Alumni Startup Night 2026 – Curiosity Connects

As we celebrate 70 years of curious minds at TU/e, we invite you to join us for a special evening dedicated to the power of collaboration, innovation, and connection. On Monday 13 April, alumni from TU/e, Tilburg University, JADS and TIAS will come together for our yearly Alumni Startup Night.

Curiosity connects — and this year, as TU/e celebrates its 70th anniversary, we invite you to experience that connection firsthand. On the vibrant TU/e campus, alumni from four institutions will come together for an inspiring evening dedicated to innovation, entrepreneurship, and the power of cross disciplinary collaboration in the Brabant region. This joint Alumni Startup Night brings together curious minds from engineering, business, data science, social sciences, and management. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, innovator, mentor, or simply someone who thrives on good conversations and new ideas - this evening is for you.

Program

17:00–18:00Registration with a Bite & Drinks 
 Start the evening with a light bite, reconnect with familiar faces, and meet new alumni across our universities. 
18:00–19:20Plenary Program 
 

Setting the scene
A dynamic Q&A with rector magnificus Silvia Lenaerts and vice-rector Antoinette de Bont of our institutions, exploring the importance of a strong innovation ecosystem for Brabant — and how curiosity shapes their vision and leadership.

Exclusive reveal
The official launch of a brand-new collaboration on a pre-seed fund by John Bell & Ton Backx. Be among the first to hear what this means for early-stage deep tech founders in the region.

Startup inspiration

 

  • Two founder stories from:
    • Neople -  Neople creates AI-powered, trainable "digital colleagues" that integrate with existing platforms like Slack or Teams to automate customer support and routine, time-consuming tasks for e-commerce and service teams. https://www.neople.io
    • Avendar - Avendar develops advanced, sustainable, and energy-efficient climate control solutions for agricultural and industrial applications, focusing on optimizing indoor environments for enhanced productivity. https://avendar.com/en

Real, honest insights into what it takes to innovate, grow, and stay curious.

Lightning pitches
Short, energetic pitches from emerging startups ready to share their ideas and seek your input.

 
19:20–21:00Networking Drink 
 The evening continues with relaxed networking drinks — the perfect environment to exchange ideas, build connections, and explore opportunities for collaboration. 

A Smarter Way to Connect

To help you make meaningful connections, we’re using a friendly and intuitive ‘TU/e connect’ networking app. Browse the attendee list, discover shared interests, and plan short meetups during the event. Whether you're looking to support a founder, find a collaborator, reconnect with fellow alumni, or simply explore new ideas, the app helps you turn spontaneous encounters into lasting connections.
Let curiosity guide you — and let the app make it easy.

Why You Don’t Want to Miss This 

  • Celebrate 70 years of TU/e and the power of curiosity
  • (Re)connect with alumni from our universities who share your drive to learn and build
  • Discover how complementary expertise strengthens Brabant’s innovation ecosystem
  • Be the first to hear about a new investment fund for early-stage startups
  • Gain inspiration from real startup journeys
  • Enjoy low-threshold, high-value networking in a lively setting

Join-us

Bring your questions, your ideas, your interests — and your curiosity.
Leave with new insights, new connections, and perhaps even the first spark of a collaboration that will shape the future of our region.
We look forward to welcoming you.

Sign-up