About Us
In the heart of Amsterdam, our talented team has established a robust network comprising rehabilitation clinics, physiotherapists, orthotic makers, esteemed scientists and seasoned entrepreneurs.
Our Company
Our Vision
To help in making disability simply another aspect of diversity
Our Core Values
Passion ⚬ Community ⚬ Integrity ⚬ Diversity ⚬ Inclusion ⚬ Meaningful work
Our Mission
By focusing on simplicity and ease-of-use, we aim to empower patients to actively participate in their own recovery journey, fostering independence and enhancing their quality of life.
Our Team
Madalina Riurean
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Human movement scientist (M.Sc.) and physiotherapist (B.Sc.) with experience in spinal cord injuries and stroke
Tobi Makinde
Co-Founder & Chief Operations Officer
Human movement scientist (M.Sc.) with a strong background in rehabilitation sciences (M.Sc.) and experience in stroke
Sitah Heijnen
Co-Founder and Quality Assessment
Industrial Design Engineer (B.Sc.) with a strong background in marketing (M.A.)
Cara Knott
Advising co-founder
Human movement scientist (M.Sc.) with a background in biology (B.Sc.) and experience in motor control
David Gotti
Advising Co-founder
Human movement scientist (M.Sc.) with a strong background in management (M.A.) and digital marketing
Dr. Marc van der Schee
Non-Executive Director
Biotech valorisation & market-entry; Owner and Founder at COMDI; Business Strategy Consultant.
Our Mentors
Our Story
Life Changing: From Romania To Amsterdam
In Romania, Madalina took on the challenge of creating the initial prototypes of the glove using her creativity, a 3D printer, and a whole lot of glue. These early designs underwent testing on 20 stroke patients, to assess whether hand dexterity can be improved with such a tool. The results were promising and more importantly, Madalina had the opportunity to gather their valuable feedback and uncover the unmet needs in the field of rehabilitation, particularly in a country like Romania. This experience fueled her determination to delve deeper into this path and brought her to Amsterdam, where her ideas could take shape.
During her studies at VU Amsterdam, Madalina crossed paths with her future co-founders: Cara, Tobi, David, and Sitah. It was here that the foundation for Madglove was laid, driven by our shared passion to bridge the gap between scientific advancements and practical application, with the ultimate goal of improving lives. With each member coming from different countries, we united under a common mission. What started as an idea soon transformed into a passion project and eventually blossomed into the thriving start-up that it is today. The team is exhilarated to embark on this “mad” adventure, eager to make a lasting impact and create transformative solutions for those in need.”
Our Milestones
- PHIA Q1 2024Semi-finalists at the Phillips Innovation Awards
- NWO Feasibility Q4 2023Completing NWO feasibility study, testing the prototype with end-users and clinics
- AMSIA Q4 2023Finalist at Amsterdam Science and Innovation Awards 2023
- INH Funding Q4 2023Pre-Seed funding of €300K from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland)
- Stage Two Q4 2023Finalists at Stage Two Berlin 2023
- Pitch XL Q2 2023Pitch XL runner-up start-up with a fully paid trip to Silicon Valley
- NWO Feasability Q1 2023Awarded €40k NWO Feasibility in collaboration with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Social Startup Award Q1 2022Winner of the Best Social Entrepreneurship Startup Award
- D-Lab Amsterdam 2021Acceptance into the Demonstrator-Lab in Amsterdam
- PHIA Q1 2024Semi-finalists at the Phillips Innovation Awards
- NWO Feasibility Q4 2023Completing NWO feasibility study, testing the prototype with end-users and clinics
- AMSIA Q4 2023Finalist at Amsterdam Science and Innovation Awards 2023
- INH Funding Q4 2023Pre-Seed funding of €300K from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland)
- Stage Two Q4 2023Finalists at Stage Two Berlin 2023
- Pitch XL Q2 2023Pitch XL runner-up start-up with a fully paid trip to Silicon Valley
- NWO Feasability Q1 2023Awarded €40k NWO Feasibility in collaboration with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Social Startup Award Q1 2022Winner of the Best Social Entrepreneurship Startup Award
- D-Lab Amsterdam 2021Acceptance into the Demonstrator-Lab in Amsterdam