Delft is once again the best place for entrepreneurship, according to the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Index 2022. This index is compiled by Utrecht University and Birch Consultants every two years. Delft also came out on top in 2020. Delft and Westland are followed by Groot-Amsterdam, which pushes the Zuidoost-Noord-Brabant region from second place.
“Important elements that make these regions so strong are leadership, knowledge and networks,” concludes the study about Delft and Westland. This concerns the coordination of innovation projects, investments in R&D and the participation of companies in innovation projects.
Innovative Startups
The index also shows that there is a strong positive relationship between the economic ecosystem and the presence of innovative startups, the number of scale-ups in a certain region and the increase in the number of webshops. “These are important indicators of the economic agility of regions, which is necessary in times of Covid-19.”
TU Delft Campus
“We are proud that Delft is once again the best place for entrepreneurship”, responds Anne-Lize Hoftijzer, who is responsible for the development of the innovation ecosystem around the university on behalf of the Innovation & Impact Center of TU Delft. With more than 250 startups, scale-ups, companies, field labs and research institutions, the TU Delft Campus is an important engine for innovation.
Radical innovations
Hoftijzer: “Every day we work with our partners to further strengthen this innovation ecosystem, which is leading in the fields of quantum technology, AI, robotics, energy, medtech and aerospace. Entrepreneurship plays an important role and we actively support companies that want to work with us on radical innovations. For example, NEXT Delft, the new accelerator building which will provide space for fast-growing scale-ups, will open its doors on March 1st.”
Economic boost
The Municipality of Delft and Biotech Campus Delft are also pleased. “Organisations such as TU Delft, YES!Delft and DSM attract talent and companies and provide a lot of knowledge and innovation, especially in connection with other (start-up/SME) companies,” says alderman Bas Vollebregt. “That strengthens the economy of Zuid-Holland and that is also what governments, companies and knowledge institutions are focusing on together with the Groeiagenda Zuid-Holland. That in turn is important for the Dutch economy.”
152 years of collaboration
Cindy Gerhardt on behalf of Planet.Bio: “As managing director of Planet B.io, the open innovation ecosystem focused on biotechnology and modern food technology, located on the Biotech Campus Delft, I experience every day what it’s like to have a vibrant ecosystem around me. We are building on 152 years of collaboration between industry, city and university, and that is so deeply rooted in our genes that the Biotech Campus Delft is very firmly on the international map.”
