Pitch Day Impact Potential & Team Power: A New Chapter in ASC 2024/25

The Academic Startup Competition 2024/25 continues to build momentum as we dive deeper into the journey of transforming science into scalable ventures. Our most recent milestone, Pitch Day: Impact Potential & the Launch of Round 2 – Team Power, brought together the brightest science-driven startups in the Netherlands for a day packed with insightful keynotes, dynamic pitches, and meaningful collaboration.

A Warm Welcome & High-Impact Pitches

The day began with a warm welcome from Rebekah Bikker of BioPartner Leiden, who joined us as both host and new strategic partner. BioPartner’s involvement marks a significant step in strengthening the ecosystem that supports science-based entrepreneurship in the Netherlands.

Following the opening, our startups took the stage to deliver their refined pitches—demonstrating how they’ve applied the insights gained from Round 1 on purpose-led leadership, scientific novelty, and IP strategy. The results were impressive, showing clear progress in clarity, confidence, and strategic focus.

Team Power: The Foundation of Startup Success

In the afternoon, we launched a new content module: Team Power. This session focused on one of the most critical aspects of startup success—the people behind the innovation.

The module explored how expertise, team balance, and strong networks form the foundation for resilient and high-performing ventures. Startups participated in hands-on sessions and open conversations about leadership, hiring, and company culture.

Highlights included:

• Keynotes and workshops led by Ingrid Tappin (Diverse Leaders in Tech) and Martine Buis, who guided teams in reflecting on diversity, inclusion, and startup team dynamics.
• The introduction of BrainCompass, a science-based tool providing valuable insights into individual strengths, motivations, and development opportunities—designed to help founders grow with intention.

Looking Ahead: Round 3 – Execution Ability & Market Strategy

Next on the agenda: March 6 – Pitch Day Execution Ability & the Launch of Round 3.

This next phase will focus on helping startups:

• Strengthen execution ability—translating plans into measurable outcomes
• Define business and market access strategies
• Refine and deliver pitches with clarity and impact

Each round of the Academic Startup Competition raises the bar. We are inspired by the growth, commitment, and creativity of the participating teams and excited to see how they will continue to develop in the coming weeks.

On to Round 3. The journey continues.