The start-ups that will join the University’s Accelerator on its US roadshow were selected during the Aureus Ars & Scientia Prize 2024: ANote, PLAY IT and Trensition.
For the third year in a roll, the Aureus Ars & Scientia funds the US immersion roadshow, which the start-ups from the University of Luxembourg Incubator and Entrepreneurship Programme use to meet and network with different ecosystem players including potential partners, clients and most importantly, investors. The Aureus Ars & Scientia Prize provides external start-ups from Greater Region the opportunity to join these venture and benefit from the organised business trip.
The roadshow is organised by the University of Luxembourg Incubator’s Accelerator. Last week, the Incubator hosted the third Aureus Ars & Scientia Prize where startups from Belgium, France, and Luxembourg were pitching their ideas to the external executive jury which consisted of Melissa Cornelis, Belgian Deputy Ambassador to Luxembourg, Olivier Van Outryve, Partner at Dugardyn & Partners, Olivier Van Regemortel, CEO and Founder of Orea Capital and board member Aureus Ars & Scientia, Jacques Mahaux, Non – Executive Director at Orea Capital, Michel Rzonzef, President at LBAN, Ludo Van der Heyden, INSEAD Chaired Professor Emeritus in Corporate Governance, Hélène Bostoen, Owner of Fenixco, and Olivier de Jamblinne, Board member Banque Delen Luxembourg & Luxembourg Art week.
“Today together with other jury members we witnessed very promising businesses and cutting-edge visions,” shared Melisa Cornelis, Belgian Deputy Ambassador to Luxembourg. “Innovation is a key factor towards the progress and sustainable development”.
The Aureus Prize is launched by the Aureus Ars & Scientia asbl in partnership with the University of Luxembourg Incubator and Entrepreneurship Programme. “Aureus Ars & Scientia is a foundation where we do philanthropical investments in three pillars – education, art and science – and as a part of the first pillar we are really backing entrepreneurship, this is why we created this prize,” explained Olivier Van Regemortel, the Managing Director of Aureus Ars & Scientia asbl, during the award ceremony which took place at residence of the Ambassador of Belgium Thomas Lambert. “We think that entrepreneurship is very important for the economy overall.”
The American Deputy Ambassador to Luxembourg Michael Konstantino added: “It’s really fantastic that we are getting startups with innovative ideas coming from the Greater Region to go to the United States.”
The ceremony was attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance at the University of Luxembourg Prof. Dr. Katalin Ligeti. “Our University is proud of fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation,” she said. “We remain firm in our commitment to one of our missions: to provide entrepreneurship skills and to contribute to the social, cultural, and economic development of Luxembourg and the wider world.”
“The 3rd edition of Aureus Prize pitching day was a great success, said Dr Pranjul Shah, Manager of the University of Luxembourg Incubator. ”All the three ventures have great potential to raise funds for US expansion. Overall, 10 out of 13 startups who participated in our Accelerator over last two editions have received investor interest or raised funds. This puts our Accelerator at the top in Luxembourg.”