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Attractive business climate in the Netherlands

Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Eric Wiebes, commented: “The presence of foreign companies is important for our country. Some 1.4 million Dutch people have a job directly or indirectly thanks to these companies. The excellent annual NFIA results confirm that we benefit from a good investment climate. Our highly educated population, good infrastructure, pleasant housing and living conditions and competitive fiscal climate attract foreign companies and employees. For our future economic growth and employment it is important that the Dutch business climate remains attractive. We all benefit from that. ”

Sigrid Kaag, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, under whose responsibility the NFIA falls as well, commented: “The Netherlands has an attractive business climate, and the Dutch economy is in good shape. Also, with a view to Brexit, there is increasing interest from international companies to move activities to the Netherlands or to establish themselves in the Netherlands. It is therefore important that the NFIA, Dutch embassies and consulates overseas continue to put the Netherlands on the map abroad.”

Distribution centers and headquarters

Within the Invest in Holland network, the NFIA was directly responsible for 8,158 of the 12,686 jobs. In 2017, the NFIA registered 224 foreign direct investment projects for the Netherlands, corresponding to 1.23 billion euros in investments. The NFIA results show that most new jobs were created in distribution centers (1,864), at headquarters (1,345), in marketing & sales offices (1,316), R&D (1,259) and production sites (1,081). To illustrate, Netflix expanded its European headquarters in Amsterdam with a customer contact center of 400 jobs. Merck Performance Materials invested 15 million euros in its production plant for so-called liquid crystal glass in Veldhoven. Meanwhile, Japanese gelatin producer Jellice expanded its production plant in Emmen, resulting in 25 additional jobs.

US companies lead employment creation

As in 2016, the majority of ‘foreign’ jobs were created by companies from the United States. NFIA results for 2017 indicate some 2,516 jobs created by US companies, bringing 110 million euros in investments.  Companies from within Europe also provided a substantial number of jobs (2,879), including the UK (872). Japan and India provided 655 and 423 jobs, respectively.  Majority of jobs from foreign investments in 2017 came from creative industries such as fashion and entertainment & media (2,126). Additional jobs by sector include agrifood (1,788), IT (1,219), life sciences & health (600) and business services (457).

Brexit

Within the Invest in Holland network, including West Holland acquisition partners The Hague Business Agency, Rotterdam Partners and InnovationQuarter, special attention was on Brexit last year. The NFIA is in contact with more than 200 foreign companies that are considering a switch to the Netherlands in the wake of Brexit. Many companies choose to wait before they announce their plans for the future, due to the lack of clarity about the new relationship between the UK and the EU. In 2017, 18 companies made a Brexit-related move to the Netherlands. These re-locations accounted for 483 jobs and 19 million euros added to the Dutch economy. In these results, the relocation of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to Amsterdam is not yet included.

 

Source / NFIA

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Contact /Chris van Voorden Datum /

Recordaantal buitenlandse bedrijven investeren in Den Haag

FMost investments are from China and the United States

With 14 companies, China proved to be the largest investor in The Hague again last year. However, the extra efforts of The Hague Business Agency and InnovationQuarter to attract companies from the United States, the United Kingdom and India in particular paid off in 2017. Some 11 US firms chose The Hague as a base for business, while six companies from the United Kingdom invested in the city and no fewer than five Indian enterprises opened a new branch here.

Deputy Mayor Karsten Klein (Economic Affairs, Harbours, Welfare and Health): “The Hague has made great strides in recent years to raise its international profile as an attractive business destination. New partnerships with the Indian states of Karnatarka and Telangana, as well as the collaboration between our acquisition partners and other partners within the city, have contributed to this. There has been an immediate and visible growth in investments from this country, which will ultimately result in more jobs for the city.”

Record number of foreign companies invest in The Hague

IT, Tech, Cybersecurity and Energy

The Hague is very popular with companies in the IT, Tech and Cybersecurity sectors. LeoSat, a US tech firm, opted for The Hague and starting in 2019 is slated to be the first company in the world to offer low-latency, long-distance data traffic using optical inter-satellite connections.

The Indian company Krypc Technologies, a fast-growing international supplier of blockchain platforms, and the US cybersecurity business Dtex Systems, which develops unique software for detecting threats from the inside and infiltration from outside, both chose The Hague as the location for their European headquarters. In addition, the Danish energy company Ørsted (formerly Dong Energy) chose The Hague as a base from which to prepare the construction of wind farms in the North Sea.

