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Until today, cooling systems have always used gas compressors. Although the gases are nowadays less harmful than in the past, they are still toxic and dangerous, resulting in an enormous footprint. The Delft-based company Magneto, a spin-off from Delft University of Technology, is developing 3D-printed magneto-calorific material for heat pumps. With this material, heat pumps for cooling systems can be made that no longer run on gas, but on harmless liquids, such as water. In addition, the system is up to 30% more efficient. For their unique innovation, Magneto will receive € 1 million from UNIIQ (Delft Enterprises), SHIFT Invest, Graduate Entrepreneur Fund and Rabobank.

Cooling systems, of refrigerators for example, currently still work on gas compressors. These used to use Chlorofluorocarbons, known from the hole in the ozone layer and now phased out almost everywhere. Today, the gases are still very polluting. Magneto has developed a reliable solution to this growing problem in the refrigeration system market.

Unique recipe of magneto-caloric material

Magneto develops a special composite for heat pumps. This material changes temperature after exposure to a magnetic field, also called the magneto-caloric effect. Despite the fact that some natural substances also exhibit this property, Magneto’s composite does not use rare elements. This allows the material to be produced and applied on a large scale. Magneto is the first company in the world able to 3D print magneto-caloric material, an important step for its application.

Magneto system 30% more efficient

This special material can be used to create a heat pump, which no longer uses gases but liquids, such as water. These can replace gas compressors in cooling systems and in the future all kinds of devices that heat and cool. Besides the fact that these new systems no longer use polluting gases, the system is also up to 30% more efficient. This also leads to considerable savings in energy consumption.

Refrigeration market expected to triple

200 million gas compressors are produced annually for the refrigeration market. In addition, there is an increasing global need for refrigeration and the market is expected to triple by 2050. Magneto will enable some of this growth in a sustainable way.

Investment enables development of first functional refrigeration systems

With the € 1 million investment round, made possible by UNIIQ (Delft Enterprises)SHIFT Invest, Graduate Entrepreneur Fund and Rabobank, Magneto will build a portfolio of magneto-caloric materials, enabling the production of the first functional cooling systems. The company now has 4 FTEs and is growing to 7.5 FTEs. To realize this growth, the company recently opened its office doors at YES!Delft.

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50 deals in 5 years. Since its launch in 2016, the South-Holland proof-of-concept fund UNIIQ has become one of the most successful early-stage funds in Europe. After 50 deals, 96% of the UNIIQ startups still exist and the companies collectively already raised over €125m in follow-on funding. €1 from UNIIQ generates over €10 in follow-on funding. And that is an unprecedentedly high multiplier. Seven complete exits have already taken place and 418 jobs have been created. This makes UNIIQ the springboard to a successful scale-up. UNIIQ startups are also known for their impact: they make the world cleaner, smarter and healthier.

UNIIQ proves: in this phase you can invest very successfully

UNIIQ was founded in 2016 to bridge the riskiest phase from concept to promising company (as early as TRL-3). UNIIQ invests heavily in deep tech propositions – about 80% of the portfolio, almost always involving a hardware component – and in life sciences. These are high-risk, high-tech investments, often with a long payback period, which the market does not yet dare to enter. UNIIQ proves that you can still invest successfully in this risky phase.

UNIIQ companies make the world cleaner, smarter and healthier

The companies in which UNIIQ has invested are known for making the world cleaner, smarter and healthier. For example, batteries deliver 70% more energy thanks to LeydenJar’s unique technology, quantum research became accessible to smaller companies thanks to Quantware’s unique processors, and Oceans of Energy laid the world’s first offshore solar system in the North Sea.

Mayht was sold to Sonos for $100 mln.

“With us, the most unique, world-leading technologies see the first light of day, thanks in part to our university partners,” says fund manager Hans Dreijklufft. “Recently, our portfolio company Mayht was sold to Sonos for $100 mln. When the brothers came to us, you could still see the duct tape on the prototype, so to speak. We often see the potential of unique technology at a very early stage. And thanks to our large network of (inter)national investors, we also manage to attract follow-on funding for our companies.”

Production robots do 40% more work, and much more accurately

It is the ‘heart’ of the robot, the power drive. Robotics is developing at a rapid pace and yet the transmission systems – the parts that make the robot move – have hardly changed in the past 50 years. As a result, robots remain relatively heavy, complex, uncontrollable and expensive to this day. With the Archimedes Drive, IMSystems introduced the first major breakthrough in transmission systems in half a century. The ‘heart’ of the robot now functions with far greater precision, transferring power much more efficiently, in a more compact size and at lower cost. This makes the movements of robots more precise, more powerful and more controllable. With this drive, a production robot can do up to 40% more work in the same time. IMSystems received an investment from UNIIQ and later follow-on funding through another InnovationQuarter fund, IQCapital.

