From university idea to EdTech success; PEEK

How co-creation with lecturers and students led to an innovative university spin-off with lasting impact.

How does a successful spin-off emerge from a university setting? As part of the Co-Creation Lab, where we explore the conditions and success factors for effective co-creation, we spoke with Maurits Burgering (Wageningen University & Research) and Gerwald van de Munt (Peek) about how a local educational challenge evolved into a widely applicable EdTech solution.

Peek is a company that originated from a concrete problem faced by a university lecturer: field trips are valuable, but often time-consuming and labour-intensive. Moreover, it can be difficult to assess their true impact, are participants genuinely learning? This challenge sparked the idea for an app that enables interactive excursions, allowing users to learn actively about landscapes and their surroundings. That idea eventually developed into an independent and innovative EdTech company, with Wageningen University & Research (WUR) as one of its clients.

Peek is now an independent startup with four co-founders: Gerwald van de Munt (Business & Project Management), Teun Vogel (Education & Innovation), Vincent Ariëns (User Experience), and Eric Mulder (Lead Developer). The team is supported by two additional staff members who manage daily customer support. Gerwald, Teun, Vincent, and Eric developed the tool step by step, always in close contact with end users.
“We literally started with a first try-out via WhatsApp,” Gerwald explains. “Testing small features, expanding them, and going back to the users. That process is still ongoing.”

A successful spin-off

The journey from idea to spin-off at WUR was far from straightforward. It required careful agreements around intellectual property, funding, and responsibilities. Maurits facilitated and supported the process from within WUR:
“You need to be willing to place trust in others, and with Peek, we saw that letting go actually created space for growth. The academic team involved dared to step back and transferred ownership to the initiators. This required clear agreements around objectives, ownership, and mutual expectations. These arrangements, such as discounted licences for WUR, sound agreements on IP, and mutual commitment, formed the foundation for a partnership in which Peek could grow into an independent and successful enterprise. The university and Peek agreed on a structured handover of IP and a long-term collaboration.”

Today, Peek collaborates with multiple institutions across Europe and has learned how to navigate the internal processes of educational organisations, from an enthusiastic lecturer, through IT departments, to central implementation. It’s a strong example of education–industry collaboration in practice.

Co-creation as a core principle

Co-creation is embedded in Peek’s DNA. From the outset, both lecturers and students were involved, not just as sounding boards but as co-designers. Through user groups and an annual Peek User Day, ideas are gathered, discussed, and further developed. This ensures the product remains dynamic and aligned with what education truly needs.

Gerwald: “With co-creation, you’re not buying a finished product, you’re embarking on a shared development journey. And that’s mutually rewarding.”

Lessons from practice: what makes this collaboration work?

• Trust as a foundation
• Shared responsibility
• Co-creation with end users from day one
• A flexible approach, without heavy backend systems
• Clear agreements on IP, funding, and evaluation

At the same time, working with public institutions brings its challenges. Each organisation is structured differently, and the journey from idea to implementation requires time and perseverance.
Gerwald: “If it works, you create something that not only fits real-world practice, but also retains long-term value, something that truly supports educators in their daily work and contributes to better, more effective, and future-proof education.”

What’s next?

After Wageningen University & Research, around 12 other universities and universities of applied sciences across Europe are now using Peek for outdoor education. Knowledge exchange is also taking place between Dutch institutions and universities in countries like France and Finland, something the Peek team is particularly excited about. In addition, around ten secondary schools in the Netherlands have adopted the tool.

Peek is now being used not only in formal education, but also in citizen science projects in Rotterdam. The company also developed excursions in rural regions of Italy, commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, to promote tourism and student engagement with the countryside. It’s a growing business with a clear mission: to develop technology that enhances outdoor learning, together with engaged users.

Interested in Learning More?
Would you like to know more about the spin-off process or Peek’s co-creation approach?
Contact Maurits Burgering at maurits.burgering@wur.nl.
To learn more about Peek’s solutions and partnerships, get in touch with Gerwald van de Munt at gerwald@peek.app or visit the Peek website.

“Letting go creates room for growth.”
Do spin-offs need to be locked down with legal agreements, or is it ultimately a matter of trust? Share your thoughts in the comments.