These developments serve to boost the city’s role in vital sectors, such as Energy, IT, Tech and Cybersecurity, and have a knock-on effect by making The Hague even more attractive to foreign companies looking to invest.

Deputy Mayor Saskia Bruines (Knowledge Economy, International Affairs, Youth and Education):  “Our policy of stimulating the knowledge infrastructure as well as encouraging close cooperation between educational institutions and the business community are clearly having a positive impact. The focus on innovative economic sectors is already resulting in extra jobs. We are also working hard on strengthening the peace and justice and security clusters by internationally raising the profile of the city in these sectors and emphasising their economic added value.”

Blockchain platform provider KrypC Technologies opens its European office in The Hague

Krypc Technologies / from left to right: Mark Beermann, Danny Frietman (Enterprise Summit), Karsten Klein (Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, Harbours, Welfare and Health), Venu Rajamony (Ambassador of India), Ilja van Haaren (The Hague Business Agency), Chris van Voorden (InnovationQuarter) and Paul de Kroon (34 Capital).

International city of Peace, Justice and Security

More International organisations and NGOs are also finding their way to The Hague, international city of peace, justice and security. In 2017, the Department of International Affairs (Bureau Internationale Zaken, BIZ) in collaboration with The Hague Business Agency helped UN OCHA and International Alert set up office in The Hague.

UN OCHA is a data centre for collecting and analysing information on people affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises. The non-governmental organisation International Alert was established to help people in conflict zones find peaceful solutions.

Additional jobs for The Hague

The Hague’s appeal as a business city is increasing. In addition to the companies that were actively supported by the acquisition partners mentioned above, other international firms have also opted for The Hague. AstraZeneca, a biopharmaceutical firm with its international head office in the United Kingdom, moved 200 people from Zoetermeer to The Hague, while the British company Merlin Entertainments confirmed The Hague as the location for a Legoland Discovery Centre. This tourist attraction is expected to open its doors to the general public in 2019.

Cooperation in The Hague region

Attracting foreign investment is of great importance to The Hague as well as to the Netherlands. It contributes to economic growth and creates jobs. The 54 investment projects are the result of a joint effort by The Hague Business Agency and InnovationQuarter in association with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), an operational unit of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. As ‘Invest in Holland‘ partners, the two acquisition partners support the City of The Hague in profiling the region internationally as an economically attractive business location. Have a look also at the NFIA results 2017.

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Contact /Chris van Voorden Datum /

The Netherlands in Top 10 in Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2018

Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2018

The human factor is the most critical resource for national competitiveness. Launched in 2013, the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) is a benchmarking tool for governments, cities, businesses and not-for-profit organisations to help design their talent strategies, overcome talent mismatches and be competitive in the global marketplace.

The annual index assesses policies and practices that enable countries and cities to attract, develop and retain both ‘technical/vocational skills’ and the ‘global knowledge skills’ associated with innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership.

The GTCI 2018 edition found that the Top 10 countries have several key characteristics in common and share one major feature: they all have a well-developed educational system providing the social and collaboration skills needed for employability in today’s labor market. Other characteristics in common between the top-ranking countries include a flexible regulatory and business landscape; employment policies which combine flexibility and social protection; and external and internal openness.

GTCI 2018 - Top countries and cities ranking in talent competitiveness

The Netherlands ranks 9th

European countries continue to dominate the rankings, taking eight of the Top 10 spots:

  1. Switzerland
  2. Singapore
  3. United States
  4. Norway
  5. Sweden
  6. Finland
  7. Denmark
  8. United Kingdom
  9. Netherlands
  10. Luxembourg

Top 10 cities

In the cities portion of the index, eight out of the Top 10 ranking cities are located in Europe. As in the case of countries, over time, higher GDP levels naturally lead to higher technology penetration, creating ecosystems with better quality education, business, healthcare and infrastructure.

  1. Zurich, Switzerland
  2. Stockholm, Sweden
  3. Oslo, Norway
  4. Copenhagen, Denmark
  5. Helsinki, Finland
  6. Washington DC
  7. Dublin, Ireland
  8. San Francisco
  9. Paris
  10. Brussels, Belgium

The Dutch cities Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam ranked respectively 11th, 27th and 34th.

