Startup SusPhos wins Gouden KIEM 2019

UvA startup SusPhos has won the ‘Gouden KIEM’ for best Dutch startup in chemistry. The award, issued by the Dutch science foundation NWO and Holland Chemistry, was presented Tuesday 10 December at the Dutch national chemistry conference CHAINS. It consists of 25,000 euros for a research project and a sculpture.

SusPhos is developing technology that aims to generate a circular phosphate economy by processing phosphate-containing waste into high quality products such as fertilizer and fire retardants. In the Gouden Kiem finals SusPhos defeated startups Battolyser (TU Delft) and LipoCoat (University of Twente).

The jury was impressed by the enthusiasm and innovative ideas of the three startups. They awarded the Gouden KIEM to the company in which the jury saw the strongest combination of a product with societal impact, a good team with complementary areas of expertise, and good opportunities for further growth.

The Gouden KIEM competition has been organised each year since 2014 and is open for participation to all companies in the chemical sector that have been established less than three years ago and have their roots in a university or university of applied sciences. The Gouden KIEM competition is made possible by NWO Science and Holland Chemistry.

Foto: Thijs ter Hart