TU Delft invests through Delft Enterprises (DE) in spin-offs based on knowledge and technology developed at the university. DE currently has 4 pure play AI companies in its portfolio, says investment Director Ronald Gelderblom.

“Digitalisation is currently the fastest growing category in our portfolio and we expect this development to continue. Hardware-based spin-offs often also have a digital component.

TU Delft is currently investing in 24 AI labs and we expect that a lot of knowledge from these labs will also lend itself well to spin-offs. That is why we have developed the TechScout programme together with the Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship, which focuses on technology in the field of AI, data and cybersecurity and aims to create spin-offs.

The challenge for AI companies is to find the right balance between customisation and scalability. Delft Enterprises invests in the specialisation of its investment managers in order to be able to support spin-offs as well as possible.”