Rising Star winners from the Rotterdam & Delft region announced

11 July 2007 - Last week five ambitious young entrepreneurs presented their technologies and business plans in the former Girls’ Orphanage in Delft. Patrick Dekker, chairman of the jury and chief operating officer of HintTech Software, awarded the prize to the winner: Ian Miller of INITIaan de winnar Ian Millaer van Init88.

INITI8 produces software whose purpose is to solve logistical problems in critical business situations. By using this software, big cost savings can be achieved in complex logistical processes such as the meticulous scheduling of loading and unloading of hundreds of ships in the port of Rotterdam every day. The software has been implemented and is operational there. But INITIaan de winnar Ian Millaer van Init88 does not only focus on the worldwide harbour industry, but also on the care and construction sectors.

The second prize went to Scense B.V., supplier of a unique desktop management tool. This tool allows all workstations and applications to be managed centrally in real time. The third prize was for BackupAgent B.V., a leading supplier of online backup software.

The regional Rising Star awards are part of the Deloitte Fast 50 and are organised jointly with ABN AMRO and the three Universities of Technology: the University of Twente, Eindhoven University of Technology and Delft University of Technology. The Rising Star is the annual election of young ’high potentials’ among the technology companies of the Netherlands which have been in existence for less than 5 years. On 30 August the winners of the regional heats will compete for the national title at De Vanenburg Castle in Putten. The jury will then choose the successor to IceMobile, the winner in 2006.

”The Rising Star awards are a great platform for young entrepreneurs to show off their achievements and their ambitions for the future”, says jury foreman Patrick Dekker. “And it also gives them the opportunity to spar with experienced entrepreneurs and investors”, Dekker adds.

”The entrepreneurialism and enthusiasm of the nominees play a major role in the jury’s choice of winner. You can develop superb technology, but you also need to be able to sell it. Perseverance and vision are also crucial for success, so those are also important factors for the jury to consider”, Dekker explains.