Smarter manufacturing and faster drug development with Oppr.ai and StemX Bio

Two startups from Zuid-Holland are turning innovation into impact

Oppr.ai (The Hague) and StemX Bio (Leiden) each receive a €350,000 investment from the proof-of-concept fund UNIIQ to bring their technologies to market.

Oppr.ai: AI-powered software for manufacturing 

Many small and medium-sized manufacturers still rely on outdated systems and manual data collection, leading to inefficiencies and lost revenue. Oppr.ai offers an AI platform that translates and combines data from both people and machines into actionable improvements on the production floor. With UNIIQ’s support, the company will launch their commercial product, attract new customers and expand its partner network. 

“This seed capital allows us to further develop our digital operator and accelerate adoption, making European manufacturing smarter, more efficient and more sustainable.”

– Floris Wyers, Founder & CEO of Oppr.ai

UNIIQ provides not only funding, but also access to a valuable network of tech-driven companies and strategic expertise to support focused growth. In earlier pilots, Oppr.ai’s technology already led to reduced product rejection and less unplanned downtime. 

Oppr.ai has already demonstrated in multiple pilots how its platform supports manufacturing companies by combining the objective “what” from machine data with the crucial “why” from human observations. This gives companies a complete, real-time view of their operations, revealing deep insights that previously remained hidden. 

StemX Bio: human micro-tissues as an alternative to animal testing 

StemX Bio creates human 3D micro-tissues that mimic diseases more accurately than animal models. This speeds up the development of safe and effective medicines, reduces reliance on animal testing and lowers the costs of drug development. With UNIIQ’s investment, the company will scale up its validated pancreatic tissue model, automate production and begin developing a new thyroid model – expanding its pipeline and entering new markets. 

“With this pre-seed financing, we can bring our innovative platform to market and expand our team. It is the crucial step to serve our first customers and to set a new standard for the development of better medicines.”

– Jane Spirkoski, CEO of StemX Bio

Beyond funding, StemX Bio benefits from UNIIQ’s network in biotech and life sciences, helping the company attract talent, build partnerships and prepare for future investment rounds.  

The startup already has a fully operational lab and holds an exclusive IP license from LUMC. It also secured Letters of Intent from a global leader in drug research and two top academic labs. These milestones helped StemX Bio successfully close its pre-seed round, with funding from UNIIQ and LEH, supplemented by prestigious grants such as the MIT Feasibility grant and a Proefdiervrij voucher.
 

About UNIIQ 

UNIIQ is a €50 million proof-of-concept fund that helps entrepreneurs in Zuid-Holland bring unique innovations to market. The fund provides academic spin-offs and innovative startups with the seed capital and strategic coaching needed to bridge the riskiest phase — from concept to promising company. Over 60% of UNIIQ-backed startups have already secured follow-on funding, collectively raising over €275 million. UNIIQ is made possible by Erasmus MC, TU Delft, Leiden University, Erasmus University, InnovationQuarter, the European Union, the Province of Zuid-Holland, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), TNO, and the municipalities of Rotterdam, The Hague, and Leiden. InnovationQuarter acts as the fund manager of UNIIQ. 

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