UTFacultiesEEMCSNewsYsbrand Wijnant and Eric de Vries win 2021 Van den Kroonenberg Award

Ysbrand Wijnant and Eric de Vries win 2021 Van den Kroonenberg Award

The founders of 4Silence, Ysbrand Wijnant and Eric de Vries, won the Van den Kroonenberg Award this year. This entrepreneurial prize is awarded annually by the University Fund Twente; this year, during the Grand Finale of the UT Entrepreneurial Challenge 2021. The award goes to entrepreneurs who have proven that their UT spin-off has a right to exist. 4Silence develops and supplies noise reduction products along roads and railway tracks.

The company originated from research at the University of Twente. The basic concept emerged in 2007-2008. Ysbrand Wijnant worked at the UT Department of Technical Mechanics under Professor Tijdeman. He discovered how sound could affect sound. Together with the UT, Wijnant recorded the ideas in a patent that was obtained in 2009. With the support of NovelT, the company 4Silence was created based on this patent. Ysbrand Wijnant as CTO and Eric de Vries as CEO manage the company together. In recent years, the technical and economic viability has been proven in terms of the current market position, customers, revenue growth and result development. The company has shown steady development and clear choices have been made, resulting in a strong market position.

4Silence

4Silence develops and supplies noise-reducing products that are installed along roads and railway tracks. These products bend the sound upwards, so that surrounding residential areas experience less nuisance. European legislation has strict requirements for noise: 50dB for all new roads, max 65dB for all existing roads.

VAN DEN KROONENBERG AWARD

The Van den Kroonenberg Award for young entrepreneurship is intended for an entrepreneur with a clear link to the University of Twente who has proven their excellent entrepreneurship. The assessment is done by a jury consisting of entrepreneurs and UT researchers. The award is a tribute to the former rector magnificus Harry van den Kroonenberg, who initiated the entrepreneurial character of the University of Twente. The prize, which will be awarded on behalf of the University Fund Twente for the 37th time this year, consists of a cash sum of 4,500 euros and an award sculpture created by Mohana van den Kroonenberg.

drs. J.G.M. van den Elshout (Janneke)
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