This year, 130 students participated in the course during November and December 2025. A total of 36 teams developed their innovative business ideas and thoroughly validated them. During the pitch finale, held in the REC Impact space, 4 teams presented their results.

The jury, consisting of Linda Vermaat (pitch trainer), Antigoni Kourou (founder of NEKOD), Giovanni Antonelli (program manager at UvA Founder Space), and Bhup Sing (founder and managing partner at Marveltest), selected the winner based on innovation, validation, and traction. The team from Daylight Technologies, with their indoor lamp that mimics natural sunlight, emerged as the winner. They received a prize of €1,000, sponsored by Amsterdam Academic Ventures—a significant amount they can invest as they see fit.

Course coordinator Dr. Bram Kuijken on The Startup Project: "This is an amazing course to teach. It’s inspiring to see how students can go from nothing to a validated business idea in just 8 weeks—something that could serve as the foundation for their entrepreneurial careers. Some teams continue working on their ideas, and some even grow into serious businesses."

Video report of the finaleExternal link

More about the Master’s in EntrepreneurshipExternal link

More about The Startup ProjectExternal link