Prince Friso Engineer Prize 2026
Prince Friso Engineer Prize
Every year, the Royal Institute of Engineers (KIVI) awards the prestigious Prins Friso Ingenieursprijs to an engineer who excels in expertise, innovation, social impact and entrepreneurship. On Wednesday 11 March 2026 during the Day of the Engineer, the prestigious Prins Friso Ingenieursprijs will be awarded for the twelfth time. You can vote for the public award of the Prins Friso Ingenieursprijs here!
This award, named after the late Prince Friso, brother of King Willem-Alexander, honours his legacy as an engineer in mechanical and aerospace engineering, and his valued membership at KIVI.
During this evening, the KIVI Engineering Student Team Award will also be presented to the student team that stands out the most. You can vote for the public award of the KIVI Engineering Student Team Award here!
Programme
| 15.30 am | Walk-in and registration |
| 16.15 hours | Opening and welcome by chairman of the day Celina van den Bank (president Young KIVI Engineers) |
| 16:20 | Presentation by Nick Hol - Brainport Development, Co-Founder BOOST |
| 16.40 | presentation by Meike Nauta (winner Prins Friso Ingenieursprijs 2025) |
| 17.00 hrs | completion |
| 17.05 hrs | dinner buffet and networking |
| 18.35 hours | Welcome by chairman of the day Celina van den Bank |
| 18.40 hrs | Introduction Prins Friso Ingenieursprijs by day chairman Celina van den Bank |
| 18.50 hours | Presentation KIVI Engineering Student Team Award 2026 |
| 19.15 hours | Presentation Prins Friso Ingenieursprijs 2026 |
| 19.30 hours | Closing by chairman of the day Celina van den Bank |
| 19.35 hours | Drinks |
| 20.30 hours | End |
Meike Nauta
Former winner has the floor
Meike Nauta, Engineer of the Year 2025, tells what the Prins Friso Ingenieursprijs has brought her, and links this to a motivational call for all engineers to make their voices heard more emphatically.
Meike Nauta is KIVI Engineer of the Year 2025, AI consultant and university lecturer. A computer scientist with a PhD in Explainable AI, she uses her technical knowledge and pragmatism to develop innovative and responsible AI.
Nick Hol
In his presentation, Nick Hol discusses the role of the 'ecosystem engineer', a playful reference to the systems engineer. He excites the audience with the idea that engineers could take up this role more often and emphatically. In a time of social and geopolitical turmoil, he shows how engineers can take the lead in building rather than tearing down, both to technological sovereignty and to society as a whole.
Nick Hol is project leader Semicon Talent Development at Brainport Development & ChipNL Competence Centre. In this role, he works within the framework of the EU Chips Act to strengthen the Dutch and European semiconductor sector by connecting industry, educational institutions and governments at regional, national and European level.
He is an applied physicist and studied at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e Best Master Thesis 2025). He was also a Research Fellow at Harvard University, where he worked on the development of microfluidic chips. Earlier, he was active in student team SOLID, where he worked with other students on innovative hydrogen storage solutions (KIJK Best Tech Idea 2023, KIVI Engineering Student Team 2024). He also co-founded and chaired BOOST, a development company to strengthen student innovation and entrepreneurship.
