Last month, Health~Holland announced the results of three years of innovation projects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This SME Call is an incentive funding program for innovative research by SMEs. Together with research organisations, they work on a specific innovation challenge that leads to the development of a new or improved product, service, or process.
A total of approximately 50 projects nationwide were awarded funding, with four of these projects involving the University of Twente. These projects demonstrate the value of collaboration between scientific research and regional entrepreneurs. For the University of Twente, this confirms the strategic importance of this program for practical research, societal impact, and sustainable collaboration with industry.
Source: Infographic MKB call Health~Holland (2025)
The SME Call enables the University of Twente to establish close, strategic partnerships with innovative SMEs. Many of these companies possess specialised knowledge and market insights, but sometimes lack the facilities or resources to conduct high-quality independent research. The SME Call enables Twente researchers to address current issues in the field of Life Sciences & Health and develop innovative solutions together with SMEs. By co-creating technology and knowledge, the university not only accelerates the market introduction of innovations but also actively contributes to the economic strengthening of businesses in the Twente MedTech business cluster.
The four recently awarded projects at a glance:
The UROCOAT project
The UROCOAT project focuses on the development of an innovative, non-antimicrobial coating for urinary catheters that permanently prevents bacterial adhesion and infection. The goal is to reduce catheter-related urinary tract infections, which often lead to serious complications, by 50–90%. The technology builds on LipoCoat's bio-inspired lipid coatings and is being optimised for clinical use in urology in collaboration with the University of Twente. This could lead to fewer healthcare-associated infections, lower costs, and reduced antibiotic resistance.
The University of Twente (Prof. Dr. Pascal Jonkheijm) and LipoCoat B.V. are collaborating on this project.
The OG-CART Project
Ineffectively treated cartilage damage can worsen/accelerate the development of osteoarthritis. To more effectively address pain and mobility problems in patients with cartilage defects, this project is developing a new orthopedic tissue adhesive that better supports cartilage repair techniques than the current standard. The adhesive is based on Hy2Care’s CartRevive®, which bonds better to tissue, cures faster, and is stronger than the commonly used but suboptimal existing adhesives. This responds to the demand from orthopedic surgeons for a more powerful and reliable alternative that truly contributes to cartilage repair for the patient.
The University of Twente (Prof. Dr. Marcel Karperien) and Hy2Care B.V. are collaborating on this project.
The MAGIC-AIM Project
The MAGIC-AIM project aims for a breakthrough in the early and accurate diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders, with the aim of improving patient outcomes and reducing invasive procedures. This will be achieved through an innovative platform that combines a magnetically guided capsule endoscope with artificial intelligence and extended reality. Automated image analysis and precise navigation increase diagnostic precision and reduce physician workload. The project involves phased validation and testing to make the technology clinically applicable and thus structurally improve healthcare.
The University of Twente (Dr. Islam Khalil) and the company HapMag B.V. are collaborating on this project.
The MAAT-CTC project
To help physicians make better and more personalised treatment choices for metastatic cancer, this project is developing a sensitive, minimally invasive test to accurately map the effectiveness of drugs on circulating tumor cells (CTCs). This is achieved using FETCH technology for isolating CTCs from blood, combined with a novel oligonucleotide-based single-cell detection method that allows for the simultaneous measurement of dozens of drugs. This approach prevents repeated and painful tumor biopsies in patients and enables real-time monitoring of the disease.
The University of Twente (Prof. Dr. Pascal Jonkheijm) and the company FETCH B.V. are collaborating on this project.