Diversity for Competitiveness

In addition to the talent competitiveness ranking, this year’s report investigated the theme of ‘Diversity for Competitiveness’. The report found that diversity is not an end in itself, but must always be accompanied by a culture of inclusion in order to flourish and have real impact.

“Focusing on diversity and inclusion is crucial to overcome the fractures and inequalities of our age,” said Adecco Group CEO Alain Dehaze. “This means nurturing a culture of inclusion, starting at home and school, fighting bias and developing social and collaborative skills, which are key to unleash the power of work and will make the future work for everyone.”

 

Source / GTIC, Staffingindustry.com

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Contact /Chris van Voorden Datum /

Forbes names the Netherlands No. 3 Best Country for Business

Forbes about the Netherlands

As the sixth-largest economy in the European Union, Forbes reports: “[the Netherlands] plays an important role as a European transportation hub, with a persistently high trade surplus, stable industrial relations, and low unemployment.” Holland was also among the best countries for technology and innovation.

Inside the Ranking

Forbes determines the Best Countries for Business by rating 153 nations on 15 different factors. Those include property rights, innovation, taxes, technology, corruption, infrastructure, market size, political risk, quality of life, workforce, freedom (personal, trade and monetary), red tape and investor protection. Each category is equally weighted.

In addition to the general list, the Netherlands also ranked highly among best countries for personal freedom, technology, innovation, and property rights.

Forbes has rated the business friendliness of the world’s biggest economies annually for the past 12 years. Have a look at the full report at www.forbes.com.

 

Source / Invest in Holland

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Contact /Xiaoling Sun Datum /
Elion Group sets up innovation center for eco-entrepreneurs in West Holland

Jaap Smit, King’s Commissioner of the Province of Zuid-Holland, and Elion Group’s Chairman Mr. Wang Wenbiao exchange welcomes gifts. © Marc Verhees

Innovation center for eco-business

Elion Group has been involved in eco-restoration for almost three decades, transforming deserts into green spaces through afforestation and sand erosion prevention projects. The set-up of the ‘Elion Europe Technology Innovation Center’ in West Holland is planned for 2018 and is part of this Chinese enterprise global eco-business strategy. This innovation center aims to (financially) support Dutch innovative environmental technologies and concepts, in order to translate these Dutch solutions into concrete projects, in China and globally.

Elion Group’s Chairman, Mr. Wang Wenbiao, who was granted a UN’s lifetime of leadership in green industry this week in Nairobi (Kenya): “I’m very proud to say that the Netherlands is experienced in ecological management and has great innovations in this sector. If these Dutch solutions could be applied in countries like China, the ecological impact would be much bigger.”

Signing confirmation letter Elion Group

Ms. Nan Su, Director Dutch Sino Business Promotions, and Loek Becker Hoff (Senior Account Manager Cleantech at InnovationQuarter) sign the confirmation letter for the set-up of the ‘Elion Europe Technology Innovation Center’ in West Holland.

Chances for Dutch eco-initiatives

Some of the environmental issues the Netherlands confronts everyday matches Elion Group’s eco-strategy and now that they are established in the Netherlands, they expect to benefit from the high standard of Dutch R&D. The presence of Elion Group’s innovation center offers international business opportunities for Dutch eco-initiatives on ecological environment protection, such as water management, energy saving and control of air pollution.

Elion Group sets up innovation center for eco-entrepreneurs in West Holland

Prior to the signing of the confirmation letter, the Chinese Ambassador Mr. Wu Ken gives a welcomes speech. © Marc Verhees

InnovationQuarter’s Director of Foreign Investments Chris van Voorden: “We are pleased with Elion Group’s choice for West Holland. Elion offers opportunities for Dutch eco-entrepreneurs who want to scale-up their business internationally, by providing access to knowledge, a worldwide network and financial support. With Dutch Sino Business Promotions, NFIA and our regional partners, we will assist Mr. Wang Wenbiao and his team in creating new initiatives that support their eco-business goals and introduce them to relevant networks.”

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Contact /Rinke Zonneveld Datum /

ECE's Scale-up Dashboard 2017

Scale-ups in the Netherlands

The Scale-up Dashboard 2017 shows that:

  • The number of scale-ups in The Netherlands has increased to 3237. This means that the number of scale-ups increased by 5.4% in the past year compared to the previous year.
  • The number of startups becoming scale-ups rises tremendously. Over the past two years, this has increased by no less than 220%. One in ten scale-ups in the Netherlands arise from a startup.
  • Top sectors count relatively many scale-ups. The top sectors Energy, High-tech and Life Sciences & Health are at the frontrunners.
  • An increasing number of companies in the Netherlands are hardly, if at all, growing. Almost a third of Dutch companies are even shrinking.

