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Healthy Ideas, Healthy Returns

Together we support the entrepreneurs who build our healthy future

The invitation only Benelux platform for tomorrow’s academic Health ventures.

Connect with our Human Health community of knowledge institutes, spin-off initiatives, investors and industry partners.

HIHR offers valuable networking opportunities, allowing spin-offs to build up contacts for investments in follow-up programs, as well as a good feedback to sharpen their propositions.

Our practitioner driven network that brings together around hundred investors, spin-offs and TTO-professionals within the Benelux is gathering momentum and is increasingly recognised as a valuable player in early stage healthcare ventures. 

With the help of many experts, we offer projects and start ups in the Human Health in broadest sense, from Biotech Therapeutics and Diagnostics to Medtech and digital Health an opportunity to test their ideas, strategy and investment proposition and receive tailormade feedback from investors and industry partners.

Registration for HIHR-16 now open!

We’re delighted to introduce you to 20 new academic Health Spin-offs from the Benelux:

  • 10 Quickfire sessions are scheduled from April 22 – 28 (at 9am, 12pm and 5pm).
  • 10 new start ups will present themselves at our live pitch event in Antwerp on the morning of May 7.
Press here for information and registration

More than 230 academic spin off projects participated in HIHR

Ever since 2016 we have helped more than 230 projects with strategic advice, presentation skills and network introductions.

Press here to view all projects

About 85% has raised funding or is in the process of further development.

We invite all stakeholders in academic venture development to join our platform:

Spin-off initiatives

Connect with investors and industry partners.

During the preparations and sessions itself you will get highly valued, tailor made feedback, preparing you to connect with leading companies and investors in the medical innovation field.

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Public Research Organisations (PRO’s)

Support and networking for your (potential) spin-offs.

Expert sessions, pitchtraining and webinars provide hands-on feedback for you and the entrepreneurs you work with.

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Investors & industry partners

An unique sneakpeak into the upcoming spin-off initiatives from all Benelux knowledge institutes in the human health.

Spin off initiatives are selected and supported in the preperation for their pitch or Quickfire presentations at our informal events.

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Mark these dates in 2025!

HIHR-16 Spring

HIHR-17 Fall

Submission deadline pitch nominations & Quickfire sessions

Thursday March 27

Thursday September 18

Online Quickfire sessions
(9am, 12pm & 5pm)

22 – 28 april

7 – 13 October

Live Pitch session

May 7, Antwerp

October 15, location t.b.c.

HIHR helped another 23 new projects at HIHR-15, November 2024

We’re very pleased that yet again we’ve been able to help 23 new Spin off projects with their next entrepreneurial steps during our 15th edition November lately. Thanks to the great feed back of investors, corporates, KTO experts and the help of our volunteers, sponsors and supporters we look back on a successfull event. We’re proud to have helped 14 Quickfire sessions with constructive and strategic advice and offered 9 start ups a pitch-opportunity to present their proposition and interact directly during our live event in Utrechtt.

Press here for an impression of our 15th edition

Click here for a summary of 2024 and our resolutions for 2025.

HIHR helped us enormously in improving our pitch.

Pieter Roelfsema, Phosphoenix

At HIHR 2019 we had the opportunity as an academic team to pitch our spin-off project to a group of investors. After teaming up with an experienced entrepreneur and thorough due diligence, we successfully secured funding from some of those investors.

Kevin Braeckmans, Trince
View their Journey

Great opportunity to get honest feedback from a great panel of experts and investors, even for projects in a rather early stage (QF Sessions).

Sven Arnouts, Ghent University

As an early stage investor, HIHR is a unique opportunity to meet entrepreneurs in life sciences that are motivated to bring their work to patients. In addition, the meeting clearly has an objective to have benefits for all involved. I learned a lot from both presenters as well as questions from the audience.

Kjell Mortier, Novalis Biotech

Participating Public Research Organisations (PROs)

Supporting PROs

Regular PROs

Golden Partner

Silver Partners

Supporters

Other participating funds

Many leading funds and venture developers are participating in our events. Found out here the list of all investors and industry partners that have joined our pitch sessions.