Biomaterials Hackathon 2026 at Smart BioMaterials Center

Biomaterials Hackathon 2026

Eindhoven, March 13-15, 2026

Imagine creating a personalized implant that changes someone’s life forever. This is your chance! Join the Biomaterials Hackathon 2026 and make a real impact.

Register now

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About this event

Why Participate?

Pioneer the future: Explore the cutting-edge world of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs).
48 hours of innovation: Dive into a dynamic hackathon inspired by Brainport Eindhoven’s entrepreneurial energy.
Make a difference: Solve real health challenges using advanced biomaterials technologies.
Gain visibility with investors, receive hands-on entrepreneurial support, and tap into the Europe’s leading Smart BioMaterials Consortium.

What to expect?

Team-up & innovate: Collaborate with peers from diverse fields to brainstorm groundbreaking ideas.
Learn from experts: Get support from industry leaders and entrepreneurial PhDs.
Expand your network: Meet fellow innovators and potential future partners.
Think like an entrepreneur: Discover how to turn research into investable startups.
Cutting-edge topics: Work on regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems, and personalized implants.

Three tracks. One shared challenge.

You will work on one of three focused challenge tracks, each addressing a real bottleneck in healthcare. These tracks are brought forward by clinicians, researchers, and innovators — no fictional cases, no predefined solutions.

Smart implants explores how implants can move beyond passive functionality and actively interact with the body to support tissue regeneration.
In-vitro cell expansion tackles one of the key barriers in cell therapies: scaling the production of high-quality cells by combining biomaterials with smart bioreactor concepts.
Decentralized bio-sensing looks at how healthcare can move beyond hospital walls, developing skin-like or minimally invasive biosensors for continuous, patient-friendly monitoring.

You choose the track. You define the problem. Bring an idea or find one during the weekend. Build it with others, test it fast, and turn it into something real.

Why it matters

Be part of shaping the future of healthcare.
Gain hands-on experience in a world-class innovation ecosystem.
Support to bring your proof-of-concept idea to life.

Who can participate?

Students and academics in the field of biomaterials and related disciplines
Developers
Healthcare professionals
Patients
Entrepreneurs

The Jury

The Biomaterials Hackathon 2026 jury combines scientific depth, translational expertise, and a strong focus on real-world impact.

Ralf Heijkants brings experience in biomaterials innovation, medical device development, and regulation.
Cees Oomens, emeritus professor in soft-tissue biomechanics, contributes deep insight into tissue–device interaction and clinical relevance.
Hans Arnouts adds a patient-centred and business-driven perspective, shaped by both his professional background and personal experience with medical technology.

Together, the jury looks beyond technical excellence to assess feasibility, usability, and impact on patients’ lives.

What You Win

The winners of the Biomaterials Hackathon 2026 receive a tailored venture-building prize package to turn breakthrough ideas into investable medical startups, right in the heart of Europe’s leading tech region:

Specialized startup coaching – Mentorship from venture developers, investors and industry experts on your business model, pitch and investor readiness.
Assisted company formation in Eindhoven – Support with registration, workspace at High Tech Campus, and direct access to the Brainport ecosystem.
SBMC development expertise – Guidance for prototyping, technical development and regulatory pathways toward clinical proof.