Innovator Stories | Philips Innovation Award

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Philips Innovation Award, we invited our very first winner, Philip Hess with his company Senz, to join the Innovator Stories podcast. Back in 2005, Philip co-founded Senz and revolutionized the umbrella industry with the ‘original storm umbrella,’ a product that quite literally took the world by storm. Since then, Philip has continued to innovate—joining sleep tech startup Somnox, coaching scale-up founders on Rockefeller Habits, and now leading his latest venture, Rotterdam Factoring, with a bold goal: becoming the largest factoring company in the Netherlands with a lean team of just 10. Join us for an inspiring conversation about innovation, leadership, and how to make a lasting impact.In this episode, we'll cover:                        How an innovative storm umbrella - took the world by storm;                         Rockefeller Habits as a framework for growth                        How to become a Market Leader with no more than 10 employeesLinks mentioned:                        People: Philip Hess, Julian Jagtenberg, Verne Harnish, Erik Rutten, Lieke Huisinga                        Companies: Philips Innovation Awards, Senz, Somnox, Rotterdam Factoring, KNAB Bank                        Other: Rockefeller Habits, OnlyFans Productivity per Employee

De Ondernemer stond in het teken van de Philips Innovation Award.Op deze officieuze 'Dag van de Innovatie' ging presentator Jonathan van Noord tijdens De Ondernemer voorafgaand aan de Philips Innovation Award in gesprek met onder meer de organisatie en oud-winnaars. Zo vertelde Sophie Gehrels, voorzitter van de PHIA, over het belang van de prijs en de route die de acht finalisten hebben afgelegd. Wat maakt deze start-ups zo uniek en waarom ziet de jury juist in hun bedrijfsidee zoveel toekomst Ook Auke Bleij kwam langs. In 2022 wist deze ondernemer met zijn bedrijf Respyre er met de hoofdprijs vandoor te gaan. Zijn vinding? Een uit gerecycled beton gemaakte laag waarmee panelen of pleister gemaakt wordt, dat een perfecte basis vormt voor mosgroei, zonder dat onderliggend beton beschadigt. Het gevolg: lagere temperaturen in oververhitte steden en afvangst van fijnstof. Maarten Poot, oprichter van Felyx, vertelde over zijn ervaring met de PHIA en hoe het zijn deelscooterbedrijf vervolgens is vergaan. Eveneens aanwezig was Freek Smoes. Hij staat aan het hoofd van startup-incubator YES!Delft. Deze geboorteplaats van talent heeft al talloze innovatieve start-ups en scale-ups voortgebracht. Wat hun geheim is en waarop hij potentiële startups selecteert, is de basis van het gesprek.

Join us on this episode of Innovator Stories as we sit down with Berend De Klerk, the 2023 Rough Diamond winner of the Philips Innovation Award. Hosted by Lars Crama from Up!Rotterdam, we take a deep dive into Plense Technologies, a pioneering startup aiming to make crop cultivation easy, efficient and accessible for anyone, anywhere through smart sensing devices that literally listen to plants. Tune in to explore Berend's entrepreneurial journey and his strides towards revolutionizing the controlled environment agriculture industry. 

In this episode of Innovator Stories, we present an engaging conversation with Auke Bleij, the 2022 Innovator League winner of the Philips Innovation Award, along with our host, Lars Crama from Up!Rotterdam. Together, we venture into the captivating world of Respyre, a startup dedicated to making nature-inclusive building both accessible and sustainable. Join us to discover Auke's entrepreneurial journey, delve into the realm of nature-inclusive development, and acquire valuable insights on maximizing your experience with the PHIA competition.

Welcome to the second episode of the Innovator Stories by the Philips Innovation Award! In this episode, our host Lars Crama from Up!Rotterdam sits down with Marsha Goei, Co-Founder of Breeze, the first offline dating app. But their conversation doesn't stop at dating apps. Marsha and Lars delve into the topic of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. They discuss the importance of representation and how companies can create a more inclusive environment for all. Marsha shares her own experiences as a woman in tech and how that has shaped her leadership style. They also touch upon the challenges and opportunities of being a female entrepreneur. Sit back, relax, and tune in to this engaging and insightful conversation about innovation, diversity, and leadership in the tech industry. Are you ready for the Grand Final of the Philips Innovation Award? Claim your (free) ticket!

The Innovator Stories will kick off with PHIA 2021 winner Bob Hendrikx from Loop Biotech and our host Simon van Teutem. Learn everything about how Loop won the Philips Innovation Award and how participating boosted Loop's mission to enrich life after death with their living coffins. For more information check out our socials and our website!

Listen to our new episode! Our host Conrad Zuurmond discusses intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship, together with Wim Kees Janssen from the 2020 Rough Diamond winner Syntho and Mai Bausch from our platinum partner Wavin! The startup perspective versus the corporate view gives fascinating dual insights on entrepreneurship. So do not hesitate and listen for more! And for our participants: listen for their winning advice!

The Young Entrepreneur Podcast 2022 will kick off with our past participant Freek from Hable! He gives many great tips on entrepreneurship and unique insights on his experience with PHIA. If you are considering entering the competition or want to know more about entrepreneurship and in for a fun podcast to listen to, do not hesitate and listen!For more information check out our socials and our website: www.phia.nl

How do we leave the world in a safer, greener and better state for future generations? How can you make an impact daily? Is it only NGO's or non-profit organizations who bear the responsibility, or should every company, from SMEs to multinationals, strive to improve the world by doing business in a responsible and impactful manner? In this episode, we talk with two social entrepreneurs, Henk-Jan Beltman, Chief Chocolate Officer of Tony's Chocolonely, and Roel van der Kamp, founder of the Invi a self-defence bracelet.

Who takes the lead in driving groundbreaking innovations within our society? Corporates or entrepreneurs? Head of Global R&D Diagnostic Imaging at Philips, Joland Rutgers, and Julian Jagtenberg, founder of Somnox, will discuss what it takes to be an innovator in the healthcare industry. They will inspire you to wonder whether the next revolutionary innovation will emerge from within a corporate, or whether it will be an entrepreneur that will disrupt the world with his startup. 

What does an investor look for when scouting startups? How to raise funding? And what challenges does a start-up face? In this episode, Maarten Poot, Co-Founder of Felyx, and Ernst Rustenhoven from Slingshot Ventures will talk you through these questions. Would they rather receive €50.000 cash or learn how to earn €50.000? Their knowledge and different perspectives will provide you with a clear view on the starting days of a company.