Horticulture Archieven - InnovationQuarter

Contact /Colinda de Beer Datum /22 October 2021

On 24 and 25 November, FME, World Horti Center and InnovationQuarter are organising the annual RoboCrops event. This event is for global innovative companies in horticulture and high tech. They come together in the World Horti Center to find and connect current challenges and potential high-tech solutions. Pre-registration is necessary and possible from now on until November 8th.

RoboCrops aims to stimulate more applications of robotics in horticulture and to accelerate innovation. Participation is possible in several ways. The programme consists of a day that focuses on technologies you can apply now; a day that inspires and connects on what will be possible soon and a hackathon.

24 November: today

This day focuses on developments in greenhouse horticulture that are (almost) commercially available. Developers of greenhouse robots can pitch their state-of-the-art solutions. Gearbox, PATS, Priva, VDL ETG, Certhon – DENSO, Sobolt, Blue Radix en HortiKey have already committed. Maarten Steinbuch and Jim Stolze are on the programme for inspiring keynotes about robots, data and AI. Throughout the day there will be plenty of opportunities to network and meet.

25 November: tomorrow

On this day the focus will be on solutions that take more time to develop. Think about bringing together all the various data sources and technologies at a horticultural company. Top speakers from: Wageningen University & Research, TU Delft en TU Eindhoven will speak about subjects such as system engineering, Digital Twins and Cyber Physical Systems. Developers of greenhouse robots are also welcome this day to discuss future development, new systems and business models.

Hackathon

As part of RoboCrops, a hackathon will be held simultaneously in Tomatoworld, in addition to the programme in the World Horti Center. Students from various educational institutions will be working together on current challenges in horticulture. The aim is to speed up the application of robotics in practice. The winner of the hackathon will be announced at the end of the afternoon on 25 November in the World Horti Center.

Registration

You can register for the event via this site. One day costs € 199 to attend. To ensure a good balance of attendees, pre-registration is required. Participation is only final after confirmation.

Visit https://events.innovationquarter.nl/RoboCrops.

Want to know more?

Colinda de Beer

Senior Business Developer Horticulture

Contact /maarten hermus Datum /30 September 2020

Autogrow has ramped up their activity in the Northern Hemisphere by establishing a new Sales Director Europe and U.K. role based in the Netherlands supporting their expanding customer base for new digital farming solutions FarmRoad® and Folium®.

CEO Darryn Keiller says, “this expansion into Europe is counter-intuitive during a pandemic however innovation and crop production doesn’t slow down, and the challenges growers face haven’t disappeared because of COVID-19. In fact, they have been exacerbated by the pandemic. We think now is the perfect time to introduce solutions that will help growers with productivity, gain greater economic benefits and transform the market. Added to which, with cross-border restrictions and travel limitations likely to remain in place in the foreseeable future, establishing a local presence is the right move.”

“The Netherlands has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a leader in efficient and sustainable agriculture and, after the United States, is the second-largest exporter of agriculture in the world. By establishing a role in the region, we create strong ties with growers and, like our partnerships in the United States, introduce our new digital farming solutions FarmRoad and Folium.”

Autogrow has been working closely over the past few months with customers and distributors in the region including some of the largest tomato producers. They are delighted to be working alongside Van der Voort, a member of the Prominent farming cooperative, who share Autogrow’s focus on sustainable farming practices.

“We have been growing tomatoes for over 50 years and technology has always played a pivotal role in our success. With multiple farms and increasing production, we look for solutions that are leading the AgTech market. The work the Autogrow team are doing with sensor technology and farm management solutions is cutting edge and we are excited to be working together,” says Van der Voort Co-Owner, Joost Van der Voort.

Although Autogrow’s headquarters is based in New Zealand, large geographical distances have never hindered the organization from successfully operating on the global stage. Their endeavors also have the support of the New Zealand Government.

“It’s exciting to see AgTech innovation developed in New Zealand supporting growers here,” says Ariane Gonzalez, New Zealand Trade Commissioner to the Netherlands.

“New Zealand is recognized on the global stage for producing efficient and effective agricultural solutions that work in a range of climates, and this is another great example of that in action,” says Ms Gonzalez.

In addition, Autogrow has assistance from InnovationQuarter, the regional economic development agency for the Province of Zuid-Holland.

“The Netherlands, and Rotterdam – The Hague area specifically, is the worldwide center of horticulture. We are eager to attract and facilitate innovators with exciting solutions as Autogrow. They are a great addition to our region and the sector and support our regional economy. Next to that they benefit and contribute to strengthening our ecosystem of innovative companies in horticulture, impacting the societal challenge for feeding and greening the mega-cities of the future,” explains Chris van Voorden, Head of Internationalization at InnovationQuarter.