ECE's SCale-up Dashboard 2017, the statistics

More startups become scale-ups

Prof.dr. Justin Jansen: “The Scale-up Dashboard is the first list that truly takes into account and measures all companies in the Netherlands with more than 10 FTE. There are more lists about scale-ups available, but those give limited insights because companies have to register themselves or the lists are focused on specific sectors. Insight in which companies truly belong to the Top of scale-ups is missing and that is what we hope to achieve by creating and launching this Top 250 Scale-ups (Top 250 Groeibedrijven) – of over 3000 scale-ups – in the Netherlands.”

“Although more and more startups are making the step to scale-up, considerable efforts are still needed to keep countries like China, Israel and America up and running”, says Prince Constantijn van Oranje, special envoy of StartupDelta. Find out what he has to say more about the current position of startups and scale-ups in the Netherlands and the research findings (interview BNR in Dutch).

Interested? Have a look at the preview above or request the Scale-up Dashboard 2017 via www.ece.nl. A similar dashboard (in Dutch) is available for scale-ups in Zuid-Holland.

 

Source / ECE

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The Netherlands in Top 10 on IMD World Talent Ranking 2017

The Netherlands in Top 10

The prestigious annual IMD World Talent Ranking assesses the methods countries use to attract and retain the talent their businesses need to thrive.

Europe continues to dominate the 2017 list, with 11 out of the 15 most talent competitive economies based on the continent, after a strong performance in 2016. Switzerland, Denmark and Belgium remain the most competitive countries in the 2017 IMD World Talent Ranking. Austria, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden make up the Top 10.

IMD World Talent Ranking

The annual IMD World Talent Ranking report covered 63 countries and assessed the methods the countries adopted to attract and retain talent. The rankings are based on a country’s performance in three main categories: investment and development, appeal, and readiness. The Netherlands was ranked 3rd, 7th and 15th on these terms, respectively. The three categories assess how countries perform in a wide range of areas. These include education, apprenticeships, workplace training, language skills, cost of living, quality of life, remuneration and tax rates.

It is European countries’ outstanding education systems that set them apart from the rest of the pack. On average, each has a high level of investment in education accompanied by a superior-quality educational system, from primary to tertiary levels. This allows them to develop local talent and at the same time attract foreign, highly-skilled professionals, which many European businesses rely upon to perform.

The Netherlands in Top 10 on IMD World Talent Ranking 2017 (page 73)

The Dutch score

The Netherlands entered the Top 10 and is in 6th place in the IMD World Talent Ranking 2017.

The Netherlands ranked 3rd in the investment and development category, with a strong performance in health infrastructure (2nd) and its effective implementation of apprenticeships and the prioritization of employee training (both 6th).

The country ranks 7th in appeal, mostly because of the well-educated and skilled people (3rd), a  high quality of life (5th) and a high worker motivation (5th). The Netherlands is also ranked first for language skills.

 

Source / IMD

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Contact /Rinke Zonneveld Datum /

MOU Greentownlabs-InnovationQuarter-980x450px

The common goal of Greentown Labs and InnovationQuarter is to set up a reciprocal program that enables entrepreneurs and innovators in the cleantech space to gain acces to the Boston and Dutch markets. This soft landing program will assist growth-stage cleantech ventures with market expansion through partnerships and funding opportunities in Boston and the Netherlands.

Emily Reichert, CEO, Greentown Labs: “Last year I had the opportunity to visit The Netherlands and I was so impressed by the quality of the buzzing cleantech ecosystem in the Rotterdam and Delft areas with initiatives like PortXL, Yes!Delft, RDM and CIC leading the charge. I was encouraged by how similar our ecosystems are and the commitment all of our startups have made to solving big energy and environmental challenges.”

We know that by building a bridge between our two communities we will help facilitate global expansion and new market entry for entrepreneurs in both countries. – Emily Reichert, CEO, Greentown Labs

Greentown Labs and InnovationQuarter set up international collaboration for cleantech startups

Rinke Zonneveld: “I am extremily excited about this cooperation with the largest cleantech incubator in the US. I am convinced that Greentown Labs will be the perfect stepping stone for our cleantech companies which are ready to conquer the American market. Of course we are equally thrilled to welcome many Boston based cleantech ventures to our region.”

