Working visit from the National Growth Fund to NXTGEN Hightech
This week, NXTGEN Hightech welcomed the National Growth Fund committee for a working visit. Throughout the day, the committee gained a clear picture of the programme’s progress and of how our partners are contributing to technological innovation within the Netherlands. The visit highlighted two specific projects within the Energy and Biomedical Manufacturing Technology domains, included a tour at project partner LionVolt, and featured discussions about the importance of a strong Dutch hightech ecosystem.
Reflection and looking ahead
Chairman Peter Stolk and Programme Director Monika Hoekstra opened the afternoon with a reflection on the past two years and a look ahead at the years to come. Arnout Mijs (Ministry of Economic Affairs) then spoke about the Dutch government’s innovation policy, emphasising the importance of programmes such as NXTGEN Hightech.
Artificial organs and battery production
Afterwards, presentations were given on the progress of two projects. Karin Gerritsen (UMC Utrecht) and Ramon Solberg (Vivolta) spoke about the Artificial Organs project. In this project, the consortium is developing technologies that open up new perspectives for artificial organs and advanced biomedical applications.
In addition, Kevin Brundish (LionVolt) presented the latest developments within the 3D Battery Pilot Line Production project. This project focuses on scaling up battery production and represents an important step toward strengthening the Netherlands’ battery manufacturing capabilities within the global battery market.
Valuable insights for the committee
During the visit, the committee engaged in conversations with the project partners, asked in-depth questions, and gained a concrete understanding of the technological progress being made. The discussions offered valuable insights into the societal and economic impact of the projects, as well as into the development of new hightech ecosystems.
“From the energy storage of tomorrow at LionVolt to groundbreaking technology for artificial organs: this visit demonstrates the tremendous breadth of NXTGEN Hightech. It is impressive to see how Dutch manufacturing technology offers solutions for both the energy transition and the future of our healthcare.”
Robert-Jan Smit, member of the advisory committee of the National Growth Fund
Working together on future-proof technology
With the support of the National Growth Fund, NXTGEN Hightech contributes to the sustainable earning capacity of the Netherlands and works on solutions for major societal challenges. The working visit once again highlighted the power of collaboration within the programme. By bringing together companies, knowledge institutions, and governments, we are building, step by step, the hightech future of the Netherlands.