A wonderful recognition of entrepreneurship in the Groningen ecosystem.
What an exciting final with three strong candidates: PolyVation (Campus resident at the Zernike Campus), NVO Transport and Zwartwoud. In the end, Zwartwoud took home the prize!
Zwartwoud – circular interior designers and furniture makers – excels in the smart reuse of valuable materials. The jury praised them as ‘a leader and standard-bearer in transition, with an impact on sustainability, business operations, local networks, corporate social responsibility and innovation.’
Each of the finalists interpreted this year's theme, craftsmanship, in their own unique way:
- NVO Transport, which has a unique form of cooperation between truck drivers: a cooperative owned by its members.
- PolyVation, which develops innovative materials that enable innovative medicine at the cellular level.
- Zwartwoud, which cleverly reuses valuable materials and elevates circular craftsmanship to interior art.
The award was presented by deputy and jury chairman Erik Jan Bennema to director Karst Wouda. A festive evening that once again demonstrates how versatile and powerful Groningen's business community is!
Who is developing the most impactful innovation in Life Sciences & Health in the Northern Netherlands? Five companies are in the running for the LIFE Science Innovation Award 2026: Flux Robotics, Limosa Immunodiagnostics, SPCTR, MimeCure and GlycanScan International. The nominees will present their innovations on Tuesday 22 September during the fifth edition of the LIFE Science Conference in Groningen. An independent jury will select the winner, who will receive a €10,000 cash prize.
A much-loved tradition The Campus Trail has become a much-loved tradition on campus. Students, employees and professionals from companies and organisations across the campus ecosystem lace up their running shoes for a sporty 6.4-kilometre route through buildings and past some of the campus’s unique labs. The rapid growth in registrations shows just how much the Campus Trail has become part of the campus community. The combination of sport, meeting others and the unique campus setting makes the run a great opportunity to connect with people outside the usual work and study environment. And there’s no need to head home as soon as you cross the finish line. During the after-party, hosted by Contini Catering, participants can relax together, enjoy a drink and celebrate the afternoon. There’s still time to join: those who want to take part can register online until 3 September, or sign up on the day itself using the PIN Campus Trail 2026 | Campus Groningen.
ZonMw is expected to open the final call for proposals within the PharmaNL Shared Development Infrastructure (SDI) program line. This program line focuses on strengthening the infrastructure for the development, upscaling, and production of innovative medicines in the Netherlands.
