More than 35 Dutch MedTech and Digital Health innovators traveled to Texas this October for a dynamic Life Sciences & Health (LSH) mission, connecting the Netherlands and the Lone Star State through hospital visits, ecosystem exchanges, and strategic conversations.
This mission, organized by Task Force Healthcare, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and NBSO Texas built on the growing partnership between the Dutch LSH sector and Texas, following the 2023 TMC-Netherlands BioBridge agreement and the Texas Medical Center’s visit to Amsterdam earlier this year.
Connecting the Dutch and Texan Health Innovation Ecosystems
The week-long mission showcased how the Netherlands and Texas are working together to accelerate medical innovation, clinical collaboration, and investment in health technology.
The program started in Houston, where the delegation explored the Texas Medical Center Innovation Factory, Portal Innovations and the TMC Venture Fund, learning more about the commercialization process and investor landscape.
Visits to Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann Health System, Millar and the Greater Houston Partnership provided valuable insights into the hospital innovation and the broader healthcare ecosystem.
An afternoon of seminars on doing business in the U.S. brought together investors, policy experts, and legal advisors to discuss pathways for Dutch companies entering the American market. The Houston program concluded with a networking reception at the Ion, home of NBSO Texas, connecting the Dutch delegation with more than 50 local stakeholders from the Houston health and innovation community.
Expanding Collaboration in Austin
The second part of the mission took place in Austin, known for its thriving tech and health innovation scene.
At Dell Medical School (University of Texas at Austin), the group met academic leaders including Maarten Rotman, a Dutch member of the school’s innovation leadership team. Discussions focused on medical entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and the translation of research into practice, reflecting strong ties with Dutch universities such as Leiden, Delft and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
At Opportunity Austin’s headquarters in the Indeed Tower, the delegation met representatives from the Austin Healthcare Council, Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute (THBI), and Capital Factory. The session highlighted Austin’s growing role as a national hub for healthcare innovation, connecting policy, investment, and entrepreneurship.
The program concluded with a Dutch-Texas Healthcare Mixer at Q-Branch, organized in collaboration with Sean Herrity (US Trade Consult) and Gus Cardenas (Austin Healthcare Council). The event brought together over 50 professionals from the local ecosystem and offered a platform for Dutch companies to present their solutions to potential U.S. partners.
Dutch Expertise Across the Life Sciences & Health Value Chain
The Dutch delegation represented a broad cross-section of the LSH ecosystem, including digital health and medical technology innovators such as:
- Digital Health Technology: Global Value Web, LeQuest, MorlaMoves, OrthoFoodie, PRMSE, Thaumatec Tech Group
- Medical Technology: Aliform, BalanceBelt, Bridea Medical, Clear.bio, DE Design, Rods & Cones, SensoniQ, Spatium Medical
- Health Ecosystem Partners: Access2Bone, Briddge Legal & Finance, NLC Health Ventures, Philips, Signify
Together these companies showcased Dutch strengths in digital innovation, medical devices, and health entrepreneurship, demonstrating how public-private collaboration drives global health solutions.
Strengthening the TMC BioBridge Partnership
During the mission, discussions with the Texas Medical Center Innovation (TMCi) team focused on deepening the TMC BioBridge collaboration. Following the first Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2023, the partners are now exploring the creation of a Dutch cohort with the TMC Innovation Accelerator for 2026. Work is underway between TFHC, RVO, BOM, and NBSO Texas to define the structure, financing options, and timeline for this new program, which will support Dutch MedTech scale-ups entering the U.S. healthcare market.
Looking ahead
The 2025 LSH mission underscored the strong alignment between the Netherlands and Texas in healthcare innovation. Building on this momentum, NBSO Texas will continue to connect Dutch innovators with the Texan ecosystem, working with TMC, Opportunity Austin, Q-Branch, and other regional partners to strengthen the transatlantic MedTech corridor.
Voices from the Delegation
“This mission is about more than discovering Texas – it’s about learning from each other and supporting one another to accelerate our collective growth. We are the Netherlands. We build (bio)bridges.” – Menno van der Eijk, Clear.bio
“Through the mission we gained valuable insights into the innovative healthcare system in Texas. The program was dense, well-organized and crucial for our regional strategy.” – Barend Smet, Thaumatec Tech Group
“From the very first hour, the excellent preparations and introductions offered us amazing, unexpected opportunities. We made valuable connections that will continue to grow.” – Willem Mees van der Bijl, Spatium Medium
Acknowledgements
This mission was made possible through the close collaboration of Task Force Health Care (TFHC), Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), NBSO Texas, and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Miami, with support from Health~Holland, NFIA, BOM, and many Texan partners who opened their doors and networks.
Download the Mission Booklet here