Hans Dreijklufft

Fund Manager UNIIQ

 

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QuantWare has secured a €650,000 investment from proof-of-concept fund UNIIQ, investment fund FORWARD.one and angel investors. With investments of Rabobank and Quantum Delta NL, and having been granted both a regional and a European subsidy, the company has over 1 million Euro to spend on its development. QuantWare will use the investment to further develop its technology, which significantly increases the computational power of quantum processors, and to produce and deliver their standardized quantum processors with exceptionally short delivery times. By making quantum processors more readily available to quantum researchers and start-ups, quantum research can be accelerated. This brings commercialisation of the quantum computer another step closer to reality. The UNIIQ-investment was announced via video by Freeke Heijman from Quantum Delta NL and Kees Eijkel from Delft University of Technology.

QuantWare founders Matthijs (L) and Alessandro (R) – Photo by Rebekka Mell

The power of quantum computers

Quantum computing is regarded as the holy grail of solving problems that regular computers cannot solve. The race is therefore on to deliver the first commercial quantum computer. The ‘heart’ of the quantum computer consists of the quantum processor, which computes with quantum-bits or qubits. In contrast to the bits of a regular computer, qubits can simultaneously have a value of 1 and 0. This means that quantum computers can perform calculations beyond the realm of their traditional counterparts and could take mere minutes to solve problems that would take regular computers millions of years. They would be ideal for conducting research into new medicines or materials, for example.

Quantum hardware not yet sufficiently available or self-produced

There are still hurdles to overcome before quantum computers can be commercialised. Access to certain hardware is essential for advancing quantum research, specifically quantum processors and related technology. However, hardware is still insufficiently available and has to be supplied by ‘friendly’ research facilities, or researchers have to learn the skills to produce it themselves. Delivery times and learning curves of six months or longer are not uncommon, which eats up valuable time in this rapidly evolving field. In addition, the computational power of current processors is limited and a solution has not yet been found to sufficiently increase the capacity for use in a commercial quantum computer.

A “Soprano” QPU from QuantWare

QuantWare’s standardised and scalable quantum processors

QuantWare originated at QuTech, the quantum research facility founded by Delft University of Technology and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Possessing extensive experience in quantum research, the QuantWare team has specialised in the development of quantum hardware that is scalable and rapidly deliverable while meeting customers’ (often researchers) needs. The company’s primary focus is to deliver standardised quantum processors so that research can be reproduced by multiple parties, thereby accelerating progress in the field as a whole. As part of the ImpaQT-consortium, a collaboration between 6 private parties, QuantWare contributes by supplying their quantum processors, to ultimately have a so-called NISQ-computer ready to pilot by the end of this year. This brings quantum computing another step closer to commercialisation.

QuantWare will use the investment to scale up production of quantum processors and related hardware, such as amplifiers, and to further develop its innovative technologies which exponentially boost computational power of their processors.

Alessandro Bruno, co-founder of QuantWare, is delighted with the capital injection and says: “The support from UNIIQ, FORWARD.One, Quantum Delta NL and Rabobank will help us bring our quantum processors to market. This will make quantum technology accessible to many more parties, resulting in a crucial contribution to the Dutch quantum ecosystem.”

Hans Dreijklufft, UNIIQ fund manager, notes: “Quantum technology has enormous potential to solve problems that have been insurmountable so far. We are incredibly proud that this investment in QuantWare will enable us to again stimulate a company originating from the strong regional QuTech-Quantum Delft ecosystem, and are delighted that on a national level, Quantum Delta shows support by investing in QuantWare from their Lightspeed fund. Our investment and the support of the quantum ecosystem allows QuantWare to develop at a high pace, thereby indirectly supporting the broader quantum research field in further developing quantum technologies.”

Paul Pruijmboom, partner FORWARD.one: “We’re impressed with the QuantWare team and the company’s innovative technology. The market for quantum computing shows huge potential, and QuantWare delivers a crucial element to speed up development of this market. We are pleased to support QuantWare and the development of high tech in the Netherlands in general from our new €100m investment fund”.

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The Hague, 31-05-2021 – Legend Logistics Group, which has its headquarters in Singapore and one of the largest tank container operators in Asia, recently established in Europe, with the opening of a branch office in Papendrecht, the Netherlands.

Legend has been growing steadily since its start in 2012, and has recently expanded its footprints to Europe. With this growth, Legend Logistics Group is strengthening its position as an integrated specialised logistics provider.

Strategic location at European logistics hotspot

Legend Netherlands provides comprehensive logistics solutions for bulk liquid products tailored to its customers’ requirements and specifications. Legend chose the Netherlands for its first European office because it is an important logistics hotspot in Europe, and has the highest concentration of logistics service providers. The new office is the 11th establishment of the Legend Logistics Group.

Legend Netherlands’ suite of services includes bulk liquid logistics and tank container specialised services such as washing, storing, heating and handling of tank containers as well as shipment of bulk liquids, door to door. It provides these services both for intermodal and deep-sea routes.

