MedTech Incubation Program
The final day of Medtech Incubation program on July 4 brought together the founders, mentors, and partners in a reflective and forward-looking gathering. It was an inspiring conclusion to a MedTech Incubation Program that highlighted the strength of collaboration across institutions — and the drive of startups to create real impact in healthcare. Over the weeks startups engaged deeply with experts from Erasmus MC, YES!Delft, unlock_ and Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship exploring the realities of innovating in academic hospitals, funding and procurement in MedTech, and building meaningful partnerships within the health innovation ecosystem. The program aimed at boosting digital skills in the life sciences. Participants explored tools for data analysis, AI, and prototyping — encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration between tech and medical research. The event was hosted by Rotterdam Square with financial support provided by Provincie Zuid-Holland. Erasmus MC TTO and Erasmus MC Incubator were closely involved in shaping the direction of this initiative together with other partners.
New Spin-Off
A warm welcome to Erasmus MC spin-off company NeOncoFRAx developing an effective vaccine against pancreatic cancer. By keeping the development process in-house, the founders aim to make the vaccine available to patients at a socially responsible price.
Participation Venture Building Competitions
Four Erasmus MC projects participated in Healthy Ideas, Healthy Returns Healthy Ideas, Healthy Returns – An ‘invitation only’ Benelux platform. HIHR aims to bring the academic biotech ecosystem in the Benelux to a higher level, with a focus on company creation/financing.
AceleraDX with a cutting-edge platform which enables functional single cell imaging, selection and analysis. The technology links dynamic cellular behavior to genetic profiles, paving the way for targeted therapies and biomarker discovery.
Myonovum with three-dimensional in vitro muscle model technology that replicate human muscle physiology and pathology, enabling rapid drug discovery and personalized medicine applications, bridging the gap between research and clinical solutions. Read more: Myonovum - Three-dimensional in vitro muscle model technology | Erasmus MC Flintbox
Oncochem, advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment with a novel family of inhibitors targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a marker present in most solid tumors.
Matriarch developing a cost-effective, animal-friendly and eco-friendly hydrogel made from waste products of fetal calf serum production. Their matrix eliminates batch-to-batch variation and outperforms existing murine-based products on every key criterion.
Two promising Erasmus MC projects are taking part in Venture Challenge Fall Edition 2025 organized by LifeSciences@Work
Cytobas is joining the Life Sciences & Health edition. CytoBas has developed a next-generation allergy diagnostic solution, delivering functionally relevant insights and seamless integration with existing laboratory workflows.
HomeRun is joining the Medical Devices edition. HomeRUN is pioneering capillary blood withdrawal at home, making routine blood testing more comfortable for patients while easing the burden on the healthcare system.
Blueprints for Innovation Ecosystems: Lessons from KU Leuven
As part of Erasmus MC Campus Development Masterplan 2050, a delegation from the Municipality of Rotterdam, Erasmus MC and Rotterdam Square visited KU Leuven to learn from its successful Life Sciences & Health ecosystem. The goal was to explore the cornerstones of building a successful innovation ecosystem - including the mechanisms for effective valorization, academic-industry collaboration and the creation of impactful spin-offs. KU Leuven serves as an inspiring example of how excellent research can drive economic growth and benefit society.
With the development of the Erasmus MC Campus and the activities of Rotterdam Square, Erasmus MC and the city of Rotterdam are actively building a robust Life Sciences & Health ecosystem in Rotterdam—positioning the Erasmus MC Campus as the beating heart of sustainable medical and technological innovation, where science, healthcare, and entrepreneurship converge to shape the future of health.
