Eindhoven, The Hague and Rotterdam - this year's delegation trip took company representatives and scientists from the Ruhr metropolis to meet experts in cybersecurity, industry and hydrogen at the top locations in the Netherlands. With the Innovation Bridge, the Business Metropole Ruhr is systematically expanding its networks in the Dutch locations. There is great interest on the Dutch side, as demonstrated not only by the strong attendance at the network reception in The Hague.
More speed - through different approaches and cooperation
Robotic arms rotate, man-sized metal printers whir in a row, in between lime green seating areas and cafeterias, even a theater for events. Long, bright corridors run through the huge lightweight hall on the outskirts of Eindhoven. Laboratories and makerspaces to the left and right behind floor-to-ceiling glass panels. Exchange is the principle. The Brainport Campus is a Dutch success story. 2,000 students learn hands-on here with over 2,000 employees from 122 partner companies and universities. Only opened in 2018, the huge facility is 95% let at standard market rents. Frits Hoeve, Program Manager, explained the joint focus of the work:
Companies work with research institutes on specific projects for the benefit of both sides. The region made an advance contribution and built the campus, and the companies gradually followed suit. The logos of individual major sponsors are nowhere to be seen. In presentations, the partners are painted on an equal footing. The project continues to be supported by regional business development agencies and industry associations.
Large corporations are heavily involved here. ASML is the world's largest manufacturer of lithography systems for the semiconductor industry, a key industry for the global economy. Having grown out of the Philipps Group in 1984, ASML is still based in Eindhoven with half of today's 40,000 employees. As in the Brainport Campus, ASML relies on exchange and cooperation in the supply chain, reported Executive Vice President Jan Keller: "We buy in 85 percent of the added value." The cooperation with suppliers is close, from Germany with Zeiss, Trumpf and Fraunhofer. The company also works with Ruhr University Bochum. The ecosystem has always been global, never local. The comprehensive supply chain ensures innovation and speed.
The same topics across borders
Energy, the environmental economy and cyber security - the Ruhr metropolis has similar focus topics to Zuid-Holland with the national IT security cluster in The Hague or the port of Rotterdam.
Hydrogen Metropole Ruhr (HyMR), the hydrogen initiative of Regionalverband Ruhr and BMR, invited representatives from the entire value chain to Rotterdam for a hydrogen discussion. According to hub manager Jörn Kleinelümern, who moderated the meeting, HyMR's task is to provide the best possible support for the market ramp-up.
Cross-border cooperation is crucial for the success of the hydrogen market ramp-up, according to the consensus. "Hydrogen is a global issue, but Europe is leading the way," says Walter Demenint, Program Manager Hydrogen at the Port of Rotterdam: 90% of the green hydrogen for the continent must be imported from sunny countries, the Port of Rotterdam is hoping for good business. Imports will begin as early as 2025, with a total of nine terminals planned. Rotterdam is already involved in projects in ports in Oman and Brazil.
Thyssengas has long been planning pipeline projects to bring hydrogen from the Netherlands to the Ruhr metropolis. Jan Eisenberg, a member of the delegation from the Ruhr region on behalf of Thyssengas GmbH, presented the plans for a cross-border hydrogen network. "We have a hundred years of experience in the construction and safe operation of gas pipelines," said Eisenberg. From 2027, two existing cross-border pipelines in Vlieghuis and Zevenaar would be converted from natural gas to hydrogen to enable cross-border hydrogen transportation between the Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia. The demand is there. Especially from large customers such as Thyssenkrupp.
In addition to industry, mobility is a second important field of application. "We see great opportunities in producing hydrogen for mobility. The need to become emission-free is also growing in the mobility sector. New hydrogen trucks will be coming onto the market from 2026," said Wouter van der Laak from VoltH2. In the presence of King Willem-Alexander and NRW Minister-President Hendrik Wüst, the young Dutch company received funding of 15 million euros for the construction of two electrolysers in Essen and Gelsenkirchen in the same week.
Exchange at eye level: Like the Ruhr region, The Hague is also an international hotspot for cybersecurity. The Hague Security Delta Campus (HSD) offers offices and collaboration for more than 275 partner companies - from start-ups to corporations. The experts who traveled with them exchanged ideas with their Dutch colleagues about specialists, resilience and innovation management. Cooperation between the partner companies in The Hague Cybersecurity Community is the solution to the search for capital, markets and talent. The common message is that cooperation in Europe is the only way to maintain competitiveness against the USA and Asia.
People know the Ruhr region - people appreciate the Ruhr region
"A home away from home" - that is the Ruhr region for Dutch entrepreneurs, said Yvonne Hoogendoorn, CEO and co-founder of Secumailer at the Innovation Bridge Netherlands network reception in The Hague - also with regard to the support services offered by the Business Metropole Ruhr. Hoogendoorn has made the move to the Ruhr region with her company. Together with Jan-Martijn Broekhof, CEO of Guardian360 B.V., she promoted the expansion of Dutch companies to Germany and the Ruhr metropolis in particular as a starting point.
A historic backdrop with an eye on the future: Over 70 guests attended the reception at the Spanischer Hof, a 17th century city palace in the heart of The Hague. In his presentation, Frank Speer, Head of Internationalization & Location Marketing at BMR, highlighted the advantages of the Ruhr region as a location, and not just for scale-ups. "Over five million potential customers, well-trained specialists and open networks to get started." It was precisely these entry points that interested the 70 guests, all of whom already had the Ruhr region on their radar as an interesting market. But their questions were: Can customer service in the Ruhr be managed from the Netherlands or do you need local staff? How do you gain access to networks in order to attract customers and partners? The participants of the delegation trip and the experts from BMR and HyMR were able to give a lot of concrete advice during the discussions.
Innovation Bridge Netherlands is a project of the Business Metropole Ruhr. It includes delegation trips to the Netherlands as well as investment trips for Dutch companies to the Ruhr metropolis. Webinars for scale-ups round off the offer for the Dutch. The delegation trips are organized by BMR in cooperation with the German-Dutch Chamber of Commerce.