The European branch is managed by Ruben Hofland, who has been in the industry for over 10 years and previously managed a local office of one of the top global tank container lessors with overall responsibility for the management and oversight of the business in North and South America.

Chris van Voorden, Director of Foreign Investments at InnovationQuarter: InnovationQarter as well as Rotterdam Partners and Deal Drecht Cities are glad that Legend Logistics has chosen The Rotterdam – The Hague area their next step in their expansion. With its strong industrial logistic cluster, I am sure Legend Logistics will thrive in Europe. We welcome the opportunity to support the company in their efforts to anchor their business here.”

Lowri van der Linden, director Southeast Asia at the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, welcomes Legend Logistics Group to the heart of Europe: “I am delighted that Legend Logistics has chosen to set up its operations in the Netherlands. In these challenging times, the Netherlands is still the ideal place to get started on the European market. Our well-known infrastructure both physical and digital connects you to any place in Europe. All combined in a location that is also a great place to work and live.”

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Aksa Power Generation B.V., a global leader in power generation installations with headquarters in Turkey, has established operations in Dordrecht. This location, from which the company will serve the European market, will house production, marketing and sales activities. Aksa has been active in Europe for over 30 years and was leading its European operations from their facilities in the UK. With the impact of Brexit and the Netherlands’ increasing influence as a global genset trading hub, Aksa decided to move their European activities to the Netherlands. Aksa Power Generation Europe was assisted with its relocation by InnovationQuarter, Deal Drecht Cities and Netherlands Foreign Investments Agency.

World-leading provider of power generators

Aksa Power Generation was founded in 1968 as an electrical motor factory. The company manufactured its first generator in 1984 and became an expert in machinery and hardware for electrical energy supply in a short amount of time. Aksa has been a leading company in the power generation market for a long time and is among Turkey’s 200 largest industrial companies and exporters. With customers in 173 countries, and 19 offices and 4 representatives located in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, the company is among the top five global firms in the sector.

Aksa Power Generation manufactures gasoline, diesel, natural gas and marine generating sets, with ranges between 1 kVA and 3125 kVA as well as lighting towers and generator hardware. The equipment is manufactured in its facilities in Istanbul (Turkey), Changzhou (China) and Louisiana (U.S.A.), and has established as a pioneer within the sector. The facility in the Netherlands, which has been in operation since September 2020, will focus on both existing diesel gensets and hybrid generator production. The latter of which will have heightened attention as it stands out to be an economic, efficient and environmentally friendly technology that runs on renewable energy sources.

Leading into a sustainable future

Being among the first manufacturers of natural gas generator sets of the world, Aksa Generators withholds undisputed supremacy with respect to synchronized sets. Aksa Generators continuously increases its investments in technology to remain at the forefront of innovation in the industry with a focus on more soundproof, environmentally friendly generators with lower fuel consumption. Aksa Power Generation aims to rank among the top three global manufacturers by 2025.

Country Director Barkin Dizdaroglu: “Working on hybrid solutions will not only contribute to our revenues in being one of the top 3 power generator manufacturers in the world, but also will help to save our planet and turn our world into a better place”.

Chris van Voorden, Director of Foreign Investment at InnovationQuarter: “The investment of Aksa Power Generation in Dordrecht is a great example of our collaboration agreement with Deal Drecht Cities. We will keep elaborating with Aksa on the future possibilities to further innovate and connect them with knowledge institution and fieldlabs in our region”.

Maarten Burggraaf, Alderman of economy and finance for the municipality of Dordrecht: “We are happy with the arrival of Aksa Power Generation to Dordrecht. It is a great addition to the smart industry cluster in Drecht Cities.”

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African bamboo develops circular materials from bamboo in Delft

African bamboo develops circular materials from bamboo in Delft

African Bamboo produces pioneer materials utilizing Tropical Bamboo. A Dutch-Ethiopian company, African Bamboo has been working with the leading European research institutes for many years. CEO Khalid Duri shares: “We decided to select Delft for our R&D location to build on our relations with TU Delft & TNO and the proximity of the port of Rotterdam.”

Started in 2013, African Bamboo works on bamboo-based alternatives to building materials using proprietary, smart and energy-efficient production technology. Khalid Duri shares: “We are driven by a vision of a world in which bamboo is part of everyday life, providing sustainable materials while contributing to the abatement of climate change and poverty.”

By locating their second R&D facility in Delft, African Bamboo aims at creating an innovation cluster for natural fibres in the heart of Europe. The company plans to establish high-tech laboratories and piloting facilities at a Center of Bamboo Research & Application (COBRA) and boost commercialization of products and applications, benefiting from the central location of the R&D centre at YES!Delft and the proximity to the port of Rotterdam.