Autogrow is currently recruiting for the new role with the expectation to have someone in place over the next few months.

Maarten Hermus

Senior Account Manager Horticulture & Food

Bel: +316 137 48 277

Contact /Tanja Baars Datum /11 June 2020

Beyond Meat, Inc., a leader in plant-based meat, today announced the company’s first co-manufacturing capabilities in Europe with the official opening of the Zandbergen co-manufacturing facility in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands. The new state-of-the-art facility owned and operated by Zandbergen will produce the Beyond Burger® and Beyond Sausage® and is intended to allow for more efficient distribution of Beyond Meat’s products across EMEA.

Production at the new Zandbergen co-manufacturing facility will also include the upcoming debut of new packaging for both the Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage available in EMEA. The lighter, more sustainable packaging aligns with Beyond Meat’s commitment to sustainability and will feature fully recyclable trays and 30% less material overall by reducing paper and plastic use.

End-to-end manufacturing

This week, Beyond Meat also marked a milestone with the acquisition of its first manufacturing facility in Europe located in Enschede, the Netherlands. This Beyond Meat owned facility will be the first outside of Missouri, USA to handle Beyond Meat’s innovative approach to texturizing plant proteins, the first step in the company’s manufacturing process. The new Beyond Meat facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2020 allowing for end-to-end manufacturing capabilities in Europe.

“This latest investment in production capacity reflects our continued commitment to serving global markets,” said Ethan Brown, Founder and CEO of Beyond Meat. “Our new facility in Enschede will not only bring production closer to the consumer, representing an investment in the markets and communities we serve, but is expected to allow us to leverage local supply chains, improving our cost structure and sustainability of operations. We are excited to take this next step in bringing the nutritional and environmental benefits of our plant-based meats to the European consumer.”

A linking pin in the protein transition

Chris van Voorden, head of internationalization at InnovationQuarter: “Beyond Meat is a great addition to the Rotterdam – The Hague area. In our role we supported Beyond Meat’s move with among others, connections to local governments, support in the permit process and linking to recruitment service providers. As InnovationQuarter we put an increasing focus on Foreign Investment with a strategic and social impact. We see Beyond Meat as an excellent example of a company not only investing and creating jobs in our region, but also contributing to great societal challenges like the protein transition. We are happy to see that Beyond Meat choose for a cooperation model with Zandbergen for this co-manufacturing facility in our region. Beyond Meat’s decision to expand to Europe via Rotterdam – The Hague area, confirms and strengthens our excellent foreign investment proposition for the protein transition.

“As the demand for plant-based protein and particularly Beyond Meat products grows in Europe and the Middle East, the official opening of this co-manufacturing facility in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands is timely,” said Adriaan Figee, Chief Commercial Officer of Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat.

The new Zandbergen co-manufacturing facility is expected to have a lighter environmental impact and features the latest in building and production technology.

Contact /Colinda de Beer Datum /2 April 2020

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’.

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

Contact /Colinda de Beer Datum /11 March 2020

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Contact /Colinda de Beer Datum /9 March 2020

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Contact /Colinda de Beer Datum /10 December 2019

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.

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.

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

Contact /Liduina Hammer Datum /4 October 2019

Insects are a huge problem in greenhouse horticulture. Pest control costs growers enormous amounts of money and energy and causes the sector much concern. Currently, pests tend to be controlled with biopesticides and chemical pesticides. But there is now a chemical-free solution and it comes from the aviation industry. Delft company PATS is developing a system that uses drones to eliminate flying insect pests. It’s current applications include the cultivation of gerberas and chrysanthemums for the cut flower trade. To further develop the system and adapt the drones for use with other crops, PATS has secured €250,000 from UNIIQ investment fund. Alderperson Karin Zwinkels of the Municipality of Westland announced the investment during the ‘Modern Entrepreneurship’ event at Royal FloraHolland in Naaldwijk.

Pesticides have limited effect

Insect pests are a major problem for greenhouse farmers. The favourable greenhouse climate allows them to thrive and reproduce easily. Despite the increasing use of biopesticides, such as Ichneumon wasps, growers are often unable to avoid using chemical pesticides. However, chemicals often have only a limited effect and are not widely available for every type of pest. Some products also have side effects, both on the crop and beyond. New pest control alternatives are therefore urgently required.

