With the academic year well underway and four months since the launch of BOOST, the Brabant-wide student innovation ecosystem is evolving rapidly. More teams are forming, new institutions are joining, and student-driven innovation is gaining momentum. This article provides an overview of the current state of student teams connected to BOOST as of February 2025.
A Thriving Network of Student Teams
Currently, 31 student teams are connected to BOOST, collectively engaging 745 students across Noord-Brabant. These teams, ranging in size from 6 to 101 members, are tackling challenges in energy, mobility, AI, robotics, and more.
Figure 1 highlights the current distribution of host institutes for student teams in the province. While TU Eindhoven (TU/e) remains the dominant institution, hosting 25 of the 31 teams (80.6%), other institutions are starting to contribute. Fontys Hogeschool leads this expansion with 5 teams, followed by Avans Hogeschool with 1 team. The strong presence of TU/e can be attributed to its long-standing history with student teams, dating back to the early 2000s when some of Brabant’s first official student teams were established.
Although TU/e hosts most teams, participation is more diverse. Students from multiple institutions are actively involved, as shown in the distribution shown in Figure 2 below:
It can be seen that 27 of 31 teams include students from TU/e, 13 of 31 teams include Fontys students and 4 of 31 teams include Avans students. Beyond these, students from MBO institutions—including Curio, Koning Willem I College, SintLucas, and Ter Aa—are also joining teams, highlighting the ecosystem’s expansion across MBO, HBO and WO institutes even though these MBO institutes are not currently hosting any teams of their own.
What Are These Teams Working On?
Brabant’s student teams are engaged in a variety of focus areas:
- 🌍 Energy & Sustainability – 13 teams
- 🚗 Smart Mobility – 9 teams
- 🤖 Artificial Intelligence (AI) – 7 teams
- 🔧 Robotics – 5 teams
- 🏥 Health – 5 teams
- ✈️ Aerospace – 3 teams
- 🎨 Art & Technology – 3 teams
The largest share of teams is working on Energy & Sustainability and Smart Mobility. AI and robotics are also well represented, aligning with Brabant’s key technology sectors.
New Teams, New Opportunities
One of the most exciting developments in recent months is the emergence of 10 new student initiatives that have reached out to BOOST, seeking to establish themselves as full-fledged student teams. These initiatives originate from institutions such as Fontys, Avans, HAS, Tilburg University, and the Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE). Figure 3 shows the distribution of potential host institutes for these new student initiatives:
This growth is crucial for the Brabant-wide student innovation ecosystem. Expanding beyond TU/e and incorporating a wider range of institutions fosters greater diversity, fresh perspectives, and a more robust foundation for innovation across the province.
What’s Next?
The expansion of Brabant’s student innovation ecosystem is only beginning. With more teams forming and new institutions stepping in, the potential for MBO-HBO-WO interdisciplinary collaboration is increasing. At BOOST, we are committed to strengthening this ecosystem by connecting teams, facilitating knowledge exchange, and reinforcing Brabant’s position as a leading hub for student-driven innovation.
Get Involved!
Are you a student, researcher, or industry partner interested in supporting student-led innovation? Now is the time to engage!
- Register your student team: Register here
- Become a partner: Learn more here