InnovationQuarter assists African Bamboo, together with TU Delft, in finding the right location, introducing the company to the TU Delft campus and the region, and supporting the African Bamboo team with relocation.

Chris van Voorden, head of internationalization at InnovationQuarter: “African Bamboo is a great addition to Delft and the region. African Bamboo’s focus on building materials of natural fibres fits well in our strategy combining smart manufacturing and the impact potential on the environment. Our region’s R&D and logistic opportunities offer ideal conditions for African Bamboo research & development and connecting to the European market.”

Maarten Hermus

Maarten Hermus

Senior Account Manager Horticulture & Food
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Xiaomi is an internet company that offers smart hardware such as smartphones, wearables and smart home devices, which are connected to the IoT platform of Xiaomi. The company, which is the 4th largest smartphone brand in Western Europe, wants to establish a trading hub in the Netherlands after its successful introduction to the European market in late 2017. The Hague emerged as the ideal location for business, close to both the port of Rotterdam and TU Delft.

With more than 235 million connected devices (excluding smartphones and laptops) on the largest consumer IoT platform in the world, Xiaomi has a strong global presence in more than 90 markets. In order to scale up further on the European market, the company selected the best logistics location, in the heart of the Dutch telecom cluster and in the vicinity of TU Delft and the surrounding high-tech cluster. With its extensive knowledge in the field of Internet of Things, Xiaomi is a valuable addition to the technology cluster in South Holland.

In addition to logistics activities, the Xiaomi office in The Hague will house the financial and legal activities here and expects to hire a large team of local employees over the next 3-5 years. In the Netherlands, Xiaomi products are available for purchase through various channels.

InnovationQuarter assisted Xiaomi, together with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, the Municipality of The Hague and The Hague Business Agency, in selecting the right location in South Holland and assisted in establishing at the WTC in The Hague.

Chris van Voorden, head of internationalization at InnovationQuarter: “Xiaomi is a great addition to The Hague and the region. Xiaomi’s IoT expertise fits well in our Digital Technology sector. Our region’s location and logistics capabilities provide ideal conditions for Xiaomi in their success in the European market. ”

Xiaoling Sun

Senior Account Manager Asia
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RoboCrops

The RoboCrops event, scheduled for April 23-24, has been postponed. However, various online workshops will take place on April 24 on the theme of ‘Robotics in the agricultural sector’.

RoboCrops

GreenTech cooperation

Due to the multitude of events that will be postponed to the autumn, we have chosen to collaborate with the GreenTech and also organize a one-day meeting in World Horti Center on Friday October 23. During the GreenTech in the RAI in Amsterdam (October 20-22), a Robotics themed area will be realized there. A substantial part of the tech programming of RoboCrops will take place there on Wednesday October 21.

More about the program at the GreenTech, in the World Horti Center and the hackathon in RoboHouse will follow soon. Youn can find current information at robocrops.tech.

Tickets already purchased are valid for the event on October 23. Participants who have already bought a ticket will be approached personally. If you have bought a two-day ticket, you will automatically receive a refund for one day. If you are not able to come on October 23, please contact events@innovationquarter.nl. 

Online workshops April 24

In this age of remote work, vital industries and new ways of working together, it is more relevant than ever. Now that life is a bit different than usual, there is more time to start talking to each other online and to delve into the opportunities for collaboration. We are happy to help you with this.

The workshops on Friday April 24 last two hours each and are organized together with TU Delft, RoboHouse and Wageningen UR. If you are interested in participating, please contact Liselotte.deVries@tudelft.nl and inform us of your 1st and 2nd choice. The aim is to create joint project ideas.

Schedule:

  • 9:00-11:00 CET – Biomechanical Engineering: “A biologically inspired soft tactile robotic harvester for secure and gentle grip of vulnerable crops”;
  • 11:15-13:15 CET – Precision & Microsystems + Micro-electronics: “3D sensor networks and applications for autonomous, wireless sensor systems”;
  • 13:30-15:30 CET – Cognitive Robotics / Learning & Autonomous Control: “Flexible and reliable control for autonomous robot operation in agri / horti”;
  • 15:45-17:45 CET – Precision & Microsystems: “Design of hygienic and adaptive machines and robots through elastic mechatronics”.

Platform RoboCrops all year round

With RoboCrops, we aim to create a movement to accelerate innovation in the greenhouse. This means that as an organization we work hard to build a platform in addition to the organization of the event, where growers, technical companies and other stakeholders can meet each other. We will publish a series of informative videos in the near future, the first of which can now be seen on our channel.

More information about this will be available on our website in the near future. We hope to see you again in good health. Until then, let’s not just wait but keep moving together. If you have ideas how to do this this please share them with us and others on LinkedIn.

More information

Please contact us.

