make-up of the 40 finalists based on the applications. They then judge them on the pillars of the BOM Venture Building Framework (customer, team, business model, product and money), awarding each pillar a maximum of five points. The 40 entrepreneurs with the most points form the Brabant40. A jury of experts will then select the best three who will pitch at Eindhoven’s Evoluon on September 25 in front of 700 startups, investors and media partners at LEVEL UP 2023. The same jury will then select a winner, who can count on an unforgettable award, plenty of media attention and - of course - eternal fame.
Are you a startup and haven’t signed up yet? Here's your chance.