Exciting finals of incubator program Amsterdam Startup Launch
The winner of 2026 edition of the Amsterdam Startup Launch is startup Smart Inclusion. Its platform IncludeMe is about making diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts more inclusive of people with disabilities. The platform uses gamified, five-minute learning sessions powered by AI to help organizations apply DEI principles in practical ways.
Final Day and partners
Demonstrator Lab hosted the Final Day of the Amsterdam Startup Launch on June 17th, marking the final stage of an intensive period of development for their latest group of entrepreneurs. After months of focused sessions and hard work, eight participating teams presented their concepts to the audience and jury.
Partners of the ASL program are Roland Berger and Wintertaling.
Top three awarded start-ups:
- Winner of ASL Spring 2026 cohort: IncludeMe (by Smart Inclusion)
- Runner-up: TRI-AGE (Helder Movement + Growth)
- Third Jury favourite: Dairyfert
Start-up Smart Inclusion with IncludeMe share their response
“The idea for IncludeMe emerged directly from my research experience in the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) domain. The current DEI landscape is largely focused on gender and ethnicity, while disability is often studied through the lens of the medical model, leaving many questions of social adaptation insufficiently addressed.
We believe that the core principles of DEI policies can not only be extended to people with disabilities but can also be implemented through low-cost, scalable tools, particularly given the rapid development of AI technologies. IncludeMe is a gamified micro-learning platform designed to support the practical implementation of DEI policies.
However, we currently lack scientifically validated knowledge based on the social model of disability that can be translated into impactful daily five-minute learning sessions. Therefore, we invite social researchers who are interested in this field to collaborate with us in developing a solution that combines meaningful social impact with rigorous scientific foundations.” Says Founder Kirill Palenov of Smart Inclusion.
