Healthy Ideas, Healthy Returns (HIHR) aims to bring the academic biotech ecosystem in the Benelux to a higher level, with a focus on company creation/financing.

Our mission is threefold:

1. for researchers: Provide a unique platform for academic spin-off opportunities in life sciences to get feedback, access to external expertise and financing.
2. for investors/industry partners: provide insight into science-based innovations and Benelux venture deal-flow in one single event.
3. networking: build an active network of entrepreneurs, investors and academic tech transfer and share information and contacts.

HIHR unites all major biomedical research organizations in the Benelux and organizes events to bring together innovation providers (PROs), drivers (investors, health accelerators, entrepreneurs) and ‘uptakers’ (industry partners).

We organise on a yearly base:

– two live pitch events (second half May and mid-November) presenting well-rounded, early stage investment propositions to venture capital investors and networking opportunities, either or not in combination with partner organisations.
– twice a year online Quickfire sessions, to provide constructive feedback and access to relevant contacts for business initiatives that are still in the building phase. Investors and entrepreneurs benefit from early access to ideas under development and (future) deal flow.
– quarterly online free lunch webinars

All events remain ‘invitation-only’.

With the growing number of PRO’s that contribute to HIHR, a larger organization committee for future HIHR events became desirable. To this extend a core group has been set up to address the long-term sustainability of our initiative, as well as financing options and other strategic issues.

The following people have currently accepted a seat in the core group:

• Roel Bulthuis, INKEF Capital
• Duko Drijfhout, Erasmus MC
• Daisy Flamez, University Ghent
• Joris Heus, Amsterdam UMC
• Annick Houbrechts, Interface Entreprises, University of Liège
• Clemens Ostrowicz, University of Luxembourg – LCSB – chair
• Bram Perdu, KU Leuven Research & Development
• Esther Rodijk, TTT MedTech and UTwente
• Claar-els van Delft, Riverside Project Management

Past core group members are:

• Paul Van Dun, KU Leuven Research & Development
• Frank van de Ven, Technical University Eindhoven
• Koen Verhoef, Netherlands Cancer Institute – co founder
• Dominic De Groote, University Ghent – co founder
• Oscar Schoots, Incubator Utrecht – co founder
• Filip Goossens, PMV

Projects will be pre-selected by a relevant advisory committee to assure quality and to maximise impact. The selection committee assesses the nominated spin-offs, classifies the nominations into pitches and reviews the presentation of selected Spin-offs.

As per July 2022 the selection committee consists of the following members:

• Daisy Flamez, University of Ghent
• Louise Hoppel, Radboud UMC
• Duko Drijfhout, Erasmus MC
• Clemens Ostrowicz, University Luxembourg – (LCSB)
• Bram Perdu, KU Leuven Research & Development  – chair selection cie
• Esther Rodijk, TTT MedTech and UTwente
• Carla van Heck, Wageningen University & Research 

Past members

• Rudi Cuyvers, KU Leuven Research & Development Spin-off and Innovation
• Shobhit Dhawan, Oncode Oncology Bridge Fund
• Aard Groen, University of Groningen Centre of Entrepreneurship
• Annick Houbrechts, Interface Entreprises, University of Liège
• Jasper Keyman, Erasmus MC (University of Rotterdam)
• Thijs van den Munckhof, UNIIQ / University of Leiden
• Griet VanPoucke, VIB
• Henri Theunissen, Brightlands (University of Maastricht)

The event organisation, general management and support of the core group and selection committee is taken care of by Claar-els van Delft, Riverside Project Management.

For any inquiries on HIHR please contact claar-els@hihr.eu or by mobile phone +31 6 2848 0549.