IBL - alumnus Wouter Bruins received the Mr. K.J. Cath Prize
On September 1st, during the opening of the academic year, former IBL-student in Science-Based Business Wouter Bruins was awarded the prize for his publicity achievements for the university.
Bruins’ career as an entrepreneur started during his IBL-study in Biology and Science-Based Business. During this time he founded two companies. He started with the company Amplino, through which he developed the “Amplino thermocycler”, an affordable, mobile diagnostic test for malaria. The Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) helped him with advice and specific malaria-related knowledge.
In Ovo
The second start-up from Bruins was “In Ovo”. In Ovo developed a gender test for eggs as part of a mission to prevent the killing of millions of one-day-old chicklets in the poultry sector by 2016. As male chickens will never lay any eggs, they are useless in egg production and thus killed right after hatching. The poultry sector, including farmers are keen on finding a solution to this big problem.
About the K.J. Cath Prize
The K.J. Cath Prize was instigated in 1988, on the occasion of K.J. Cath’s retirement as President of the Executive Board. The award comprises a commendation and a sum of € 2,500. It is awarded every two years to a member of staff or student at Leiden University whose teaching or research – broadly interpreted - over the preceding period has made a positive contribution to promoting the reputation of the university.
Acceptance speech
In his acceptance speech, Bruins encouraged students to start their own business while still at university – even if there is a change it might fail. For anyone with an ambition to start their own business, university is the perfect place to try your hand.
Links
- Video Opening Academic year
- In Ovo
- Amplino
- K.J. Cath Prize