First FSE Pioneer Deeptech Fellows selected

Dr Tobi Schilling, Dr Davide Carraretto, and Simranjeet Singh have been selected as the first FSE Pioneer Deeptech Fellows. Over the coming months, they will further develop their cutting-edge technologies, explore market potential, build investor-ready business plans, and work towards securing follow-on funding.

The FSE Pioneer Deeptech Fellowship of the University of Groningen, launched earlier this year, supports PhD students and postdocs from the Faculty of Science and Engineering in turning their research into impactful businesses. The programme focuses on groundbreaking innovation in areas such as nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, green chemistry, medical technology/biotechnology, robotics, and quantum computing.

Unique in the Netherlands

The programme is quite unique in the Netherlands. Similar programmes at universities in Switzerland and the US have led to the establishment of numerous successful deeptech start-ups.

The selected projects

Dr Tobi Schilling – Development of a bio-based food preservative

Dr Davide Carraretto – Development of an advanced protein-labelling system

Simranjeet Singh – Design Automation for the Future of Computing

Expert selection committee

The projects were selected by a selection committee comprising Prof. Matthias Heinemann, Prof. Giovanni Maglia, Prof. Bayu Jayawardhana, Prof. Maria Loi, Freerk Bisschop (BigCircle Ventures), Niek Huizenga (Future Tech Ventures/ G-Force Capital), Tjeerd Jongsma (ISPT), Dr Victor Stoica (FSE), Bertwin Kampman (Founded), Anne Been (Business Generator Groningen), Marco de Jong (NOM), and Gerwin Wiersma (Province of Groningen).

FSE Pioneer Deeptech Fellowship as a catalyst for groundbreaking technologies

Initiator Prof. Matthias Heinemann (Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute): ‘Founding a start-up is a great way to turn scientific discoveries into real world impact. The Pioneer Deeptech Fellowship has been created to support young, entrepreneurial researchers on this journey. We are very pleased that the first round has already yielded such promising projects and look forward to the groundbreaking technologies that are yet to be discovered.’

Would you like to apply?

Over the next three years, 18 fellows will be selected and a new selection round will take place every three months. The July round has just closed. Upcoming deadline: 1 October.

More information: https://tinyurl.com/4yedtsuv (only accessible to FSE researchers)