Bat-like drones vs moths

PATS has focused on one harmful insect to begin with: moths. Their offspring, caterpillars, can cause considerable damage to a crop, resulting in yield loss. PATS is developing a solution using micro drones. Base stations equipped with monitoring cameras are installed throughout the greenhouse. As soon as a flying moth is detected, a drone is activated and directed towards the moth at lightning speed. It collides with the insect, which is then disposed of by the drone’s rotating propellers: a swift bat-like action that takes just a few seconds. Once the insect has been eliminated, the drone returns to the base station to recharge for the next mission. In contrast to the methods currently available, this system actively hunts insect pests to prevent them spreading further throughout the greenhouse.

By using the investment from UNIIQ to strengthen its R&D team, PATS will accelerate product development, expand its knowledge base and reduce time to market. Co-founders Bram Tijmons, Sjoerd Tijmons and Kevin van Hecke are extremely pleased with the investment. “We at PATS are very happy about UNIIQ’s confidence in our team and our technology,” says Bram Tijmons. “The investment will be used for further technological product development and to expand the company’s knowledge base. Our innovative application will allow us to support many end users in their day-to-day crop protection activities.”

“PATS, a spinoff of TU Delft, focuses on a major problem faced by the greenhouse and horticultural sector,” says UNIIQ Fund Manager Liduina Hammer. “The founders have research backgrounds at MAVlab, TU Delft’s drone lab, and UNIIQ’s funding will give them the opportunity to validate this alternative, innovative approach to pest control.”

Contact /Suzanne Kroeze Datum /13 February 2019

Numerous inspections between field and fork

Every year in the Netherlands, around 5.400 million kg of vegetables and 650 million kg of fruit is produced. Before a particular vegetable or piece of fruit reaches its final point of sale, it’s been through various sets of hands to guarantee its quality and to sort it into the right quality class. The vegetable is scrutinized manually on deviations in color and shape, and blemishes or damages. All because the standards and norms as set by supermarkets and other retailers are unrelenting and high. Inspection of the produce to guarantee its quality is vital, but the current manual inspections are prone to error and demand a capacity in personnel that is becoming increasingly hard to meet in a sector where staff turnover rates are high.

Gearbox’ solution: an AI-driven grading robot

Gearbox Innovations saw the added value for the different elements of the value chain if both quality control and grading were to become more reliable, more consistent, and faster. The company developed the GearVision Inspector, a stand-alone smart grading robot that is able to deliver a thorough quality analysis, and the GearVision Sorter, an in-line solution to optimally sort the produce according to its quality. The two machines combine vision technology with artificial intelligence to be able to quickly but accurately grade and consequently sort fresh fruit and vegetables. This provides the complete supply chain, from the breeder to the packaging company, with a futureproof approach to quality control that is tailored to their specific needs and requirements. A thorough report provides actionable insights on how to increase the produce’s quality. With the digitization of the grading process, a transition towards fully automated sorting and packaging of fruit and vegetables lies within reach.

Gearbox Innovation will use the UNIIQ investment to further develop the GearVision, unlocking more product varieties and applications, and to expand their activities to foreign markets. Simone Keijzer, together with Johan Kreeft founder of Gearbox Innovations, is very pleased with the investment by UNIIQ:

The GearVision allows the sector to increase both the coverage ratio and the consistency of their grading processes, while taking into account their specific wishes and ‘product recipes’. Our actionable reports create insight in growth- and harvesting data, allowing the grower to actively steer towards a higher qualitative output, and ultimately better yields. With the UNIIQ investment we can expand the GearVision’s crop- and productportfolio, and roll out the innovation internationally.

Liduina Hammer, UNIIQ fund manager: “Gearbox’ intelligent automation solution represents an important step for the entire horticultural value chain. We are very pleased that with our investment, Gearbox can help individual companies in the supply- and value chain optimize their performance. Zooming out, the automation of the grading process of fruit and vegetables fits with the developments and trends we see in the sector as a whole.”

Contact /Tanja Baars Datum /11 February 2019

Minister Wiebes of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy: “These results once again confirm that foreign companies are important to our globally operating country. Around one million people work for foreign companies in the Netherlands and an additional half-million work indirectly for these companies as suppliers, particularly in SMEs. Due to the growing international uncertainty surrounding Brexit and changing global trade policies, the importance of a good Dutch business climate for all of us is continually increasing.”

The work of the NFIA falls partly under the responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Sigrid Kaag: “The impending Brexit and tensions around international trade provide opportunities for Dutch companies. Our companies are innovative, flexible and adapt to this changing market. Furthermore, the Netherlands’ position as a stable economic hub is also attractive to foreign companies. This position will only be further strengthened. It is positive that this is reflected in the approximately 10,000 newly-created jobs in 2018.”

