Noord-Brabant to spend almost €3 million on helping students with innovative ideas

The province of Noord-Brabant is going to spend almost three million euros to help students from Brabant realize their innovative ideas. The subsidy fund is for secondary school education students (MBO), higher education students (HBO), and scientific education students. The fund was established thanks to a group of students who came up with a new platform to support their fellow Brabant students and their innovations.

Platform BOOST (Brabantse Ondersteunende Organisatie Studententeams) will support students in the whole province and will give them the chance for the next five years to start their own team or to align with an existing team to advance their plan.

“With this platform, we will create chances for young talents to develop and contribute to the future of Brabant,” Nick Hol, the chairman of BOOST said. He called BOOST the Brabant-wide development agency for student teams.

His organization will collaborate with ten educational institutions in the province: TU Eindhoven, Tilburg University, HAS Green Academy, Breda University of Applied Sciences, Avans University of Applied Sciences, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Summa College, SintLucas, Design Academy Eindhoven and Ter AA.

Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, the deputy for the economy and talent development, points out that student teams have previously developed light sculptures, modular homes, safe hydrogen batteries, and a fast-charging electric racing car.

“Our universities, higher education schools, and secondary schools are the breeding ground for talent with innovative solutions. We can make good use of that brainpower and bravado of students, and as a province, we are happy to give them a push."