 

 

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Contact /Thijs Schaap Datum /
Get in the Ring the Netherlands 2017

© Marco De Swart

Get in the Ring

Get in the Ring the Netherlands is organized by the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE) and supported by the City of Rotterdam and EY. The event took place for the fifth time in Rotterdam and is part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, a week in which thousands of events take place worldwide that focus on entrepreneurship.

The startups are looking for customers and strategic partners for the growth of their company. ”There are a lot of opportunities for this during Get in the Ring Netherlands. The 70 multinationals and governmental organizations present are happy to be available as customers, suppliers or partners ” says Martin Luxemburg, director of the ECE. Based on requests from the startups, more than 600 speed dates with the participating organizations took place on Thursday. The effect of these conversations appears to be significant; 65 percent of the speed dates result in a follow-up conversation that in some cases even leads to a collaboration.

“It is still too early to say to which collaborations the conversations of this year will lead, but the City of Rotterdam is a nice example. Based on their participation with Get in the Ring last year the City of Rotterdam has started a project with a startup in solar panels that have been placed at test locations in the city” says Martin Luxemburg.

For the startups the speed dates were not the only activity; they were also challenged to qualify for the evening program to ascend the stage and to pitch their startup for a 700-strong audience (read: possible customers, partners or talent) in the ring. No competition without jury members, this year the Champion jury members were the founder of international software company WeTransfer; Bas Beerens, founder of scale-up YoungCapital; Rogier Thewessen, and entrepreneur Janneke Niessen.

Startups Kozie, LABFRESH en Convious winnen Get in the Ring Nederland

And the winners are…

The startups do not step in the ring alone, but will compete against an opponent in their own weightclass. Dementia technology startup Kozie took the win in the lightweight category against SeraNovo. Kozie develops multi-sensor technology that enhances the perception of people with dementia, so that demented people can recover memories from their childhood through a music pillow or music rug. The middleweight winner is LABFRESH after a strong pitch battle against Somnox. LABFRESH sells clothing of a special material that does not stain and smell. The heavyweight winner Convious offers a platform where people can buy tickets and determine the price themselves. Convious was in the ring against Felyx. The three winning startups receive a ticket to the Global Meetup of Get in the Ring. In addition, they receive 1 year access to the EY Finance Navigator. This Finance Navigator is the first corporate startup of EY and was launched yesterday during the event.

Get in the Ring The Netherlands is part of a worldwide network of the Get in the Ring Foundation, which annually organizes 150 events in 100 countries. The winning startups of all these events worldwide will meet in Cascais, Portugal, from 30 May to 1 June, during the Global Meetup of Get in the Ring. Entrepreneurs, investors and corporates can join the Global Meetup, which is entirely dedicated to establishing international connections.

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Contact /Jacqueline Schardijn Datum /

On the way to 3D flexible post processing

Post processing solution

Everyone loves the idea to be able to think up a product, draw it out, push the button and have a beautiful object. Unfortunately, in reality this rarely happens. The object still needs post processing, like removal of struts and polishing. This post processing is the most time consuming process in the chain and therefore a costly step, especially for 3D metal printing.

InnovationQuarter helped set up a consortium for tackling these challenges. After the approval of the EU Interreg 2Seas Programme at the end of 2016, 7 parties teamed up in taking the challenge to research, develop and implement an efficient and fast post processing solution:

  • University of Applied Sciences Rotterdam
  • RDM Makerspace
  • Hittech Multin
  • 3T RPD
  • TNO Innovation for life
  • University of Exeter
  • Argon Measuring Solutions

Challenges of post processing

Each partner having the skill and expertise needed in tackling the 4 main issues that characterize the challenge:

  • flexible clamping of the object during production and post processing;
  • scanning and mapping the object for compliance with the specs;
  • translation to the CAD/CAM interface; and
  • control the polishing the surface of the object.

A prototype of the final setup will be integrated and tested on the demonstrator cases provided by the 24 observer parties supporting the research. The ultimate proof of combining high tech and knowledge into a smart and reliable post production capability.

With its capability to print free forms at high speed, with no waste, on demand and on the spot, we’re moving from mass production to mass customization. This project can bring a revolution in the world of additive manufacturing.

