If you’re looking for a quick and fun introduction into Eindhoven’s tech ecosystem, the annual IO High Tech Piek (“high point” in English) Awards are a good place to start. You can join the party on Thursday, 12 January at TU/e Innovation Space on the campus of Technical University of Eindhoven.
The IO Piek Awards, sponsored by Innovation Origins, recognize the people who contribute to Eindhoven’s tech ecosystem.
This year, the awards will honor eight people who have made “a special contribution in the field of high-tech and innovation in 2022, or for whom we have great expectations in 2023,” according to the website.
There are three award categories:
- Stars 2022 : Four people who are honored for their contribution to the high tech and startup scene in and around Eindhoven.
- Knallers (firecrackers) 2023 : “Four people from whom we have great expectations – let’s put a little more pressure on their shoulders.”
- Peak 2022 : The one person who made the biggest contribution to the Eindhoven ecosystem in 2022.
Past winners include:
• Maarten Steinbuch, founder of medical robotics startup companies, including MI-Partners, Mechatronics Academy, Steinbuch in Motion, Eindhoven Medical Robotics and Preceyes. Maarten is also a professor in TU/e’s mechanical engineering department. In addition to his entrepreneurial contributions, Maarten is a great connector. You can see his full Wikipedia profile here.
• Guus Frericks, founder of HighTechXL and DeepTechXL, has pretty much advanced the ecosystem single-handedly, founding both the only deep-tech venture builder and a 100 million euros venture fund.
This will be the first High Tech Piek Awards event since 2020, so expect a crowd.
There will be drinks and hors d’oeurvres, or borrel, as they’re known in Dutch. You can get your free ticket here..
The program 12 January
18:00 Welcome
18:45 Presentation of awards
19:30 Start of the party
English speakers – past events have been in Dutch, though there are a number of English-speakers there … including us. So, you’ll be jumpin’ into the deep end of the pool.
The High Tech Piek Awards are an initiative of Innovation Origins and are made possible in part by the municipality of Eindhoven, Mikrocentrum, Brainport Development, Brainport Industries Campus, VO, EY, Twice, ASML and High Tech Campus Eindhoven.
Co-CEO of Dispatches Europe. A former military reporter, I'm a serial expat who has lived in France, Turkey, Germany and the Netherlands.