Colinda de Beer

Senior Business Developer Horticulture
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Investering Edumundo

RoboCrops is the world’s very first event linking robotics and greenhouse horticulture. It will be organised on 23 and 24 April in The Netherlands at World Horti Center and RoboHouse. Growers, technology companies, universities and investors will be challenged to the limit. Goal: developing new horti applications using sensors, robotic arms, autonomous vehicles, AI and data. Harvesting crops is a very delicate and complex task, automating the process is not that easy. Registrations don’t only come from Europe, but also from Japan, Canada and Israel. RoboCrops provides a solution for the worldwide need to find each other and to achieve breakthroughs together.

RoboCrops

Harvesting technology to feed the world

Even before the program is final, Lely, Panasonic, Rijk Zwaan and renowned professors confirmed their arrival. The fact that they and companies such as KINOVA and Ecoation are willing to travel from Canada to the Netherlands proves that the subject is considered to be important and urgent. The growing world population, climate change and a growing demand for safe and healthy food are global issues. It is clear that there are opportunities here for robotics.

That the very first crossover between robotics and horticulture is taking place in West-Holland is not surprising. Greenport West-Holland is the world’s most innovative region in the field of greenhouse horticulture. Because of the variety of industries in the region, there is a strong hightech community, also stimulated by several universities and knowledge institutions. Only by working together will it be possible to develop and scale up practical solutions.

RoboCrops

You want to join RoboCrops?

More information is available on the website. You can register here.

Autonomous harvesting: to pick or not to pick?

In order for a robot to autonomously harvest crops, it must combine sense (where is the tomato?), think (to pick or not to pick?), and act (pick and place in a container). Although good progress has been made in the development of harvesting robots in general, they are still not widely used in our greenhouses. Delicate crops, such as tomatoes, peppers and strawberries, are particularly problematic. By bringing together international growers and technology companies and challenging students to develop solutions, RoboCrops hopes to set a global acceleration in motion.

RoboCrops

Programme

23 April: robotic developments and hackathon

On 23 April growers and other attendees will be informed about the latest developments in robotics for greenhouse horticulture. The chairman of the day will be Peter Jens, Director Strategic Alliances at Koppert. He deals with agricultural, food and nutrition issues all over the world and promotes cooperation between farmers, cooperatives and research institutes. Keynotes include André van Troost, CEO at Lely, the internationally operating number one manufacturer of robots and data systems for dairy farming. Josse de Baerdemaeker is also on stage. He is Professor of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors at KU Leuven and is recognised worldwide as the founder of the basic principles in precision agriculture.

In addition to the day programme in World Horti Center, students from Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University will start that day on a hackathon in the RoboHouse fieldlab in Delft. This hackathon can be followed in the evening via livestream during the network dinner in World Horti Center.

24 April: technical challenges and hackathon

On April 24, technology companies, universities and other interested parties can explore the technical possibilities and challenges for robotics in horticulture in World Horti Center together. Chairman of the day is Jim Stolze, who started Aigency, a company that provides solutions in the field of artificial intelligence. Vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan will be on the programme that day and Jaimy Siebel, Managing Director at RoboValley and RoboHouse, will also provide a keynote. At the end of the day the students, who’ll pull an all-nighter for their challenge in fieldlab RoboHouse, pitch their hacks in the World Horti Center. On both days there will of be plenty of opportunities for matchmaking.

Locaties RoboCrops

Would you like to participate in this unique event as well?

The organization of the event is currently still in full swing. You can find more information on the RoboCrops website. If you want to join us, you can register here. There is still a limited number of places available for participants, sponsors, exhibitors and speakers. In the upcoming weeks a series of vlogs about robotics in greenhouse horticulture can be followed on this YouTube channel.

More information

Feel free to contact us.

Colinda de Beer

Senior Business Developer Horticulture
Terug naar overzicht
RoboCrops

RoboCrops is the world’s very first event linking robotics and greenhouse horticulture. It will be organised on 23 and 24 April in The Netherlands at World Horti Center and RoboHouse. Growers, technology companies, universities and investors will be challenged to the limit. Goal: developing new horti applications using sensors, robotic arms, autonomous vehicles, AI and data. Harvesting crops is a very delicate and complex task, automating the process is not that easy. Registrations don’t only come from Europe, but also from Japan, Canada and Israel. RoboCrops provides a solution for the worldwide need to find each other and to achieve breakthroughs together.

RoboCrops

Harvesting technology to feed the world

Even before the program is final, Lely, Panasonic, Rijk Zwaan and renowned professors confirmed their arrival. The fact that they and companies such as KINOVA and Ecoation are willing to travel from Canada to the Netherlands proves that the subject is considered to be important and urgent. The growing world population, climate change and a growing demand for safe and healthy food are global issues. It is clear that there are opportunities here for robotics.

That the very first crossover between robotics and horticulture is taking place in West-Holland is not surprising. Greenport West-Holland is the world’s most innovative region in the field of greenhouse horticulture. Because of the variety of industries in the region, there is a strong hightech community, also stimulated by several universities and knowledge institutions. Only by working together will it be possible to develop and scale up practical solutions.

