Founder Story - Hans Brouwer | Technology in Search of a Market
Lessons Learned from Starting Tech Companies in Europe
What could my technology become beyond academia?
Hans Brouwer has over 30 years of experience building and scaling high-tech startups and has helped launch more than 20 companies, including Optics11.
Not all of them succeeded. And that’s exactly what makes his experience so valuable.
In his talk, “Technology in Search of a Market: Lessons Learned from Starting Tech Companies in Europe,” Hans shares what he has learned about turning promising technology into a viable business including the successes, the failures, and the lessons in between.
About Optics11
Optics11 is an Amsterdam-based technology company developing advanced fiber-optic sensing systems for demanding environments. Its ultra-sensitive sensing technology is used across areas including underwater security, energy and industrial applications, helping organizations detect changes earlier and monitor critical assets more reliably.
The company was founded in 2011, as a university spin-off (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) by physics professor Davide Iannuzzi (also the founder of VU Demonstrator Lab 🙏🏼) and entrepreneur Hans Brouwer. Optics11 grew from academic technology into an international high-tech company with more than 100 experts.
In 2019 Optics11 Life was launched, their Life Science and Industrial Sensing product lines, developing instruments that allow researchers to measure the mechanical properties of cells, tissues and biomaterials, providing new insights for areas such as disease modelling, drug development and regenerative medicine. Optics11 Life works with researchers around the world to turn mechanical insights into tools that can help accelerate the development of new treatments.
Are you curious about entrepreneurship? Visit us during our Open House Event on November 19th:
https://www.demonstratorlab.nl/events/demonstrator-lab-open-house-november-2026
Follow us on Linkedin: Get to know Demonstrator Lab through our people, events and community:
https://nl.linkedin.com/company/demonstrator-lab
Want to make sure we invite you for future events:
https://www.demonstratorlab.nl/invite-me (We promiss you, no spamming)
Looking forward to seeing you,
Cheers,
The Demonstrator Lab Team
