ConnectING 19 juni 2022

From established names such as the
Agoria Solar Team, Formula Electric
Belgium, Core and iGEM and newcomers
such as Aether, Circl-E and Neurotech
Leuven, to start-ups in the making. “It was
a great opportunity for the large audience
to get to know the full range of young,
organised entrepreneurial talent within the
faculty,” says Ellen Demarsin, day-to-day
manager of Technovation Hub.
© Filip Van Loock
“And the teams, they enjoyed sharing their
passion with the guests and each other”.
Breeding ground
Hannah Gunsch, a student of the Post -
graduate Tech Innovation In Ventures &
Teams (TechInVenT) and in the start-up
team herself, immediately set the tone.
"We have all been looking forward to
this event. Not only to show off our
progress, but also to learn from each
other. Technovation Hub is a breeding
ground for creative engineering and
entrepreneurial talent. Here, new ideas
are hatched and nurtured into mature
business plans. At events like this, the
expertise of seasoned teams is injected
into newcomers, creating a cycle of
sustainable cross-fertilisation. Events like
this are an example of circular entre -
preneurship of, for and by engineers”.
Role model
Visibly impressed by Hannah's enthusiasm,
Prof. Gerard Govers, Vice-Rector Science,
Engineering and Technology, officially
opened the evening. The Vice-Rector
called the student teams that operate
within Technovation Hub and the post -
graduate TechInVenT role models for
current and future engineers. “They show
how essential engineering skills can
be acquired outside the lecture halls
and classrooms. And for the younger
generation, they are living proof that
engineering is quite fun”.
In his speech, the Vice-Rector expressed
his concern about the ongoing shortage
of engineers. “People talk about the future
of society and the world, but hardly ever
ask questions about how it will happen,
what it will cost and especially who will
do it and ensure that know-how is built
up and disseminated. Then you inevitably
end up with the engineers. If it turns out
that there are too few of them, you have
to put your ambitious plans on hold”.
Convergence
Keynote speaker Xavier Werbrouck, CEO
of software company Infinite/CadCorner
and partner of Technovation Hub, also
talked about the engineering shortage.
He called it one of the major threats of the
moment along with the scarcity of goods
and rising prices. The keynote itself dealt
with the convergence of the physical
and digital worlds, one of the important
consequences of the digital transformation.
“Those who hesitate to adapt to the digital
reality will soon see their customers leave
for the competitors. Because the customer
is not waiting anymore. Companies that
do not evolve with them will suffer the
same fate as Kodak, which disappeared
from the scene ten years ago”.
Concrete examples of the physical
and digital convergence, according to
Xavier Werbrouck, are the applications
of augmented reality (AR) in product
development, service and training and the
use of digital twins. Infinite/CadCorner is
currently working with the Agoria Solar
Team on the optimisation of parts of the
Blue Point Atlas solar car. Through digital
twins, the forces to which the suspension
is subjected are determined. According to
Ellen Demarsin, the project can serve as
a model for partnerships with high-tech
companies. “This involves both setting up
innovation challenges and initiatives, that
are beneficial to all partners”.
Yves Persoons
www.technovationhub.be
CONNECTING 5