Who are our directors? What drives them and what do they do? In Boardwalk, we go out every quarter with a director and visit a special place on campus. In this episode, rector magnificus Silvia Lenaerts sees how knowledge and innovations developed by the university find their way into society. "Valorization is more than making money; valorization is opening up our campus, entering into collaborations, sharing knowledge, and thus creating value for society."
According to the Rector Magnificus, the university must make visible how the public funds it receives are used. Especially at a time when science is under pressure, TU/e wants to show how research contributes to solutions to societal challenges.
In this episode, Silvia Lenaerts visits two initiatives on campus that illustrate how research is being translated into concrete applications.
From sustainable energy to innovative applications
The first stop is the new energy garden (KRATOS), a test environment for experiments on sustainable energy systems. Diana van der Sloot , managing director of EIRES (Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems), talks about the collaboration between TU/e researchers and the business community in this energy garden. It is part of our GENIUS project, which is designed to address grid congestion (overloading of the electricity grid) on campus and at surrounding critical infrastructure, such as the bus station or hospital.
For example, there is a large, cobalt- and nickel-free lithium iron phosphate battery with a capacity of 3.4 MWh that stores energy from all the solar panels on campus. And that energy is linked to heating systems, buildings, and charging stations via a smart platform, as well as to the companies that test new technologies in the living lab. "In this way, the entire region can benefit from the knowledge we develop here," Lenaerts explains.
Green hydrogen and iron powder
The company Alquion is working to produce green hydrogen. They turn the energy generated on campus via solar panels into green hydrogen. This green hydrogen can then be used by the TU/e spin-off RIFT to convert iron powder into a reusable energy carrier. Together, they will show how collaboration between universities and industry can contribute to the energy transition.
"As a university, we have an important task to show on a small scale that this collaboration is possible," says the rector magnificus. Van der Sloot adds: "We are testing it here on a small scale, and if the research has yielded a breakthrough, it can be continued on a larger, industrial scale. In doing so, we are contributing to accelerating the energy transition."
From research to company
The second visit is linked to the Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO), the place where researchers receive support in converting scientific knowledge into new products, services, and companies.
In the photonics lab, we visit start-up Firefly Sensing . This company originated from research within the Department of Applied Physics and Science Education. Firefly Sensing develops tiny photonic sensors that measure liquid quality in real time using light. By continuous monitoring, waste can be prevented in the food industry, for example. Mildred Cano , CEO of Firefly Sensing, says that the KTO helped the company develop a business case, find the right financing, and build a successful business. It also discusses why such guidance is essential for scientific breakthroughs actually to reach users and companies.
Business Developer Marcella Gagliardo was the supervisor of Firefly Sensing from the KTO: "We help researchers to bring their innovations outside the lab. Then we look at society and what problem this innovation can solve. If that turns out to be a match, we protect the intellectual property and look at the opportunities in the market."
Eindhoven Photonics Hub
Cano also indicates that it is important for startups to have an accessible way to use labs and other facilities to develop their products further. To meet this need, TU/e is opening the Eindhoven Photonics Hub on campus.
The space is specifically designed for startups, offering access to laboratory and research facilities, expertise, and opportunities to expand your network. For Firefly Sensing and similar start-ups, such a facility offers opportunities to grow further without having to invest directly in expensive laboratory infrastructure themselves. The Hub is part of a broader European collaboration, the European Future Chips Launchpad, which will be inaugurated later in November.
For FireFly Sensing and similar start-ups, such a facility offers opportunities to grow further without having to invest directly in expensive laboratory infrastructure themselves.
Finally, Lenaerts emphasizes that the impact of university research does not stop with a scientific publication but becomes visible when knowledge is shared, applied, and further developed in collaboration with other partners.