These results once again confirm that foreign companies are important to our globally operating country – Minister Wiebes of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy

From headquarters to R&D

The NFIA is responsible for 8,475 out of the 9,847 jobs created by the Invest in Holland network. In 2018, the NFIA managed to attract 248 foreign investment projects to the Netherlands, which collectively account for 2.76 billion euros in investments. The annual results also show that the majority of new jobs are created within headquarters (2,259), followed by marketing & sales offices (1,834), distribution centers (1,053), service centers (977), production sites (884) and R&D locations (755). As illustration, sports media company DAZN established a development center in Amsterdam, Giant and Timberland expanded their European distribution locations (in Lelystad and Almelo respectively) and Mitsui Chemicals committed to producing plastics at the Chemelot Campus in Limburg.

The majority of ‘foreign jobs’ are, as in 2017, created by US companies. In 2018, this accounted for 3,185 jobs, with a total accompanying investment of 1.19 billion euros. Following the US is the United Kingdom (1,596 jobs), then China (614 jobs), Japan (580 jobs) and Germany (300 jobs).

More Brexit companies

In 2018, the Invest in Holland network brought 42 companies to the Netherlands as a result of Brexit, accounting for 1,923 jobs and some 291 million euros in investments. Companies signaling expansion of their offices in the Netherlands partly due to Brexit , include the Japanese investment bank Norinchukin and media company TVT Media. Financial services providers MarketAxess and Azimo, and maritime insurer UK P&I all announced office openings in our country last year, due to Brexit as well. The relocation of the European Medicines Agency(EMA) to Amsterdam, also supported by Invest in Holland, is included herein. In 2019, several companies, including Discovery and Bloomberg, have already announced their intention to invest in the Netherlands because of Brexit.

The number of companies relocating activities to our country due to Brexit has grown compared to 2017, during which 18 companies made a Brexit-related move to the Netherlands. Additionally, the NFIA is talking with more than 250 foreign companies considering setting up operations in the Netherlands following Brexit. These are predominantly British companies, but also American and Asian organizations that are reconsidering their current European structure due to uncertainties caused by Brexit. These include companies in the financial sector, media and advertising, life sciences & health and logistics. In addition to the Netherlands, these companies are also investigating options in other countries, including Germany, France and Ireland.

Since the establishment of the Invest in Holland network in 2015, the NFIA and its regional partners have attracted 1,402 companies to the Netherlands. This has resulted in a total direct inward investment of 8.1 billion euros and the creation of more than 43,000 jobs in the Netherlands. In addition to the NFIA, the Invest in Holland network comprises the regional development agencies: NOM, Oost NL, North-Holland North, amsterdam inbusiness, InnovationQuarter, The Hague Business Agency, Rotterdam Partners, Invest Utrecht, BOM, Invest in Zeeland, LIOF and HIDC.

Have look at the vers+ dinner pictures on our Flickr page!

Contact /Marieke Kodde Datum /10 October 2018

Everyone wants to be healthy and it just so happens that Dutch horticulture specialises in healthy products. But it is still rare for a doctor to prescribe a diet consisting for the most part of fresh vegetables instead of pills. One reason for this is that we are insufficiently aware of which nutrients are present in which vegetables and in what quantities. Our health would benefit greatly from more insight into the specific value of fresh vegetables. Enterprises in various sectors, including company catering and professional sports, could certainly use such information to their advantage.

Natasja van der Lely (vers+):

Everything around us becomes more personal, the consumer is almost crying out. And what does food do? One size fits all!

A few years ago, with this in mind, a number of companies in the horticulture sector decided to come together to found vers+. Their goal is to provide reliable data about the precise nutrients found in a range of vegetables and to bring these vegetables to market. vers+ is now developing a database containing this information. The database is to be used by partners to develop healthy, nutritional concepts.

Nutrients and vegetables

Over the past few years under the vers+ banner, partner companies have rolled out a number of pilot projects and have targeted patients with prostate cancer and children attending day care centres. One aim was to assess how personalised nutrition works in practice. The Dutch Horticulture and Propagation Materials Top Sector recently provided a positive assessment of the ‘Value of Fruit and Vegetables’ project. During this project, various measuring methods will be developed and combined so that phytonutrients and impacts on health can be measured. The project was initiated by vers+ and Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo.

Personalised dinner

To raise awareness of vers+ and inspire potential new partners, vers+ recently decided to organise a customised dinner. All guests received a DNA kit beforehand. Omnigen analysed the profile results to identify each guest’s macronutrient and micronutrient needs.