RoboCrops

You want to join RoboCrops?

More information is available on the website. You can register here.

Autonomous harvesting: to pick or not to pick?

In order for a robot to autonomously harvest crops, it must combine sense (where is the tomato?), think (to pick or not to pick?), and act (pick and place in a container). Although good progress has been made in the development of harvesting robots in general, they are still not widely used in our greenhouses. Delicate crops, such as tomatoes, peppers and strawberries, are particularly problematic. By bringing together international growers and technology companies and challenging students to develop solutions, RoboCrops hopes to set a global acceleration in motion.

RoboCrops

Programme

23 April: robotic developments and hackathon

On 23 April growers and other attendees will be informed about the latest developments in robotics for greenhouse horticulture. The chairman of the day will be Peter Jens, Director Strategic Alliances at Koppert. He deals with agricultural, food and nutrition issues all over the world and promotes cooperation between farmers, cooperatives and research institutes. Keynotes include André van Troost, CEO at Lely, the internationally operating number one manufacturer of robots and data systems for dairy farming. Josse de Baerdemaeker is also on stage. He is Professor of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors at KU Leuven and is recognised worldwide as the founder of the basic principles in precision agriculture.

In addition to the day programme in World Horti Center, students from Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University will start that day on a hackathon in the RoboHouse fieldlab in Delft. This hackathon can be followed in the evening via livestream during the network dinner in World Horti Center.

24 April: technical challenges and hackathon

On April 24, technology companies, universities and other interested parties can explore the technical possibilities and challenges for robotics in horticulture in World Horti Center together. Chairman of the day is Jim Stolze, who started Aigency, a company that provides solutions in the field of artificial intelligence. Vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan will be on the programme that day and Jaimy Siebel, Managing Director at RoboValley and RoboHouse, will also provide a keynote. At the end of the day the students, who’ll pull an all-nighter for their challenge in fieldlab RoboHouse, pitch their hacks in the World Horti Center. On both days there will of be plenty of opportunities for matchmaking.

Locaties RoboCrops

Would you like to participate in this unique event as well?

The organization of the event is currently still in full swing. You can find more information on the RoboCrops website. If you want to join us, you can register here. There is still a limited number of places available for participants, sponsors, exhibitors and speakers. In the upcoming weeks a series of vlogs about robotics in greenhouse horticulture can be followed on this YouTube channel.

More information

Feel free to contact us.

Colinda de Beer

Senior Business Developer Horticulture
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ATV and InnovationQuarter’s investment in IMSystems will help further accelerate the development of their revolutionary technology in robotics. IMSystems’ Archimedes Drive takes a leap forward in transmission systems. In contrast to conventional gears, which rely on cogs with fragile teeth to produce torque, IMSystems came up with a design that harnesses traction.

ABB will be joining this round, through its venture capital unit, ATV, to provide funding and expertise to the growing company. The regional economic development agency for Zuid-Holland, InnovationQuarter, will continue their contribution in IMSystems following its initial seed investment in 2018.

“I am delighted to have next to InnovationQuarter ATV on board. The investment will allow IMSystems to grow and move to the next stage of development,” says Jack Schorsch, CEO and founder of IMSystems.

“The previous investment round has shown that we were able to increase the lifetime of the drive from just a few minutes to a few weeks. With this round we will be able to go from weeks to years, and prepare the Archimedes Drive for commercial use to enable lighter, more agile, and more accurate robots.”

First breakthrough in transmission systems in 60 years

It was in 2016 when PhD student, Jack Schorsch, grew frustrated with the inadequacy of off-the-shelf transmission systems available for the robot he was designing at Delft University of Technology. Which led him to his idea for a stronger, lighter, more accurate alternative: the Archimedes Drive, a design that harnessed traction. This innovation meant the first breakthrough in transmission systems since sixty years.

Old transmission systems are why humans still manufacture your smartphone

IMSystems’ patented Archimedes Drive marks a leap forward in robot transmission systems. Automated production lines are becoming more commonplace in most manufacturers, but the broader deployment of industrial robots is hampered by existing mechanical components, namely the transmissions.

The gears that enable robotic arms to swing, pick, lift, and place are bulky, heavy, and the cause of backlash. (This is an undesirable staccato jolt caused by the small clearance between the teeth in conventional gears.) These limitations in accuracy have an impact on safety, which means that industrial robots are usually consigned to cages. It’s also one of the reasons why it’s a human rather than a robot that manufactures your smartphone, and also why surgical robots are the exception rather than the rule. The Archimedes Drive therefore paves the way for operations without a surgeon present and for co-operation between humans and robots, so-called ‘cobots’.