This film gives you an introduction of the project:

Starting up

InnovationQuarter helped set up this project when Senior Business Developer Jacqueline Schardijn picked up the signal that organisations weren’t interested to invest in metal additive manufacturing technique because of the hickups of post processing. By connecting the right partners and creating the right setting of trust and motivation, Jacqueline saw the opportunity to apply this project into the EU Interreg 2Seas Programme. At the end of 2016 the EU approved the project. Jacqueline also linked 4 use case holders to the project to make sure end users are involved who can benefit from the results.

Interested in this project?

Visit the project at their stand at the RapidPro expo on 7 and 8 of March in Veldhoven, where you can hear all about this project.

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Contact /Niels Krol Datum /

Burgemeester Jon Hermans-Vloedbeld van Noordwijk en Mark van Venrooij, Directeur Aerospace Systems NLR © Verkijk

“Dit is een geweldige toevoeging aan het regionale ruimtevaartcluster en mooie opsteker voor de ontwikkeling van de Space Campus Noordwijk”, aldus burgemeester Jon Hermans-Vloedbeld. “Naast ESA-ESTEC en het Galileo Reference Center is NLR nu de derde kennisinstelling binnen de gemeente Noordwijk op het gebied van ruimtevaart. Ik ben zeer verheugd dat NLR vanuit Noordwijk het aanwezige cluster actief kan bij staan bij de verdere groei van ruimtevaartactiviteiten op het park”.

De gemeente Noordwijk en de regionale ontwikkelingsmaatschappij InnovationQuarter hebben NLR ondersteund in het vestigingsproces.

NLR heeft een jarenlange track record op het gebied van onderzoek, ontwikkeling, testen en operaties in de ruimtevaart. Zo heeft NLR onder meer kennis, expertise en faciliteiten op het gebied van system engineering, aero(thermo)dynamica, geavanceerde structuren, warmtehuishouding, on-board elektronica en antennes. NLR zet dit in op het gebied van lanceervoertuigen, satellieten, payloads en onderdelen daarvan. Daarnaast heeft NLR veel expertise op het gebied van verschillende toepassingsgebieden van de ruimtevaart, waaronder aardobservatie en navigatie. NLR werkt onder andere mee aan de ontwikkeling en verificatie van het Europese GALILEO satellietnavigatiesysteem. Ook heeft NLR een breed scala aan faciliteiten voor het testen, verifiëren en valideren van nieuwe producten en toepassingen. Dit omvat het uitvoeren van environmental en structural testen, maar ook windtunneltesten en (microzwaartekracht) testvluchten.

NLR Noordwijk is gevestigd aan de Huygensstraat 44 op het Space Business Park © Verkijk

Burgemeester Jon Hermans-Vloedbeld probeert NLR’s Virtual Reality bril © Verkijk

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Contact /Loek Becker Hoff Datum /

Nuon Solar Team wins 14th Bridgestone World Solar Challenge

Nuon Solar team again World Champion

The Nuon Solar Team increased their lead over their major rivals, Michigan (USA), Tokai (Japan) and Punch Powertrain (Belgium), on the last racing day. Spare driver Tim van Leeuwen started the day in Nuna9. Race driver, Lisanne de Rooij, took over at the control stop and finished in Adelaide. Her fellow driver Sharon van Luik in Australia: “Of course, we were very nervous. Something can always happen. We were a bundle of nerves, you might say. But everything went great! Nuna9 reached a maximum velocity of 110 km per hour. And that solely with the energy the sun provides us with! ‘Ripper’ – as they’d say in Australia!”

Decisions worked out

This was the ninth time the Nuon Solar Team participated in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. They brought back the championship trophee six time to the Netherlands and were the runner-up twice. Nonetheless, the tension was great for the successful team, says team manager Sander Koot. “The new race regulations have resulted in a great variation of car designs. No one knew for sure which one would perform best. Fortunately, we choose a compact aerodynamic design and efficient solar panel.”

The Nuon Solar Team has convincingly won the 14th edition of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, the worldchampionship solar car racing in Australia.

Successful overtaking actions

The team started the race on position 4, after a great qualification on Saturday. Driver Emma Vercoulen drove the Hidden Valley track in an impressive 2:14 minutes. Directly in the first day the team overtook the three competitors in front of them: Sydney, Punch and, ultimately, their long-time rival Tokai from Japan.

