From the latest developments in AI to exploring cryptology and renewable energy: researchers at Amsterdam Science Park are at the forefront of cutting-edge scientific research. And your company can benefit.
Pioneering research leads to the innovations that will make your company a frontrunner in its field. Whether you’re a multi-national corporate giant, an SME or a small-scale startup business, you can leverage the opportunities on offer at Amsterdam Science Park. The park is home to the Netherlands’ highest concentration of publicly funded research. Our award-winning researchers and academics are breaking new ground and advancing key technologies.
Countless public-private R&D programmes are taking place across numerous disciplines. The resulting discoveries will help improve manufacturing processes, secure data exchange, fight diseases, modernise IT infrastructures and combat climate change. This collaborative knowledge exchange in Amsterdam bridges the gap between academic research and the marketplace, driving innovation and growth.
Collaborating with researchers gives you access to new insights and the latest technology. This means you and your products stay ahead of the competition. Research uncovers new areas of potential demand; it enables you to diversify and grow your market. Working with researchers also enhances the credibility of your company and connects you with skilled talent.
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Collaborations between researchers and companies range from informal networking to long-term contractual relationships. It all depends on what you’re looking for and the resources you want to commit.
These three forms of collaboration are common at the Amsterdam Science Park:
But Amsterdam Science Park facilitates collaboration in many other different ways. Shared facilities and innovation labs are spaces where business, research and talent come together and thrive. You can connect with researchers at events, participate directly in research calls and fund PhD research. The park also offers access to licensing opportunities.
Veronique de Bruijn, CEO Photanol “We benefit very much of all the knowledge exchange and the collaboration with the university ”
A long-term strategic partnership establishes clear goals and commitments from the parties involved. This intensive form of collaboration positions universities and research institutions at the heart of industry innovation agendas.
Amsterdam Science Park is home to eight research institutes of the University of Amsterdam. This means there is onsite expertise in astronomy, computer science, biology, logic, language and computation, physics, mathematics, life sciences and chemistry. Innovation Exchange Amsterdam (IXA) is the joint knowledge transfer office of the Amsterdam universities and medical centers, that supports researchers in creating value from their knowledge and expertise.
In addition, the park houses the following leading research institutes:
ICAI is an open national network of academic, industrial and governmental partners that is based at Amsterdam Science Park. ICAI will be housed in a new co-creation building for education, research and collaboration with commercial and societal partners (LAB42). At present, ICAI has fourteen partners: Ahold Delhaize, Bosch, Delft Imaging Systems, Delft University of Technology, Elsevier, Inception Institute of Artificial Intelligence Ltd. (IIAI), ING, National Police, Qualcomm, Radboud UMC, Thirona, University of Amsterdam, Utrecht University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
The Advanced Research Centre for Nanolithography, an unique collaboration of Science & Industry, started in January 2014 at Amsterdam Science Park. ARCNL conducts fundamental and applied research in areas that are key to unlocking innovation in the global semiconductor industry. ARCNL’s start was within one year after ASML had issued a tender for proposals for a research centre that would feed the company with new, fundamental knowledge. ASML is the world leader in the production of the lithography machines that define the structures of processor and memory chips for computers, tablets and smartphones. In order to remain at the forefront it constantly innovates its products and processes. Novel insights from research by excellent academics in the relevant fields, will enable them to continue making big leaps.
The Quantum.Amsterdam hub aims to build a strong quantum ecosystem and stimulate intense collaborations in key areas between knowledge partners, technology companies and an industry network. The initial focus areas are finance, quantum chemistry and materials, operations research, and security. Business projects include two-year collaborations with the Bosch Group and ABN AMRO investigating potential quantum computing use cases at these companies.
“Our research is about the conversion of sunlight to electricity by using solar cells”
“Our research pushes the boundaries of knowledge and we invent new technologies that can be used by start-up companies”
“It’s very appealing for companies wanting to innovate to be close to these scientific knowledge institutions”
The primary goal of this form of collaboration is to better align academic research with industrial/commercial innovation agendas. The MIWATEX consortium, for instance, brings together partners from the chemical industry and companies across the textile value chain under the leadership of Gert-Jan Gruter, professor of Industrial Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). MIWATEX has received funding form the Dutch Research Council to develop a circular solution for textile waste. The group is working to develop a method for upcycling mixed cotton and polyester textiles for use as molecular building blocks for chemicals and polymers production.
The Quantum Application Lab (QAL) is a public-private R&D consortium bringing together researchers to work with organisations that want to explore quantum computing applications for their business. The lack of deep technical expertise and suitable hardware platforms can be a bottleneck for companies looking to benefit from advances in quantum computing. The QAL offers access to these services, and collaborates closely with businesses to develop solutions.
Often companies move from co-managing with researchers at a programmatic level to also actively participating in specific projects. There are many examples of such collaborations at the Amsterdam Science Park. For example, the Amsterdam Science Network brought together the UvA’s Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences and the specialist recycling company Alucha Works BV to further develop circular calcium carbonate.
Biotech company Ellogon.AI is working with Amsterdam UMC, the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) and UvA on using AI to better predict cancer patients response to immunotherapy. The Dutch Cancer Society is also funding the research.
How does collaborating with researchers benefit my business?
Collaborating with researchers gives you access to knowledge, insights and the latest technology. This enables innovations that can help you stay ahead of the competition and improve your products and services. Research can uncover new areas of potential demand, enabling you to diversify and grow your market. Collaborating with researchers enhances the credibility of your company and products, and it connects you with skilled talent. Partnering with research institutes also means you can share R&D costs.
How does Amsterdam Science Park facilitate collaboration?
Shared facilities and innovation labs are spaces where business, research and talent come together and thrive. You can connect with researchers at events, participate directly in research calls and fund PhD research. The park also offers access to licensing opportunities.
What kinds of collaboration are possible?
Networking: maintaining networks between academic researchers and R&D company employees. Small-scale, often ad-hoc research projects carried out by students or PhD candidates. Company participation can include providing guidance and offering internships.
Coordinating: Participation in a broad public-private consortium. The primary goal is to better align academic research agendas with industrial/commercial innovation agendas.
Collaborating: company involvement moves from co-managing at a programmatic level to also actively participating in specific projects.
Strategic partnering: intensive collaboration in a long-term strategic partnership with clear goals and commitments from the parties involved.
Can small companies also collaborate with researchers?
Yes! Collaboration on small-scale projects is always possible. Think off one-off research partnerships, licensing agreements, internships, and shared facilities that stimulate co-creation and innovation.
What scientific expertise does Amsterdam Science Park have to offer?
Amsterdam Science Park is home to eight research institutes of the University of Amsterdam. This means there is onsite expertise in astronomy, computer science, biology, logic, language and computation, physics, mathematics, life sciences and chemistry. Other leading research institutes offer expertise in the physics of functional complex matter, mathematics and computer science, subatomic physics, high-performing computing services, the development and application of academic research software, nanolithography and AI.
Amsterdam Science Park’s ecosystem brings together expertise in AI, big data, sustainability, life sciences and much more. Companies looking to collaborate can connect with brilliant students, scientists and fellow entrepreneurs. They can form strategic partnerships, take part in scientific consortia and get involved in a wide range of projects. Our network currently provides international research support to companies including ASML, Qualcomm, Michelin, Philips, AkzoNobel, Shell, Nikon, IBM and Microsoft.
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