Tonight, the iconic Wintercircus in Ghent turned into a vibrant meeting place for researchers and entrepreneurs. Researchers from the Ghent University Association (AUGent) met their potential ideal partner: an entrepreneur willing to transform their innovative idea into a successful spin-off.
The matchmaking event, organized by the TechTransfer Office and the Industrial Research Fund of AUGent in collaboration with Vlerick Business School, brought together fourteen pre-spin-off projects with an audience of Vlerick alumni and MBA students. The goal: to find the perfect match between technologically groundbreaking ideas and entrepreneurial profiles ready to help bring these ideas to the market.
This UGent-Vlerick initiative builds on existing collaborations with a group of expert entrepreneurs who advise AUGent spin-off projects from a business perspective. It also aligns with the ambition of the TechTransfer Office and the Industrial Research Fund, in line with the Flemish government, to steadily increase the annual number of newly launched spin-offs.
After welcoming the guests, Dieter Deforce (Industrial Research Fund), Kristof Beuren (TechTransfer Office), and Miguel Meuleman (Vlerick Business School) officially opened the evening, followed by a keynote from Philip Mathuis, CEO of UGent spin-off Trince, who shared his entrepreneurial journey with the audience.
The main program consisted of two rounds in which researchers presented their spin-off ideas, ranging from AI in agriculture and sustainable recycling to new vaccine technology and digital innovation in sports. For each potential spin-off, they are currently looking for a (co-)founder, a CEO, and/or business leads.
The evening concluded with a walking dinner and a matchmaking session, giving researchers and entrepreneurs the opportunity to get to know each other better and explore potential professional synergies. In the coming weeks, the organizers will track how many collaborations result from this initiative and what positive outcomes they generate.
Kristof Beuren, General Manager of the UGent TechTransfer Office:
“Tonight, we are building a bridge between technology and entrepreneurship. Our researchers bring a wealth of innovative ideas, but to grow them successfully, entrepreneurs are needed to form teams with the researchers and navigate the market together. This event is a new step in bringing these worlds together naturally.”
Miguel Meuleman, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Vlerick Business School:
“At Vlerick, we believe that entrepreneurship forms the bridge between scientific knowledge and economic impact. Our students and alumni combine their commercial skills and entrepreneurial drive with the ambition to bring groundbreaking technologies to the market. Through this initiative, we aim not only to connect researchers and entrepreneurs but also to activate the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders who make scientific innovation tangible.”
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