IMSystems’ Archimedes Drive is a product of the Dutch province Zuid-Holland’s entrepreneur-centric network that fosters innovation. The Drive was invented at Delft University of Technology, commercialized at startup incubator YES!Delft, and is now being developed for the international robotics market at RoboValley,” says Rinke Zonneveld, Director of InnovationQuarter. “We are proud to be working with Jack and his team in realizing their goal of smaller, lighter, and more accurate industrial robotics.”

Hannes Sibbel

Senior Investment Manager / Team Lead Smart & Safe + MKB a.i.
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CLAIRE (Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe)

On the 9th of December 2019 The Hague hosted the launch of the headquarters for the world’s largest AI research network CLAIRE (Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe). CLAIRE was established in response to the pressing need for excellence in AI research and innovation that ensures that Europe remains competitive in AI and its applications. With CLAIRE, European partners are raising the bar significantly in terms of investment in talent, research, technology and innovation in AI.

CLAIRE (Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe)

“CLAIRE is the world’s largest network of AI research laboratories, and we are very happy and proud to have our headquarters in The Hague. Considering The Hague’s reputation as the city of Peace and Justice, The Hague, and the Netherlands in general, are an ideal home base for CLAIRE, which will shape the way AI is used in Europe. The Netherlands is a hotbed for AI research and innovation in Europe, and home to a large number of internationally leading experts in AI.”, says Dr. Holger Hoos, Professor of Machine learning at Leiden University and the co-initiator of CLAIRE.

The CLAIRE headquarters in The Hague will support CLAIRE activities in Europe, coordinating the work of existing CLAIRE offices in Prague (CZ), Saarbrücken (DE), Rome (IT) and Oslo (NO), as well as offices soon to be opened in Brussels (BE), Zürich (CH), Paris (FR) and Cork (IE). The CLAIRE office in The Hague will also place special focus on AI in the public sector, AI computing and data infrastructure, and the development of a focus on AI for social good.

CLAIRE (Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe)

CLAIRE & InnovationQuarter

With the establishment of CLAIRE, the greater Rotterdam – The Hague area is strengthening its position as a “real life testing ground” for AI. This region has a unique position because excellent academic knowledge is concentrated here with promising areas of application for AI. Consider, for example, contributing to the energy transition in the port area, solving global food problems with horticulture and working on life sciences & health technology of the future. InnovationQuarter will be involved in Claire as a partner for developing use-cases in collaborative projects with businesses and knowledge institutes.

InnovationQuarter is currently working on an economic exploration of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Zuid-Holland, which will be completed early next year. For this we are in full discussion with companies and knowledge partners in the region. Ultimately, we aim to identify opportunities for collaboration on the implementation of AI in practice, and what knowledge and expertise (public and private) we already have in-house for this. When we start working on this next year, CLAIRE can play an important role.

Find additional information about this initiative at CLAIRE.

Would you like more information regarding the AI ecosystem in our region?

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Stef Prinsen

Senior Account Manager Digital Technology
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RoboCrops

RoboCrops is a key event that seeks to accelerate the development of robotics in greenhouse horticulture with hackathons, presentations and matchmaking. The global leaders in the field of robotics in this sector will be gathering in the Netherlands on 23 and 24 April for the first edition.

RoboCrops

The annual event brings high-tech companies and universities together with growers and investors in the Westland and Delft. Professionals and students will be challenged to the limit in the extensive programme packed with hackathons, informative sessions and matchmaking which are taking place simultaneously at World Horti Center Naaldwijk and RoboHouse/TU Delft.

RoboCrops

Acceleratng robotics

The aim of RoboCrops is to speed up the development of robotics in greenhouse horticulture. RoboCrops therefore focuses on both the hardware – sensors, robot arms, grippers, autonomous vehicles – and the decision-supporting software required to control the robots. Robots or robot components can be classified into three areas during RoboCrops. These are “Sense” (sensors with which the robot observes the environment), “Think” (processing the data from sensors, often using Artificial Intelligence/Augmented Reality) and “Act” (performing an action, such as cutting leaves or picking vegetables or cut flowers).

Growers, tech companies and students

Growers can attend a programme at World Horti Center on 23 April which will provide them with an extensive and in-depth presentation of the latest developments in robotics for greenhouse horticulture. Tech companies and universities will be able to demonstrate what the technical possibilities and challenges are on 24 April.

On both days students will be working in RoboHouse in Delft during a major hackathon organised by TU Delft and WUR. During that hackathon they will apply their expertise to various challenges, and thereby help accelerate developments in the field of robotics. On 24 April they will be pitching their hacks to a professional jury at World Horti Center. The programme also provides opportunities for matchmaking between various parties.

Initiative

RoboCrops is an initiative by InnovationQuarter, Province of Zuid-Holland, World Horti Center, TU Delft, Greenport West-Holland and RoboHouse Delft.
For more information please contact info@robocrops.tech.

Do you have any questions?

Feel free to contact us.

