Winners Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award Announced!

The Termeer Foundation, a nonprofit organisation focused on connecting life science innovators and catalysing the creation of new medicines, today announced the winners of the 2022 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award. The awardees of the second annual honour were recognised during the Innovation for Health conference.

This year’s winners of the Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award are: Kasper Roet, of QurAlis Corporation and Koenraad Wiedhaup, of Leyden Labs. Congratulations to the both of you!


“We are delighted to honour the 2022 Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award winners, Kasper Roet and Koenraad Wiedhaup, both of whom are deserving of this award due to their exceptional professional background and commitment to the ideals of Henri Termeer,” said Belinda Termeer, President and Co-founder of The Termeer Foundation. “They have shown a great capacity to combine leadership with innovation within their companies as they pursue distinct scientific paths towards developing breakthrough medicines.”  

The Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award began as part of an agreement in July 2019, between the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, which created and signed a Memorandum of Understanding laying the basis for a Massachusetts – Netherlands Transatlantic Life Sciences Partnership. The signatories included the Henri A. Termeer Tribute Committee, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (Health-Holland), MassBio and HollandBIO; all of whom agreed to provide support and organise activities to promote trans-Atlantic collaboration between the two biotechnology ecosystems.

“The Transatlantic Connections Award creates significant opportunities for its recipients to network, learn and possibly collaborate with life science professionals in two of the most important life science sectors,” said Hans Schikan, Top team member of Health-Holland and a member of the Henri Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award Steering Committee. “Over the course of the next year as Award recipients and beyond as Termeer Fellows, this year’s winners will be presented with a variety of chances to enhance their knowledge of the global life science sector and plant the seeds for future company success.”

Each year, the Termeer Foundation and Health~Holland select two emerging life science entrepreneurs, one in Massachusetts and one in the Netherlands, who are leading innovative biomedical research activities, and whose programmes have the potential to strengthen transatlantic relations between the two life science regions. Candidates are selected based on their initial entrepreneurial success in establishing a life science company that meets certain scientific and financial criteria, exhibits a strong interest in mentoring other young entrepreneurs, and possesses a willingness for additional involvement in Termeer Foundation programmes. Awardees also receive Fellowship status within The Termeer Foundation, which includes access to experienced healthcare mentors, networking with fellow peer entrepreneurs, and recognition at the annual Termeer Fellows Celebration. Recipients are invited to spend a week visiting their fellow awardee’s company and local biotechnology sector, and to participate in additional learning, networking and cultural events in that location.

“When QurAlis was established, we recognised that even at an early stage developing medicines to treat neurodegenerative diseases has no borders or geographical limitations,” said Kasper Roet, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, QurAlis. “Being selected to receive the Transatlantic Connections Award is not only an honour, but an excellent platform from which to create those all-important relationships outside our sector.”

“To receive The Termeer Transatlantic Connections Award and the recognition of our company’s vision is a wonderful compliment to the work we have done, thus far,” said Koenraad Wiedhaup, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Leyden Labs. “I am excited to become a part of the established link between the Massachusetts and Netherlands biotech ecosystems created by Henri Termeer and look forward to participating in the upcoming programmes with my fellow award honoree.”

Winner announcement

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