BK-Launch

Proud to share that the Architectural Recovery Team (ART), part of the BK-Launch community for three years now, has been featured in TU Delft's Pioneering Tech. Founded by TU Delft students Leyla van der Waarde and Meriç Kessaf after the 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria, ART develops modular housing units that give disaster survivors immediate shelter and a foundation to rebuild their lives on. Their first unit has been standing since early 2025, and a family now lives there. ART operates as a foundation, entirely volunteer-run. It is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship is not only about building a company for profit. It is about identifying a real problem and having the persistence to solve it, and BK-Launch exists for founders like ART just as much as for any commercial venture. We are incredibly proud of what ART has achieved. Read their full story here: https://lnkd.in/euEvkFdY

From a Lego robot in a beaver burrow to pilot agreements with ProRail, STOWA and Rijkswaterstaat. BTScout, founded by Kenley van Rossen and Karina Kovalska, won the BK-Launch At-Launch Award and has not looked back since. What started as a solution to an ecological problem is becoming something much broader. Their robot navigates underground without GPS, a capability that barely exists in the robotics world, and interest from other industries is growing fast. Swipe through for their story, and read the full article via the link below. 👇

Two months left to apply for the BK-Launch Entrepreneurship Awards 2026. 🏆 Are you building something in the built environment, or do you know someone who is? Whether you are just getting started or already a few years in, whether you design physical products, offer a service or develop software - these awards are for you. This year, €50,000 is available across three categories for startups in the built environment. Applications close on 13 September, so make sure you do not leave it too late. In the meantime, we wish everyone a fantastic summer from the BK-Launch team! ☀️ Find all the information and the application form via the link in the comments. And if you would like to attend the award ceremony on 19 November, you can register for free via our website as well.

At BK-Launch, we follow the conversations shaping the built environment closely. BK-Launch researcher Jip Leendertse recently shared his perspective on the Shift Landmark plans in an article by AD, reflecting on what it means when an entrepreneur makes the move from the startup world into real estate development. An interesting read for anyone following innovation in the built environment. https://lnkd.in/ex8EjuHm

One year ago, Blauwe Bagger won the BK-Launch Post-Launch Award. We checked in with founder Sil van de Bovenkamp to see what that €20,000 actually became. The short answer: two completed pilot installations, promising partnerships with brick and concrete manufacturers, and a much clearer picture of where their dredging separation technology fits best. The longer answer involves a deliberate choice to bootstrap, a genuine technical puzzle around getting consistent colour from a variable waste stream, and a hard-earned lesson about making decisions without having all the answers. "It almost always works out. That's probably the most important lesson," Sil says, reflecting on a year that involved hiring, relocating and the start of a new funding round, all while still working out the company's longer-term direction. Swipe through for the highlights, and read the full story via the link in the comments. Could this be your story next year? Applications for the BK-Launch Entrepreneurship Awards 2026 are open until 13 September.

A new Dream Team is joining TU Delft this September. 🛠️ CORE – Constructing Resilience was formed by BK students from the EXTREME architecture studio, with the mission to use engineering and design skills to provide humanitarian aid in regions affected by disasters and extreme conditions. Past studio projects include schools as bomb shelters in Lebanon, Ebola clinics in Congo and earthquake-resilient buildings in Türkiye. CORE already works with NGOs such as Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF. At BK-Launch, we support young entrepreneurs who want to create impact with their ideas, and that includes social and humanitarian initiatives like this one. We are proud to give CORE a platform within our community. CORE is now looking for students from all faculties to join, whether full-time, part-time or simply to think along. Swipe through to learn more, and find out how to get involved via the link in the comments. Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft Delft University of Technology Marta Redondo Arenas Noortje van Galen Zamir Narvaez Daniel Sars Yoana Nikolova Job Schroen Got inspired? Are you shaping the Built Environment with an innovative idea? Or do you know someone who is? The BK-Launch Entrepreneurship Awards are now open for applications. With prizes totalling up to €50,000, this is your chance to take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey within the Built Environment. Applications close on September 13. Find more information and the application form on the BK-Launch website.

Last Thursday marked the end of our Q4 elective, Entrepreneurship in the Built Environment, with students pitching their final business concepts to an expert jury. One student from each track presented their idea: 🔸 Common Matter (Olivier Wiegerinck) — an architecture firm redesigning agricultural plots into regenerative hubs 🔸 KlikTek (Savine Hoeve, Ayrton Lilles, Camila Mussio) — a modular and circular solution for traditional tile placement 🔸 A&B Loop (Vera Huisman, Jonne Rode, Pien Zagt) — a research platform turning agricultural crops into the building materials of the future 🔸 Predevelopment Value Creation (Guadalupe Starc) — transforming underutilised land into permitted development assets Thank you to our jury, Remon Rooij (4TU.Federation), Chris Aerts (AplusV Solutions) and Wendy Scherpenisse (Smits Vastgoedzorg), for their time and valuable feedback. And a big congratulations to Olivier Wiegerinck and Guadalupe Starc, who were awarded the prize for the best presentations. To all the students: thank you for your hard work, creativity and enthusiasm throughout the course. We are already looking forward to next year. Pictures of the afternoon can be found on our Flickr page. Link in comments. Got inspired? Are you shaping the Built Environment with an innovative idea? Or do you know someone who is? The BK-Launch Entrepreneurship Awards are now open for applications. With prizes totaling up to €50,000, this is your chance to take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey within the Built Environment. Applications close on September 13. Find more information and the application form on our website.

BK-Launch venture Parai was at PROVADA last week. And they made the most of it. As part of the BouwLab R&Do Innovation Café, they showcased their work and had conversations with a wide range of organisations about innovation in area development. Robin joined a panel alongside the Gemeente Breda and the City Deal Over AI, discussing the importance of experimenting and designing locally to shape technological developments together with practice. "Participation is experienced and approached differently in every organisation. By having conversations at a large fair with such diverse organisations and showing our designs, you get a much better sense of where we can connect and create impact." - Robin Smits The conversation has been started. Curious about what Parai is working on? Find out more on our website. Link in comments.

This is a call to all young entrepreneurs in the built environment! The BK-Launch Entrepreneurship Awards 2026 are officially open for submissions. This year, a total of €50,000 is available for the most promising young entrepreneurs working on innovative ideas for the built environment. Three categories are available: At-Launch (€10,000) for ventures before their first revenues, Post-Launch (€20,000) for ventures ready to scale, and The Green Village (€20,000) for ventures looking to build and test a sustainable prototype at TU Delft Campus. Are you eligible, or do you know someone who should apply? Applications close 13 September. Find all the details and the application form via the link in the comments. Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft