Ruud Sweegers (ETB Sweegers bv) was named Veldhoven Entrepreneur of the Year 2025
Edition 7 (2026)
Veldhoven Entrepreneur Awards
The voting period for the Promising Entrepreneur of 2026 begins on July 1. This year, you can vote TWICE: once via the voting form on the website and once live during the event!
These are the nominees for Promising Entrepreneur of the Year 2026
My name is Roel Buker, I am 33 years old and was born and raised in beautiful Veldhoven. In January, my wife Diede and I became the proud parents of our son Ollie.
The Poufs&Pillows team works every day in Morocco and the Netherlands on our handmade collection of poufs, cushions, and carpets, preserving traditional Moroccan craftsmanship while embracing European trends. We work directly with the artisans, which makes us special.
My name is Dennis Methorst, owner of Methorst Afbouw from Veldhoven. With our team, we provide plastering, facade insulation, painting, and complete finishing projects for private customers, contractors, and businesses in the region. What once began with simply working hard and a passion for the trade has now grown into a fine finishing company with a strong team around us. We believe it's important to deliver quality work, keep our promises, and relieve our customers of as much burden as possible.
The nomination for Promising Entrepreneur of the Year is, for me, primarily a wonderful recognition of everything we have built together in recent years. I am proud of our team and of the new generation of professionals who want to achieve something great together. We will continue to build beautiful projects, foster great collaborations, and pursue further growth in Veldhoven and the surrounding area.
My name is Chris Pijnenburg, I am 50 years old, and I live with my wife and children in the beautiful Huysackers. I am a true Veldhovenaar at heart. After years of working in HR for a genuine Veldhoven construction company, in 2024 I bundled my experience and passion for personnel consultancy into my own business: HR-Construct. The slogan “HR advice you can build on” is a deliberate nod to my background in the construction industry. During my career, I noticed that larger organizations often have their HR matters well-organized, while smaller SMEs have the same need but don't always know how to shape this practically and professionally. That is precisely where my strength lies: I help entrepreneurs with customized HR advice, tailored to their company, people, and ambitions.
That I have now been selected as one of the promising entrepreneurs makes me proud. It confirms that I am on the right track with my company and that it is never too late to take a new step with experience, conviction, and entrepreneurship.
Prices
Entrepreneur of the Year
For established entrepreneurs with impact in Veldhoven.
Promising entrepreneur
For entrepreneurs with exceptional potential.
Golden ticket
For entrepreneurs who started less than 3 years ago.
How does it work?
You can nominate entrepreneurs for Promising Entrepreneur or Veldhoven Entrepreneur of the Year. You can nominate using the form on this website. Anyone can participate.
The jury will choose 3 nominees for the Promising Entrepreneur. Then everyone may vote via the voting form on this website.
Iedereen die bij het event op 3 september aanwezig is mag live een stem uitbrengen in de zaal. Dit kan een tweede stem zijn als er in juli al gestemd is op een van de genomineerden. Stemmen mag op 3 september uitsluitend vanuit de zaal bij De Schalm.
During the Veldhoven Verbindt business event, the Veldhoven entrepreneur awards Promising Entrepreneur of the Year and Veldhoven Entrepreneur of the Year announced and awarded to the winners.
A special prize for starting entrepreneurs (active in Veldhoven for less than 3 years OR originating from Veldhoven).
Veldhoven Entrepreneur of the Year: The award for Veldhoven Entrepreneur of the Year has been adopted from the Veldhoven Entrepreneurship Trophy Foundation which awarded this prize for the 25th and final time under the name Veldhovense Ondernemerstrofee in 2022. From 2023, Veldhoven Verbindt has been awarding this annual prize. Veldhoven entrepreneurs can be nominated for the prize, and the jury chooses the winner. In this overview are all the people from Veldhoven who were allowed to receive this prestigious award.
Promising Entrepreneur of the Year: The 2019 Promising Entrepreneur of the Year award was created by Veldhoven Verbindt to encourage young entrepreneurs in Veldhoven. distinguish and encourage. For this prize, entrepreneurs can be nominated. The entrepreneurial awards jury will compile a top three from the nominated candidates. A voting round then follows and during the event it will be announced which of the three nominees wins the prize.
Golden Ticket: In 2023, the Golden Ticket was awarded for the first time to a startup entrepreneur. This is an entrepreneur who has been registered with the Chamber of Commerce for less than 3 years at the time of participation, has established their business in Veldhoven, or resides in Veldhoven. The prize will be awarded online in the weeks following the event to one of the startups that attended the event.
View here the jury rules.
- Marcel Delhez - burgemeester van Veldhoven and chairman of the jury
- Lars van der Hoorn - as a representative of Veldhoven business
- Hans Sonnemans - representing cultural Veldhoven
- Jacqueline Siem a Sjoe-Erdkamp - as a representative of advocacy Veldhoven
- Bianca Kuijpers - On behalf of Veldhoven Verbindt as representative of the organized Veldhoven Entrepreneurs
- Steff Huijbers - representing the former winners
The jury is supported by the Veldhoven Verbindt organization, with Dirk Vorstenbosch, Chantal Ottens, and John Dane providing assistance.
Wall of Fame - Winners of the Veldhoven Verbindt Entrepreneurship Awards
Mike Daas (DIGGRS Infra B.V.) was elected Promising Entrepreneur 2025
TRC Advocaten was voted Veldhoven's Entrepreneur 2024
Ilse van Drongelen (The Beer Girl) was voted Promising Entrepreneur 2024
Laurens Kubinek (Telecombination Kubico) won the Golden Ticket for startups in 2024
Eefje Maessen (Wie Mode) became 2023 Veldhoven Entrepreneur of the Year
Chiel Sap and Laura van der Velden (Restaurant Le Sable) became Promising Entrepreneur of 2023
Joshua Ritmeijer (Photo Veldhoven) won the first Golden Ticket for starters in 2023
Louis Groenen (Groenen Groep), Veldhoven's Entrepreneur of the Year 2021, received the award on May 11, 2022 after the event was postponed several times due to corona measures.
Geert van Loon and Marly de Crom (Lovano) received the award for Promising Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 on May 11, 2022
Kaspar van Leek and Niels van Swaemen (Studio Giftig) were named Promising Entrepreneur of the Year on June 20, 2019
Prize sponsor
In 2025, 2026 and 2027 is TRC Lawyers the sponsor of the entrepreneurial award Promising Entrepreneur of the Year.
Awarded in 2024
