Respyre wins Grand Final of the Philips Innovation Award 2022

What do young entrepreneurs need to turn an innovative idea into a successful business? Key criteria include good coaching, an extensive network and the necessary funding. That is exactly what the Philips Innovation Award (PHIA) offers: for seventeen years, the award has been presented by students at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, who manage the program.

"It was inspiring to once again see so much energy, creativity and entrepreneurship from start-ups led by people who are keen to innovate and build a sustainable future,” said Philips CEO Frans van Houten. “I am pleased to see how the Philips Innovation Award has provided a pathway to challenge and coach these entrepreneurs, with support from experts and, for the winners, a prize to help turn their start-up into a success."

The Innovator League winner “Respyre” is a spin-off of Delft University of Technology and has developed a concrete and a concrete plaster that allows moss growth on a surface. With this, Respyre wants to integrate self-sustaining vegetation in an otherwise barren environment in an efficient, sustainable, and functional way, bringing cities to life. With bio-receptive concrete and moss facades, Respyre creates a committed system for environmental sustainability. In doing so, Respyre enables cities to breathe. Through training, networking, and the prize of €50,000, the Philips Innovation Award will support Respyre in developing its technology further.

“Besides winning the award, my highlight was having the opportunity to hang out with Mathijs Kuil from Veridis. We took away each other's nerves, bought a gift for the Philips Innovation Award board, and practiced ten times or more together. There was no rivalry, only the sincere desire to help each other," Said Auke Bleij, winner of the Philips innovation award Innovator League.”

Inspiring young entrepreneurs working on world-changing ideas

The annual award not only helps innovative entrepreneurs – it also helps the students from Erasmus University Rotterdam who run the program.

"It is inspiring to see these young entrepreneurs work on world-changing ideas," said Stijn van Ooijen, Chair of the 2022 edition of the award. "The start-ups that participate in our trajectory are among the most innovative early-stage student start-ups in the Netherlands, making it fascinating to facilitate a part of their growth path. We as a board are helped by the award as well; organizing such an award can be compared to managing your start-up. At the beginning of the year, we brainstormed on new ideas for our trajectory. This year, the focus was on investigating the needs of early-stage startups and adjusting our trajectory accordingly."

In addition to Respyre, the Philips Innovation Award had another winner. The ‘Rough Diamond’ prize of € 10,000 went to Glimp. Whereas Respyre helps cities breathe, Glimp helps you to catch your breath. Glimp improves burn-out recovery with guided breathwork at home, encouraging mindful breathing with through haptic and audio feedback. Glimp brings the breathing therapist to the client's home through a hand-held device, potentially helping to increase therapy compliance and reduce recovery time and therapy costs. Glimp provides practical (data-driven) assistance at home while providing mental health insights for clients and therapists.

The Philips Innovation Award finals can be viewed here.