NeuroNova Tx wins Venture Challenge Spring 2025!

The winner of the Venture Challenge was announced today at the Dutch Biotech Event. The proud winner of the 2025 Spring edition is NeuroNova Tx! Their groundbreaking stem cell research stimulates brain repair in newborn babies who suffered from brain injury. 

The jury - comprised of Carine Van Den Brink (Chair), Daniela Couto, Carsten Linnemann, Henk Vietor, and Brigitte Drees - was almost immediately unanimous in choosing NeuroNova Tx as the winner. The participating teams did very well during their pitches, and all had their own specific opportunities and challenges. The jury finds that NeuroNova Tx is addressing a critical need as there are currently no effective therapies for the >12.000 newborn babies suffering from early life brain injury annually in the 5 major markets in the EU and US combined. The jury also noted the team's strong presentation, the dedication and tenure of individual team members, as well as the promising data they showed. 

NeuroNova is developing an innovative intranasal stem cell therapy to treat newborn babies suffering from early life brain injury (hypoxic-ischemic brain injury) caused by severe oxygen deprivation at birth or perinatal stroke. These injuries often lead to cerebral palsy - a lifelong and currently untreatable condition that heavily affects motor function and quality of life.   

The dedicated team, consisting of Danielle Counotte, Manon Benders, Cora Nijboer and Eva van Ingen, uses nasal drops containing allogeneic (donor-derived) mesenchymal stem cells to stimulate brain repair. A Phase 1 clinical trial in 10 infants has already demonstrated safety and feasibility, with promising signs of efficacy. A Phase 2/3 trial will now further evaluate the therapy’s effectiveness. Parallel to this, NeuroNova is preparing for clinical implementation and market approval.  

“We already believed in the effectiveness of the therapy but the Venture Challenge taught us how to translate that belief into a viable business strategy to bring our innovation to patients" 

• The NeuroNova Tx team 

The Venture Challenge Spring started in April and today at the Dutch Biotech Event 
NeuroNova Tx takes home the €25.000 prize money to invest in their growth. Contact Danielle Counotte for more information about NeuroNova Tx. 

The other highly motivated participating teams were: 

• IMPACT: One-time, operating-room cell therapy for true cartilage regeneration. 
  Joost van Duijn · Jasmijn Korpershoek · Panagiota Moutsatsou · Maaike Braham 

• Streasure4Health: A point-of-care sensor for objective diagnosis and therapy monitoring in post-acute infection syndromes like Long Covid and ME/CFS.  
  Peter Deen · Peter Voshol · Paul van de Wiel 

• Matriarch: Sustainable, animal-friendly hydrogel for organoid culture, based on fetal calf serum byproducts. 
  Jorrit Achterberg · Hessel van der Weide 

• Voyagen: AI and functional screening platform to decode oncogenic signaling and improve cancer drug development. 
  Lucia Barbadilla Martinez · Minh Chau Luong Boi · Max Trauernicht · Yuva Oz  

Participating in the Venture Challenge leads to a clear venture plan, as well as to investor-ready pitches. The  LifeSciences@Work Venture Challenge  is powered by  Health~Holland. 

Want to participate in the next venture challenge? Click here for more information. 

The call for the Venture Challenge Fall and Winter (Special MedTech edition) closes on 1 July 2025, 14:00. Apply through NWO. 

Our specialised coaching focuses on developing your initial idea into a solid business during a series of boot camps and 1-on-1 coaching and mentoring sessions. Startup teams learn to identify key risks, analyse customer value propositions, develop a validation strategy, learn to build a venture plan and, ultimately, get connected to Life Sciences experts, investors and seasoned entrepreneurs. Read more. 

LifeSciences@Work: The national program for high potential Life Sciences start-up initiatives. We help scientists build their business. We offer activities designed for researchers with entrepreneurial aspirations as well as for life sciences startups.

LS@W is powered by Health~Holland | Top Sector Life Sciences & Health. Contact us.