Colinda de Beer

Senior Business Developer Horticulture
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To strengthen cooperation between the space sector in the regions of Bremen and Zuid-Holland, SpaceNed, Province of Zuid-Holland, Aviaspace Bremen and the state of Bremen launched an action agenda at the Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen. They were supported in the preparation of the action agenda by InnovationQuarter and Bremen Invest. The action agenda stems from agreements made during the space mission to Bremen in March 2019, in the presence of the King and Queen.

Enhanced international cooperation

The Zuid-Holland and Bremen regions both have a strong space sector. Better cooperation between the regions is favourable for the innovation climate and the economic strength of space companies. The action agenda contains agreements on cooperation actions until 2023, aimed at the described mutual challenges for the space sector. Agreements include a trade mission from Bremen to Zuid-Holland in 2020, joint Research & Development projects and strengthening of business and research relationships. Thematically, the cooperation focuses on, among other things, earth observation, lightweight materials and VR / AR in space applications.

The action agenda was presented by Hans-Georg Tschupke (Director of the Department of Innovation and Industry at the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Bremen) and Wiebe Brandsma (Director of Economy and Society at the Province of Zuid-Holland) together with Jeroen Rotteveel and Holger Oelze (the chairmen of SpaceNed and Aviaspace, respectively).

Jeroen Rotteveel: “A good neighbour is better than a distant friend; [Dutch proverb] that is why it is so logical to strengthen the ties with Bremen”. Hans-Georg Schupke adds: “This Action Agenda was not established because the governments are so keen; there are common interests and there is enthusiasm among companies and knowledge institutions for cooperation. ”

Companies and knowledge institutions from Zuid-Holland and Bremen immediately got to work at the Space Tech Expo in two round table discussions to further explore and work out collaborative activities. Then there was room for mutual acquaintance between companies themselves or with knowledge institutions during the matchmaking Meet the Dutch. And while enjoying ‘stroopwafels’ from Zuid-Holland and drinks, there was plenty of room for networking.

In the pavilion that was organized by InnovationQuarter, there was a lot of visitors and good contacts with international businesses. In addition, there was plenty of room for relaxed conversations around the “green screen” photo device that was set up on the stand. InnovationQuarter supports the province of Zuid-Holland in the compilation and implementation of the action agenda.

Bert Klarus

Senior Business Developer Aerospace
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$ 3 mln. voor scale-up NewCompliance om uit te breiden naar de VS

Mayo Clinic, InnovationQuarter and Noaber Ventures invest in NewCompliance.

The Hague – NewCompliance, a leading company in interoperable data for hospitals, has successfully raised a $3 million Series A fundraising with Noaber, InnovationQuarter and Mayo Clinic. The funds will be used to support the company’s expansion in the USA and further development of its product-portfolio to expand its global reach.

What all started with a printed toilet roll that would remind users in hospitals to wash their hands, NewCompliance now develops innovative dashboards that provide insights and improves the safety and efficiency in hospitals during the entire surgical process. This is done by collecting, combining and intuitively displaying information from various systems and sensors on large displays in and around the Operating Room (OR). As a result, the OR team is fully aware of all processes and protocols that positively influence costs, workflow, efficiency and patient safety.

$ 3 mln. voor scale-up NewCompliance om uit te breiden naar de VS

“A beautiful scale-up that solves an important problem in healthcare,” says Rinke Zonneveld, Director of InnovationQuarter. With rising healthcare costs, NewCompliance delivers an important efficiency and safety boost. The company is already market leader in the Netherlands and is now focusing on an interesting new market.” The transatlantic step offers hospitals in the US an opportunity to implement clinical best practices from the Netherlands, one of the best healthcare systems in the world, also in the United States. They are currently live with three major customers in the US.

What problem does NewCompliance solve?

Healthcare costs are rising worldwide. The OR is responsible for 40-70% of the turnover of a hospital , and also for a large part of the hospital costs. The complexity of planning around operations often makes it difficult for hospitals to continue to achieve high efficiency standards. NewCompliance helps to reduce both the number of infections (SSI’s) and the costs by providing insight into various factors related to patient safety and by providing insight into surgical-related costs. “Hospitals generate huge amounts of data – stored in different data silos – this data is currently not being used. NewCompliance is the only party that can translate this data into useful information. ”Says Matthijs Blokhuis, director of Noaber Ventures. “The reason for Noaber Ventures to invest is that improved compliance with protocols leads to fewer complications for patients. Insight into data enables hospitals to further improve patient results, increase capacity utilization and reduce costs.”

Mayo Clinic first major US health-care provider to invest in NewCompliance.

Last summer, Mayo Clinic invested in NewCompliance. NewCompliance also has licensed know-how from Mayo Clinic. NewCompliance and Mayo Clinic are collaborating to develop unique perioperative dashboards for several clinical service lines, like Acute Emergency, Breast, and Thoracoscopic surgery. All the solutions are being created to help the patient get the most effective and comfortable experience during their entire surgical pathway.

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