Life Science
Incubator Leiden

Academic Startup Competition

The competition offers the selected academic startups the chance to showcase themselves to an audience of (international) investors and businesses.

The startups that are in the race to become one of the best Academic Startups and will participate in an unique program of workshops, promotion track and peer to peer learning to help the founders to accelerate the growth and scalability of their business. They will be introduced to the innovation ecosystem, and help them develop a network of peers, experts, and mentors.

Selection criteria

  • You are an academic startup with the ambition and potential to be disruptive and scale internationally within the coming 5 years
  • You are a successful transfer from science/technology developed at a Dutch University, University Medical Center, KNAW, NWO institute or TO2
  • You are registered at the Chamber of Commerce
  • You are maximum 5 years in incorporation
  • You are present at both the Preparation Event & Finale
  • You have not won the Academic Startup Competition Award in previous editions. You are not allowed to compete in future competitions using the same company. Winners may only participate in future competitions when pitching a new company

Timeline

  • Selection deadline – August 15
  • Selecting startups – September 1
  • Preparation event – September 15
  • Finale event – October 5
  • USA Mission – November

Register here before August 15