During the visit, Techport director Patrick Swart took the delegation through how we work together in the IJmond region on innovation, sustainability and economic renewal. It was about one central question: how do you build a powerful innovation ecosystem that really works in practice? He showed how companies, education and government reinforce each other here and how regional cooperation is the driving force behind concrete results.
This featured several real-life examples. These included innovation programmes such as the Transitieversneller IJmond and the Techport Green Incubator, which help entrepreneurs bring sustainable innovations to the market faster. The area process and YesAndMore's Regenerative Dealmaking approach were also discussed: how do you connect interests, people and resources to arrive at future-proof solutions?
A key part of the programme was Tata Steel's sustainability challenge and its impact on the regional ecosystem. The transition to cleaner industry requires new partnerships, new knowledge and new skills - exactly what Techport, together with partners, is committed to every day.
The visit underlines how relevant developments in IJmond are, even outside the Netherlands. What happens here is followed internationally. And vice versa, we in turn learn from the insights and experiences from other regions. This not only increases our network, but also our joint strength.
Innovation does not stop at the border - and that was clearly felt this day.