Mechanical issues on road

A broken part of the car suspension was the cause of some exciting moments on day 2. Race driver Sharon van Luik: “I was startled by this bang and thought it was a blowout. Unfortunately, I had to stop and witness how our competitor Tokai overtook us. Luckily, our support crew fixed the car very quickly and this enabled us continue the race within ten minutes.” After a short period of time, the team reclaimed its position as front-runner in the challenge.

Clouds and hard winds

The third and fourth racing days turned out to be strategically crucial, especially when the sun disappeared behind the clouds. Hard winds and even rain characterized this day. These conditions actually benefited the Nuon Solar Team; their design choices enabled them to extend their lead to 2 hours on the penultimate day. Aerodynamics expert Jasper Hemmes: “Nuna9’s compact, lightweight and aerodynamic design features enabled us to drive at a great speed. Due to this aerodynamic design, we were able to profit from the suction – caused by the wind.” Strategy analyst Stijn Burger elaborates: “Thanks to the information provided by our meteo-team we were able to maximize our energy incomes.”

The Nuon Solar Team wins 14th edition of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, the worldchampionship solar car racing in Australia.

Teamwork

The Nuon Solar Team’s coach Marc Lammers – who coached the Nuon Solar Team during their race – is very much impressed by ‘his’ team. “One of their strongholds is that everyone’s familiar with each other’s strengths. One team member knows everything about tires, some else is an expert in the field of aerodynamics, and some other members know all the ins and outs of the solar panel and electronics. This team makes great decisions at the right moments; and they do it together. Their concentration is great, which results in a great team spirit. The latter has been translated into this fantastic outcome.”

RISKID, a portfolio company of InnovationQuarter, is proud partner of the Nuon Solar Team. They will keep supporting the team for the championship in two years.

 

Source / Nuon Solar Team

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Contact /Damien van der Bijl Datum /

YesDelft-en-ECE-join-Forces

With two world-leading universities on technology and business only 15 minutes apart it is a no-brainer to combine this mutual power into one programme. The joint programme consists of the existing Get Started programme offered by ECE and the Validation Lab programme from YES!Delft that have been running successfully for several years.

So what is the main difference between startups from Delft and Rotterdam? “The main difference we see is at the starting point of the entrepreneurial venture. Most aspiring entrepreneurs from Delft start off with a technological solution and seek for the right problem and market. Entrepreneurs from Rotterdam are good at building businesses, but ideas are mostly born by a personal frustration” states Martin Luxemburg, director at ECE. The purpose of the program is to guide these nascent entrepreneurs in the process of finding the right product-market fit with experienced coaches and mentors guiding them through this journey.

“If you would have taken a look at Coolblue or Rituals 10 years ago, you wouldn’t necessarily call them innovative. But taking a look at them now, these companies are leading scale-ups in the Netherlands, both disrupting their markets through business model innovation.“ This unique collaboration between YES!Delft and ECE will provide advantages for the high-tech startups to start their venture in a business-minded environment and vice versa.

EJ Lugt, director at YES!Delft sees other opportunities as well: “A potential spin-off of the program could be that teams from Delft and Rotterdam join forces. Research from the Erasmus University Rotterdam shows that the chances of success are higher when teams consist of people with different backgrounds.” Good examples are Senz Umbrella and Magnet.me, both consisting of founders from TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam. “One of the side-effects of the program could be the creation of more of these mixed teams, and thereby increasing the likelihood of success of these startups. The expectation is that by educating the entrepreneurs in this way and connecting them to each other, they are better able to take on (social) challenges successfully and so contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals; one of the focus points of both universities.”

Source / YES!Delft

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Contact /Chris van Voorden Datum /

West Holland's international business community joined InnovationQuarter's LINQ

On the menu

During the interactive breakout sessions, we showcased innovations of the West Holland based companies below. Click on the company name for additional information. Feel free to contact or introduce these innovative entrepreneurs to relevant (business) contacts.

  • Laevo’s innovative Exoskeleton
  • InteSpring‘s exobuddy for military of the future
  • LetsGrow, a smart platform to analyze cultivation related data
  • AvioniCS, autopilot technology on drones
  • IMSystems, groundbreaking development in speed reducer technology
  • Indymo’s submarine drone to monitor water quality
  • VSParticle’s nanoparticles, the building blocks of the future
  • De Kompaan, craft beertasting of The Hague’s award winning local brewery

For a LINQ recap in photos, please visit our online Flickr-page.

