Latest Insights

By Andrew Klein January 13, 2026
Brighter Signals B.V. a startup based in Amsterdam, has received a €328,000 convertible loan from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland. Brighter Signals is developing a new type of sensor to detect human touch and pressure. These highly accurate, fabric-based sensors enable new safety and comfort features in automotive applications and provide robot grippers and humanoid robots with advanced grasping capabilities. The funding supports several projects with car manufacturers, Tier-1 automotive suppliers, and leading robotics developers. These initiatives focus on the technical and commercial validation of the Brighter Signals platform, which combines flexible textile sensors, integrated electronics, and embedded software for real-time pressure and position detection. This investment will accelerate the engineering, testing, and certification work required to bring the technology to mass production. The company and technology are already attracting significant interest from both automotive and robotics sectors. Edward Shim, Co-Founder & CTO of Brighter Signals: “This investment from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland comes at a pivotal moment as we validate and scale our technology toward industrial production. Our sensors demonstrate that soft, lightweight materials outperform the incumbent and more expensive sensing systems, offering higher resolution and more accurate results at lower cost. This funding will accelerate our development and bring us closer to commercial deployment.” Ludolf Stavenga, Fund Manager at Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland: "Brighter Signals' tactile sensors offer clear advantages over existing technologies and support promising applications in the automotive, robotics, and other sectors. We are pleased to support the company during this critical phase." About Brighter Signals Brighter Signals is a startup based in Amsterdam developing flexible, fabric-based tactile sensors for automotive, robotics, and other markets. Based on patented sensor technologies created by Edward Shim, the platform delivers high-resolution pressure mapping, durability, and seamless integration into complex surfaces. Brighter Signals partners with global car makers and their Tier-1 suppliers to enable next-generation in-cabin safety and comfort applications, and collaborates with leading robotics manufacturers to give human-like touch to industrial grippers and humanoid hands. https://www.brightersignals.com/ About I n novatiefonds Noord-Holland Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland is an initiative of the Province of North Holland, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, and Sanquin. The fund supports entrepreneurs in the province of North Holland by financing innovation in the Proof-of-Concept phase through convertible loans. Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland manages two funds: one for innovative startups, supported by RVO, and one for academic startups, supported by EFRO. www.innovatiefondsnoordholland.nl For more information Andrew Klein, Co-Founder & CEO of Brighter Signals: andy@brightersignals.com , +31 6 2366 0310 Ilmatar Lutje Schipholt, Investment Manager at Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland: Ilmatar.LutjeSchipholt@innovatiefondsnoordholland.nl, +31 20 246 0024
By Andrew Klein October 13, 2025
Brighter Signals Paper Being Presented in Two Workshops
Logos for Brighter Signals and CDL
By Andrew Klein September 30, 2025
Brighter Signals is proud to have been selected to be part of the first ever Creative Destruction Lab Milan Cohorts
By Andrew Klein September 18, 2025
Come and Visit us at In Cabin
Brighter Signals at Women Invent EU
By Andrew Klein September 4, 2025
Brighter Signals to present at Women Invent EU. One of the top 10 startups in Europe
Brighter Signals at Automatica
By Andrew Klein June 23, 2025
Brighter Signals presenting at the startup arena at Automatica in Munich 2025
Brighter Signals Co-founders
By Andrew Klein June 22, 2025
Launch of Brighter Signals

Search Blog

Recent Post

By Andrew Klein January 13, 2026
Brighter Signals B.V. a startup based in Amsterdam, has received a €328,000 convertible loan from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland. Brighter Signals is developing a new type of sensor to detect human touch and pressure. These highly accurate, fabric-based sensors enable new safety and comfort features in automotive applications and provide robot grippers and humanoid robots with advanced grasping capabilities. The funding supports several projects with car manufacturers, Tier-1 automotive suppliers, and leading robotics developers. These initiatives focus on the technical and commercial validation of the Brighter Signals platform, which combines flexible textile sensors, integrated electronics, and embedded software for real-time pressure and position detection. This investment will accelerate the engineering, testing, and certification work required to bring the technology to mass production. The company and technology are already attracting significant interest from both automotive and robotics sectors. Edward Shim, Co-Founder & CTO of Brighter Signals: “This investment from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland comes at a pivotal moment as we validate and scale our technology toward industrial production. Our sensors demonstrate that soft, lightweight materials outperform the incumbent and more expensive sensing systems, offering higher resolution and more accurate results at lower cost. This funding will accelerate our development and bring us closer to commercial deployment.” Ludolf Stavenga, Fund Manager at Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland: "Brighter Signals' tactile sensors offer clear advantages over existing technologies and support promising applications in the automotive, robotics, and other sectors. We are pleased to support the company during this critical phase." About Brighter Signals Brighter Signals is a startup based in Amsterdam developing flexible, fabric-based tactile sensors for automotive, robotics, and other markets. Based on patented sensor technologies created by Edward Shim, the platform delivers high-resolution pressure mapping, durability, and seamless integration into complex surfaces. Brighter Signals partners with global car makers and their Tier-1 suppliers to enable next-generation in-cabin safety and comfort applications, and collaborates with leading robotics manufacturers to give human-like touch to industrial grippers and humanoid hands. https://www.brightersignals.com/ About I n novatiefonds Noord-Holland Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland is an initiative of the Province of North Holland, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, and Sanquin. The fund supports entrepreneurs in the province of North Holland by financing innovation in the Proof-of-Concept phase through convertible loans. Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland manages two funds: one for innovative startups, supported by RVO, and one for academic startups, supported by EFRO. www.innovatiefondsnoordholland.nl For more information Andrew Klein, Co-Founder & CEO of Brighter Signals: andy@brightersignals.com , +31 6 2366 0310 Ilmatar Lutje Schipholt, Investment Manager at Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland: Ilmatar.LutjeSchipholt@innovatiefondsnoordholland.nl, +31 20 246 0024
By Andrew Klein October 13, 2025
Brighter Signals Paper Being Presented in Two Workshops
Logos for Brighter Signals and CDL
By Andrew Klein September 30, 2025
Brighter Signals is proud to have been selected to be part of the first ever Creative Destruction Lab Milan Cohorts
By Andrew Klein September 18, 2025
Come and Visit us at In Cabin