Tim Hogervorst and Mert Astam appointed NWO Faculty of Impact fellows

March 4, 2025

Two ambitious start-ups in cryopreservation and in haptics for the blind will receive financial support and intensive entrepreneurial education.

l: Mert Astam r: Tim Hoogervorst

Two entrepreneurial researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology have been appointed Fellows within the Faculty of Impact. They are part of a group of 11 researchers getting a taste for entrepreneurship in this way. Through the personal fellowship, they will be given two years to turn their ideas into a scalable commercial or social startup.

Within the , the selected researchers with entrepreneurial ambitions will receive two years of intensive and personal guidance from experts in entrepreneurship, intellectual property and investment. They keep (or get) an appointment at their home university for that period, but are exempted from administrative and teaching obligations. This gives them time and space to take their invention out into the world. Several Eindhoven scientists have already successfully completed the program.

Tim Hogervorst focuses his company on cryopreservation. That is a difficult word for preserving cells, tissue and organs. In theory, these materials can be preserved for decades thanks to ice formation. This is needed for breeding programs or healthcare, for example. However, practice proves more recalcitrant. Biological materials are often damaged beyond repair by current technologies.

Hogervorst: "We think that our inventions could have a major impact on the availability of life-saving treatments, but are also well aware that an academic publication alone is not yet a useful product. With the help of the Faculty of Impact grant, we now have the opportunity to achieve this and I am very much looking forward to getting started."

recently completed his PhD and now wants to focus on entrepreneurship. His company focuses on stimulating sense feeling for the target group of blind people. Astam: "The Faculty of Impact is a vital support for HaptonTech, because in the early stages of a startup it is very difficult to find the resources to invest in yourself and your education. I am very excited to join the program and build a strong network in the university and business environment, creating a stronger connection between research and business."

The NWO applications, both from the department of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry, were made in collaboration with The Gate. This department at Eindhoven University of Technology supports entrepreneurial researchers and students. They help set up enterprises but also act as a Knowledge Transfer Office within the university. Among other things, they guide researchers and students towards their spin-off or startup company.