West Holland's international business community joined InnovationQuarter's LINQ

Let’s LINQ

InnovationQuarter’s mission is to strengthen the regional economy in West Holland by supporting and stimulating the innovation potential of this unique delta region. In close co-operation with all major corporations, educational and research institutions, and government organisations, we assist and support foreign companies like yours with their establishment, business expansion and relocation plans in our region.

And of course, we maintain in close contact with the 2,200 international companies that are already established here. Looking for collaborative contacts or in need of assistance? Get in touch with our team and we’ll introduce you in our extensive network.

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Contact /Edward Gilding Datum /

Dare2Cross Offshore/Energy Cybersecurity

Met een speciaal geselecteerde groep uit de offshore/energy en cybersecurity sector zijn nieuwe business kansen en mogelijke samenwerkingen verkend tijdens Dare2Cross Offshore/Energy meets Cybersecurity. Ongeveer 50 genodigden zijn op 28 september tijdens de internationale Cyber Security Week 2017 ontvangen door InnovationQuarter en mede-organisatoren KIVI, IRO, The Hague Business Agency, Gemeente Den Haag en HSD.

Offshore/energy sector kwetsbaar voor cyber crime

Een toenemend gebruik van visualisatie en big data verhoogt het risico op cybercriminaliteit in de olie- en gasindustrie aanzienlijk.
Uit een rapport van het Ponemon Institute blijkt dat ruim twee derde van de olie- en gasbedrijven vorig jaar door tenminste één belangrijke cyberaanval geraakt werden, terwijl veel andere incidenten ongemeld of ongemerkt zijn gebleven.

Volgens een expert worden cyberaanvallen in de olie- en gasindustrie steeds geavanceerder en kostbaar om te bestrijden: Deze aanvallen zijn niet alleen gerelateerd aan de verspreiding van malware, maar juist aan onbevoegd personeel dat toegang tot infrastructuur krijgt. De druk om zaken rondom cybersecurity goed te organiseren wordt daarom steeds groter.

Dare2Cross Offshore/Energy Cybersecurity

Delen of niet delen van informatie

Om bestand te zijn tegen cyber crime is samenwerking nodig. Echter zit het delen van ‘worst cases’ en kwetsbaarheden niet in onze natuur, zoals werd geconcludeerd tijdens het forum:

Sharing is not natural if it is not a best practice. Openness and collaboration is a must, but with who and how!

Reden om een select gezelschap uit beide sectoren bij elkaar te brengen rond vijf verschillende actuele thema’s en ze uit te dagen informatie te delen en uit te wisselen. De onderwerpen die aan bod kwamen waren:

  • het inzetten van cybersecurity oplossingen als enabler voor nieuwe toekomstige diensten om business te genereren;
  • samenwerking door de horizontale en verticale keten;
  • cybersecurity in de design fase van windturbines;
  • omgaan met medewerkers die ‘derailen’; en
  • het verbeteren van cyber resilience van bestaande netwerken en platforms.

Bijzonder aan deze bijeenkomst is dat al in de voorbereiding met veel verschillende organisaties is gesproken om tot passende cases te komen en de juiste personen bij elkaar aan tafel te hebben om deze cases te verdiepen.

Dare2Cross Offshore/Energy Cybersecurity

Grenzen verleggen tijdens Dare2Cross

Onder de inspirerende leiding van Ramon Vullings, cross industry innovation expert, zijn nieuwe kansen en oplossingen verkend en nieuwe contacten gelegd. Een forum met Bram Reinders (Alliander), Arthur van der Weerd (Hudson Cybertec) en Joep Brand (Shell) kreeg prikkelende stellingen voorgelegd als ‘Cyber crime is over-hyped’ en ‘Cyber crime should not be fought, better to be insured’.

Tijdens de breakout sessies werden de cases verdiept. Op basis van de unieke aanpak en oplossingen van bijvoorbeeld Hells Angels, Emirates, Google en andere inspirerende organisaties werden de aanwezigen geprikkeld verder te zoeken naar toepassingen voor de ingebrachte cases. Veel oplossingen zijn namelijk al bedacht door organisaties en worden toegepast in andere sectoren. Hoe kan je deze oplossingen door ontwikkelen naar oplossingen voor de eigen organisatie of sector?

De middag heeft de aanwezigen een hoop interessante nieuwe contacten opgeleverd. De organisatoren en case inbrengers verkennen samen op welke manier hier een vervolg aan gaat worden gegeven.