2022 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award honorees announced by Termeer Foundation; supporting emerging life science leaders in the Netherlands and Massachusetts

Apr 21, 2022

Kasper Roet, of QurAlis Corporation and Koenraad Wiedhaup, of Leyden Labs presented with annual award at Innovation for Health conference in Amsterdam

BOSTON, April 21, 2022 – The Termeer Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on connecting life science innovators and catalyzing the creation of new medicines, today announced the recipients of the 2022 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award. The awardees of the second annual honor will be recognized during a presentation at the Innovation for Health conference taking place April 21, 2022, in the Netherlands.

This year’s winners of the Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award are: Kasper Roet, of QurAlis Corporation and Koenraad Wiedhaup, of Leyden Labs; Information about the 2021 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award winners can be found here.

“We are delighted to honor the 2022 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award winners, Kasper Roet and Koenraad Wiedhaup, both of whom are deserving of this award due to their exceptional professional background and commitment to the ideals of Henri Termeer,” said Belinda Termeer, President and Co-founder of The Termeer Foundation. “Even at this early stage in their careers they have shown a great capacity to combine leadership with innovation within their companies as they pursue distinct scientific paths towards developing breakthrough medicines.”

The Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award began as part of an agreement in July 2019, between the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, which created and signed a Memorandum of Understanding laying the basis for a Massachusetts – Netherlands Transatlantic Life Sciences Partnership. The signatories included Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (Health-Holland), MassBio, HollandBIO and the Henri A. Termeer Tribute Committee; all of whom agreed to provide support and organize activities to promote trans-Atlantic collaboration between the two biotechnology ecosystems.

“The Transatlantic Connections Award creates significant opportunities for its recipients to network, learn and possibly collaborate with life science professionals in two of the most important life science sectors,” said Hans Schikan, board member of Health-Holland and a member of the Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award Steering Committee. “Over the course of the next year as Award recipients and beyond as Termeer Fellows, this year’s winners will be presented with a variety of chances to enhance their knowledge of the global life science sector and plant the seeds for future company success.”

Each year, the Termeer Foundation and Health-Holland selects two emerging life science entrepreneurs, one in Massachusetts and one in the Netherlands, who are leading innovative biomedical research activities, and whose programs have the potential to strengthen transatlantic relations between the two life science regions. Candidates are selected based on their initial entrepreneurial success in establishing a life science company that meets certain scientific and financial criteria, exhibit a strong interest in mentoring other young entrepreneurs, and possess a willingness for additional involvement in Termeer Foundation programs. Awardees also receive Fellowship status within The Termeer Foundation, which includes access to experienced healthcare mentors, networking with fellow peer entrepreneurs, and recognition at the annual Termeer Fellows Celebration. Recipients are invited to spend a week visiting their fellow awardee’s company and local biotechnology sector, and to participate in additional learning, networking and cultural events in that location.

“When QurAlis was established, we recognized that even at an early stage developing medicines to treat neurodegenerative diseases has no borders or geographical limitations,” said Kasper Roet, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, QurAlis. “Being selected to receive the Transatlantic Connections Award is not only an honor, but an excellent platform from which to create those all-important relationships outside our sector.”

The Greater Boston and Netherlands biotechnology sectors represent two of the world’s prolific global biomedical research centers. Boston and Cambridge is home to approximately 1,400 biotechnology companies; ranging from small, emerging start-ups to larger, more established biopharmaceutical companies. Cambridge’s Kendall Square is the heart of this sector and holds a large concentration of life science companies, with over 120 located within the Square’s small footprint. The highly collaborative Dutch Life Sciences & Health community includes 3,100 R&D life sciences companies, 420 biopharmaceutical companies, 65,000 employees in pharmaceuticals and a 4.7-billion-euro medtech market. Life Sciences businesses in the Netherlands profit from countless opportunities for growth and collaboration.

“To receive The Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award and the recognition of our company’s vision is a wonderful compliment to the work we have done, thus far,” said Koenraad Wiedhaup, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Leyden Labs. “I am excited to become a part of the established link between the Massachusetts and Netherlands biotech ecosystems created by Henri Termeer and look forward to participating in the upcoming programs with my fellow award honoree.”

About The Termeer Foundation

The Termeer Foundation is a nonprofit organization working to connect the world of healthcare innovators until every patient has a cure. We build and support an ever-expanding network of biotech entrepreneurs, CEOs, academics, and other innovators because we believe that helping people succeed will ultimately help their innovations reach patients. Our support includes mentoring, networking, professional development, and financial grants intended to facilitate connections, break down silos, strengthen skillsets and ultimately enable a diverse array of current and future healthcare leaders who bring much-needed solutions to patients. Find out more about The Termeer Foundation and how you can support, engage with, and join our network at www.termeerfoundation.org or on LinkedIn @TermeerFoundation.

Contact:
Erica Mawby-Roche
Termeer Foundation
erica@termeerfoundation.org

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Building a successful biotech company requires more than money and an innovative approach to treat disease. It also requires a leader who is passionate, values-driven and people-focused — willing to go the distance to ensure patients get the life-changing therapies they need.

The Termeer Foundation’s Fellows Program is uniquely focused on this third ingredient, a distinctive program dedicated to supporting the person at the helm of a growing company. Through its multi-faceted curriculum and diverse network of innovators and entrepreneurs, the Termeer Fellows Program provides professional development through specific skills, competency growth, development opportunities, mentorship, executive coaching, and network building for first-time CEOs of early-stage or non-profit biotech and life sciences organizations. These offerings are designed to empower biotech leaders and provide them with the tools, resources, and support they need to build a culture and company that will thrive.

The Fellows Program, which began in 2018, includes a variety of both in-person and virtual events. These sessions cover a diverse range of topics, including personal leadership, team development, DEI initiatives, communication, executive presence, professional presentation, transparency, board management, strategy, problem-solving, change management, decision-making, and human resources-focused topics such as hiring, recruiting, and retention.

To date, 61 fellows have participated in the program, and the feedback has been extremely positive. In a survey of the 2023 Termeer Fellows, 100% said they acquired a variety of resources to continue to refine their development as a leader and that they feel connected to a network of professionals who can guide and assist them.

Because leadership, particularly of an early-stage biotech company, can be a lonely, isolating experience at times, the Fellows Program also helps foster a sense of community and support among the fellows in each class. In the 2023 Termeer Fellows survey, 100% indicated they have a strong professional network of peer biotech founders after participating in the program.

Each year, incoming fellows are selected for the Termeer Fellows Program through a competitive, stepwise process that begins with an open, online application. This selection process reflects the values that lie at the core of the Foundation’s mission and the Fellows Program: responsibility, passion, innovation, humility, and connectivity. (Applications for the 2025 fellowship year will be available online on September 30.)

As Safia Rizvi, CEO of CILA Therapeutics and a 2023 Termeer Fellow, remarked, “The Termeer Fellowship has been a transformative experience for me, both professionally and personally. It offered me the chance to learn from my peers, mentors, foundation members, and the numerous resources provided throughout the program. Most importantly, I have found a community.”