Based on the DNA profiles, Hutten Catering prepared a personalised dinner for each guest at Koppert Cress. All guests also received their DNA profile tailored to their nutritional requirements. vers+ organised the event to inspire business partners to think about commercial opportunities in the field of personalised food and health. The dinner provided first-hand insight into the many new revenue models that are already within reach.

New opportunities for Dutch horticulture

Around 100 invited guests from horticulture, healthcare, retail and catering attended the vers+ dinner. Natasja van der Lely (Koppert Cress/vers+) and Marieke Kodde (InnovationQuarter) offered their views on personalised food and health. In the near future, vers+ will be transformed into an organisation working for both long-term and occasional partners and aims to create new opportunities for Dutch horticulture products based on healthy nutrients.

Marieke Kodde:

With the nutrients that are naturally present in fresh vegetables, we can take a place in the developments in the field of personalized nutrition and health. vers + can contribute to a healthier society and to business opportunities for horticulture.

Contact /Sasja Heijman Datum /12 July 2018

Smart Yields uses IoT to help small-and-medium-size farmers to farm smarter. Smart Yields connects farmers, their communities, municipalities, universities and agricultural researchers through crowd-sourced data gathered from a network of integrated agricultural sensors. The raw data covering everything from soil health to inputs such as water, energy and nutrients is translated by Smart Yields into actionable insight for the benefit of farmers.

In the United States the company has – amongst others – successfully brought its IoT solution to the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, where it is helping with the prevention of crop loss due to late frost.

Smart Yields is hosting its first-ever European stakeholder event at The Hague on July 11, 2018. The company is part of West Holland’s growing agro-technology and social-impact movement, supported by InnovationQuarter and The Hague Business Agency.

“The Netherlands is changing the way small- and medium-size farmers monitor and cultivate their crops, and we want to help bring those innovations to the world, aligning their farming frameworks with other global best practices,” said Vincent Kimura, CEO of Smart Yields.

Smart Yields has partnered with Salt Farm Texel, an “open-air lab” researching crops that are resistant to high-salinity growing conditions. Saline soils are a pressing agricultural issue due to changes in climate and sea levels. Smart Yields technologies will be used to monitor soil moisture, salinity and other conditions, with the goal of expanding to thousands of farmers in areas like Bangladesh. Using Smart Yields’ big data network, Salt Farm Texel can establish remote monitoring stations, allowing it to seamlessly work with farmers from around the globe. Smart Yields is also launching a partnership with Sensoterra, an Amsterdam-based leader in low-cost, soil moisture monitoring hardware. Smart Yields will pair its data platform and easy-to-use mobile interface with Sensoterra’s wireless hardware.

This global expansion lays the groundwork for Smart Yields’ development of regional Centers of Excellence to share and refine best practices across the agricultural sector – from agronomy to sustainability to workforce development. Smart Yields plans to host an international farmers meeting in the Netherlands next year.

Contact /Niels Krol Datum /20 April 2018

CEO Rientz Willem Bol (left) explains Bolidt’s transition plan to international companies from the Drecht Cities region

An impulse for international interaction

In addition to a number of local executives, the group consisted mostly of directors of foreign-owned companies from the Drecht Cities region and Dutch companies with a large international footprint. The aim was to promote interaction among these companies and to improve contacts with local and regional government.

After short introductions from Drecht Cities, InnovationQuarter and Deal, the CEO of Bolidt, mr. Rientz Willem Bol, gave an insight into the ambitious plans he is carrying out to prepare his company for the future. A four-year transition plan is currently underway and causes an notable cultural change within the company. According to Bol, the company must abandon its’ traditional ways of operating, to stay ahead of global competition. Therefore Bolidt is now focusing on a future in which co-creation, innovation and customer experience are key, with the highlight being the completion of an Experience & Innovation Center in the spring of 2019.

The enthusiasm of mr. Bol inspired and motivated some of the participants to implement his fresh ideas within their own organizations. In addition, relevant business contacts were made during the networking part afterwards.

The international ecosystem in Drecht Cities

The Drecht Cities region is home to around 150 companies that are owned by foreign multinationals. In addition, hundreds of Dutch companies from this region are active in international markets and many SMEs and startups have international ambitions. Drecht Cities, InnovationQuarter and Deal assist regional businesses with their internationalization goals, for example by organizing international trade missions. In addition, InnovationQuarter and Deal actively attract new (foreign) companies to this region in order to draw new investments and create more jobs.