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Omivera is one of the latest startups we backed. A promising biotech company improving how cancer treatments are tested. They are part of a portfolio of 100+ early-stage ventures. See which companies are ready for follow-on investment: https://lnkd.in/eC4v36Gm

One of the first questions we often find ourselves asking at UNIIQ when evaluating opportunities is surprisingly simple: "What has actually been proven so far and what still needs to be proven?" 🤔 When seed and Series A investors become involved, they are rarely looking for certainty. They are looking for clarity. 🎯 ✅ Which assumptions have been tested? ✅ Which risks have become more transparent? ✅ What has the team learned from the evidence gathered so far? In my experience at both UNIIQ - Finance for the Future and the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) – Erasmus MC (Erasmus MC), the quality of the work done before a financing round often matters as much as the idea itself. What I enjoy most about the proof-of-concept phase is that this is where technologies, founders, and business models all start taking shape at the same time. Through the TTO, I see innovations while they are still closely connected to the research environment. Through UNIIQ, I see what it takes to turn those innovations into companies that can attract the next stage of investment. 🔬 If you're curious to see how this translates into practice, feel free to explore the UNIIQ portfolio. 👇 https://lnkd.in/gkRChQDd

One of the most common misconceptions I encounter in the proof-of-concept phase is treating growth as proof. 📈 Many founders feel pressure to show traction, partnerships, hiring plans, or revenue as early as possible. The challenge is that growth does not necessarily answer the questions that matter most at this stage: 🔹 Does the problem actually exist and is it urgent enough? 🔹 Can the technology deliver on its promise? 🔹 Is there a path towards something defensible? Through my work at UNIIQ - Finance for the Future and the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) – Erasmus MC (Erasmus MC), I have learned that progress in the earliest stages is often less about moving faster and more about learning faster. 🔬 A startup that systematically validates its core assumptions is usually further ahead than a startup that simply increases activity. 🚀 If this perspective resonates, feel free to explore the companies in the UNIIQ portfolio and see how this translates into practice. 👇 https://lnkd.in/gkRChQDd

The funding gap faced by many tech startups and academic spin-offs between grants and first investors is often framed primarily as a lack of capital. In my experience, the bigger challenge is determining what still needs to be proven before an idea becomes something investors can support. When my colleagues at InnovationQuarter asked me to put the UNIIQ - Finance for the Future perspective on early-stage investing into writing, that was the question I kept coming back to. 📃✍🏻 Through my work at UNIIQ, South Holland’s proof-of-concept investment fund, and the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) – Erasmus MC (Erasmus MC), I regularly see promising innovations that are not yet investable propositions. Not because the technology is weak, but because key assumptions still need to be tested. 🧩 That perspective also shapes how we approach investments at UNIIQ. In the article below, I try to explain why. 👇 https://lnkd.in/ev68nG2e

80% of UNIIQ-backed startups secure follow-on funding within three years. Explore early-stage companies that are ready for their next growth phase. https://lnkd.in/eH4g_fqx

Interested in proven early-stage innovation from the Netherlands? Explore the UNIIQ co-investment portfolio and discover ventures prepared for their next funding round. https://lnkd.in/evd4nmtv