Procedures

In the Invention Contest every team develops an innovative idea, which eventually will be presented to a jury. This jury will decide upon the winner, based upon 4 selection criteria. These criteria can be found on this website. The winner of the Contest is rewarded 750 Euro net per person. The 2nd place teams is rewarded 500 Euro net per person. Next, on the final day a prize will be awarded to a team by public voting, again 250 Euro net per person. All prizes are after taxes.

Every team consists of 4 Amolf employees (with possible exceptions of teams of 3 or 5, depending on the number of contestants). Every employee can, and is encouraged to, register, either as an individual or as a duo. One can register using the form on this website. The teams will be formed by the organizing committee, where in principle a maximum mixture of people (with respect to group and function) is strived upon.

Registration is possible until January 14.

The contest starts January 15 with a kick-off meeting.

The kick-off meeting has the following agenda:

  • Introduction by Forces 4 growth: How to create innovative business ideas

  • Explanation of rules, agenda, housekeeping

  • Announcement of teams

  • Meet your team with drinks

On February 12, an intermediate round will take place. In this round, every team present their idea to a jury.
This presentation includes:

  • Oral presentation of maximum 3 minutes (elevator pitch), with 2 minutes forn questions

  • Filled out invention guidance form (download here)

The jurymembers of this first round are:

  • Femius Koenderink

  • Ron Heeren

  • Duncan Verheijde

  • Peter Westerhuis, partner Forces 4 Growth

Forces 4 Growth

A maximum of five teams will be selected to continue to the final round. Each of these teams will then be supported by a (external) coach from the company Forces 4 Growth. This company is specialized in providing help to technology driven start-ups at the early period of the company. The precise interplay between coach and team will depend on the team itself.

On March 16 the five teams will have the opportunity the give a 15 minute presentation to the final jury. This presentation can include slides, movies, working demonstrations or other tools. The day will be hosted by Matthijs Wind, known from Badgasten and Draadstaal. The jury members of the final day are:

Pieter Kruit:
Pieter Kruit is full professor of physics at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. He has had the chair in charged particle optics since 1989. He is the author of over 100 publications in refereed journals and more than 30 international patents. He is also involved in MAPPER Lithography B.V., a company he founded in 2000, now employing over 140 physicists and engineers.

Joost Rueck:
Joost Rueck is Managing Director Strategic Sales & Marketing in the Dutch Management Team of Logica. After finishing his studies in Commercial Economics at the HvA he had marketing management positions for l'Oreal and KPN. He started at Logica in 2001. He is 36 years old.

Terry Doyle:
Terry Doyle is Senior Vice-President of Philips Research. He has studied in Trinity College, Dublin, where he also obtained his PhD. He has been working for more than 20 years at Philips Research and is a board member of Stichting Technische Wetenschappen (STW).

email: Invention Contest