On December 10, 2025, HSiF marked a significant milestone—our five-year anniversary—with a special edition of our annual pitch event. What began as a modest initiative has evolved into a recurring celebration of student entrepreneurship, bringing together founders, partners, and members of the entrepreneurial community in The Hague.

A Room Full of Energy and Ideas

The anniversary edition showed clearly how much the event has developed over the years. The room was full, the energy was high, and the evening reflected what HSiF aims to create: a space where students with ideas can step forward, present their projects, and engage in meaningful conversations with experienced professionals.

During the event, several early-stage ventures presented their ideas to the audience and to a jury of professionals from the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. The founders showed strong preparation and confidence, and the discussions following the pitches often developed into thoughtful exchanges about business models, scalability, and real-world challenges.

Winners of the Evening

Among the ventures pitching were Zwina Foundation, Verdiax, Aristaeus, Tunnelvision, Unravel, and Partshub. Each team brought a different concept and perspective to the stage, which made the evening dynamic and engaging for the audience. The prizes of the evening were awarded to Zwina Foundation, who received the Grow Prize, Verdiax, who received the Seed Prize, and Aristaeus, who won the First Fans Prize.

Congratulations to all winners! 🏆

Our Jury: Expert Guidance and Constructive Feedback

A central part of the event was the interaction between the pitchers and the jury. Their questions encouraged founders to explain their ideas more deeply and think critically about the next steps for their ventures. We are grateful to Tim van den Bosch, Nina de Korte, Arthur van de Graaf, Pim Jansen, and Deborah Mevissen for their thoughtful questions, their expertise, and their willingness to support young entrepreneurs.

Beyond the pitches themselves, the event also created many opportunities for informal conversations. Founders connected with each other, exchanged ideas, and continued discussions long after the presentations ended. This atmosphere of openness and curiosity is exactly what HSiF tries to foster within the student entrepreneurial community.

Gratitude to Our Partners

Events like this would not be possible without strong partners who believe in the value of student initiatives. We are especially grateful for the support of Port Sight Tax and the Centre for Entrepreneurs at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, whose continued involvement helps make events like this possible. Their support enables HSiF to create opportunities where students can develop entrepreneurial ideas and connect with experienced professionals.

We also thank De Haagse Hogeschool / The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Starters Station, Gemeente Den Haag, and The Social Hub The Hague for their contribution to making the evening such a success.

Behind the Scenes: The HSiF Team

Of course, a large part of the success of the event lies with the HSiF team itself. Many members worked behind the scenes to organise the anniversary edition, from planning and logistics to hosting and coordination on the day of the event. Their commitment and teamwork made the evening run smoothly and created the welcoming atmosphere that many participants experienced.

Looking Ahead

Looking back, the five-year anniversary pitch event was not only a celebration of what HSiF has built so far, but also a reminder of what is possible when students, founders, and partners come together around new ideas.

The pitch event will continue to be an annual tradition, and we are excited to see how it will grow in the coming years. If this edition showed anything, it is that the community around student entrepreneurship in The Hague is continuing to expand. We look forward to building on that momentum and welcoming even more founders, partners, and supporters in future editions.

Stay tuned for updates on our next event!

Our aftermovie: