This year, 30 ventures have applied for the Awards. Nine of them will be selected to pitch their ideas live during the Awards Ceremony on 19 November, competing for three Awards that will help them take their ventures further.
Join us for an evening of inspiring pitches, an entrepreneurial keynote, the announcement of the winners and the opportunity to connect with people from across the built environment.
Everyone is welcome to attend. Registration is free.
30 ventures. Different ideas. A shared ambition to make an impact.
This year, 30 ventures have applied for the BK-Launch Entrepreneurship Awards. From promising early-stage concepts to businesses already active in the market, their ideas reflect the diversity of entrepreneurship in the built environment.
Curious to see who's taking part? Discover all 30 ventures and learn more about the ideas and innovations they're working on.
At the end of October, we will announce the nine nominees, three in each Award category, who will take the stage on 19 November.
An evening of ideas, entrepreneurship and new connections.
On Thursday 19 November, the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TU Delft will host the BK-Launch Entrepreneurship Awards Ceremony 2026.
Nine nominated ventures will take the stage to pitch their ideas to an expert jury and a live audience. While the jury selects the winners, we will hear from Michal Kasperski, a previous BK-Launch Award winner, who will share insights from his entrepreneurial journey.
The evening concludes with the announcement of the three Award winners, followed by drinks and bites. A great opportunity to meet entrepreneurs, exchange ideas and connect with others interested in innovation in the built environment.
Timetable indication
16:30 – Doors open, Berlage Rooms. Tapas is served.
17:30 – Welcome and start of the venture pitches (including break with tapas)
19:30 – Keynote by former winner Michal Kasperski from DripVisual.
20:00 – Announcement of the winners, followed by drinks and bites
Whether you're a student, researcher, entrepreneur or professional, we'd love to welcome you! Joining is free, just make sure to register.
The BK-Launch Entrepreneurship Awards bring together a jury with diverse expertise across the built environment, entrepreneurship, innovation and research.
Drawing on their different professional backgrounds and perspectives, the jury will assess the nominated ventures and ultimately select the winners of the 2026 Awards on the evening of 19 November.
Prof.dr.ir. Machiel van Dorst is the dean of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TU Delft and full Professor of Environment, Behaviour and Urban Design. He teaches Urban Design, Environmental Psychology and Sustainable Urbanism and is responsible for the BK Health program at the faculty and Medical Delta professor at Leiden University.
As Programme Manager Sustainable Building and Renovation at The Green Village, Roby van Praag connects companies, researchers, governments and residents to bring sustainable innovations into practice. Together with her team, she supports experiments and collaborations around circular, energy-efficient, biobased and nature-inclusive building and renovation, contributing to more future-proof buildings and homes.
As Director of the Innovation & Impact Centre at TU Delft, Kenneth Heijns focuses on innovation and societal impact. Previously, he served as Managing Director of AMS Institute and Faculty Secretary at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. His expertise includes innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurship, urban challenges and cross-sector collaboration.
Marianne Timmer helps clients identify opportunities and take new steps towards a more sustainable built environment. She connects client needs and societal challenges to develop new propositions and projects with meaningful impact. She works at Oosterhoff, a group of independent engineering and consultancy firms with over 600 professionals working together to create better living environments.
Ruben Bergambagt is Partner and Co-Founder of Superimpose Architecture, an international architecture practice with offices in the Netherlands and China. As an architect and entrepreneur, he works at the intersection of architecture, sustainability and innovation, with a strong focus on feasibility, transformation and creating future-proof environments.
The evening will be moderated by Alijd van Doorn
Alijd van Doorn is Director of Architecture at Heembouw and an alumna of TU Delft's Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. Throughout her career, she has explored the relationship between creativity, management and entrepreneurship in architectural practice. She previously worked at Mecanoo Architects and de Architekten Cie., taught at TU Delft and co-founded Startruimte 010, an initiative supporting emerging design firms. Alongside her work at Heembouw, she continues to share her expertise through lectures and workshops on design management and entrepreneurship.
For ventures before their first revenues
The At-Launch award is aimed at individuals or teams with a strong, feasible and innovative proposal for the built environment. At this stage, the venture does not need to have generated any revenues or received external funding. In fact, this award is designed to be exactly that: your first source of funding. Applicants should have moved beyond the concept stage and be able to demonstrate concrete steps taken towards developing their idea.
Assessment criteria: innovativeness, societal impact, feasibility, proposal quality.
For ventures ready to scale
The Post-Launch award is for existing businesses that have already generated revenues and are looking to take the next step. Applicants should have a functioning business model and be able to demonstrate how they intend to scale. The award is intended to support that growth.
Assessment criteria: proof of concept, existing business model, innovativeness, societal impact, feasibility, proposal quality.
For ventures looking to build and test a sustainable prototype
In partnership with The Green Village, this award offers more than financial support alone. The total value of €20.000 is made up of €5.000 in cash for materials, and €15,000 in-kind support. This includes the opportunity to install a small-scale test setup at The Green Village, under the professional coaching and guidance of a The Green Village project manager throughout the testing phase.
The Green Village is a field lab exempted from standard regulations, with residents who provide direct user feedback. During the testing process, the extensive network of The Green Village is actively engaged to assess the feasibility of the innovation and help bring it to the next level.
Ventures can apply for this award via the same application form as the At-Launch and Post-Launch categories. The Green Village Award is assessed separately, based purely on the quality of the test plan.
Assessment criteria: innovative and sustainable prototype for the built environment, within one of the following themes: Sustainable building and renovation, Future energy systems, or Climate-adaptive cities.
The Green Village Award winner is selected by The Green Village.
Date: Thursday 19 November 2026
Location: Berlage Rooms, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft. Julianalaan 134, Delft.
Admission: Free, registration required
Do you have any general questions regarding BK-Launch and the awards Reach out to bk-launch@tudelft.nl
Do you have any questions about the event? Please reach out to Bas Plaisier via b.c.plaisier@tudelft.nl
If you applied for the awards with your startup, you've agreed to our general Terms & Conditions. You can read them here. Read the full Terms & Conditions
