Pioneering Tech Magazine May 2025 (English)

MAY 2025 P. 30 ROADMAP FOR STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

Tech

P. 16 FLYING ELECTRIC WITH ELYSIAN

pioneering

SYNTHETIC CELL: FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

2 COVER ILLUSTRATION

CONTENTS

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Synthesis Building cells yourself appeals to the imagination, but also sounds quite abstract. It is therefore a difficult task to visually translate the complexity and innovative nature of the development of a synthetic cell. Man constructs but is at the same time a spectator in this process, that is what I wanted to portray.

The illustration combines abstract shapes and biological elements to bring technology and nature together. By using unnatural proportions and expressive colours I wanted to emphasise the progress and possibilities of synthetic biology and at the same time show its mysterious and undiscovered aspects. www.steffiepadmos.com

Pioneering Tech Magazine

‘Rotterdam is prepared for all climate scenarios’ 25

Production TU Delft | Innovation & Impact Centre

Jurjen Slump (Editor-in-Chief) Sara Broekman (Project management) Floortje Koster, Jeffrey van Maurik (Marketing & Online) Contributing writers Rianne Lindhout, Bennie Mols Irene Salverda, Elise Spetter Infographics & illustrations Ruben Huis in ʼt Veld, Anne-Roos van Ommen, Steffie Padmos Photography Erno Wientjes, Guus Schoonewille Design Ontwerpwerk Concept De Nieuwe Lijn Print Drukkerij van Deventer Questions, tips and suggestions, or unsubscribe from this magazine? Send an email to pioneeringtech@tudelft.nl Copyright TU Delft | Innovation & Impact Centre May 2025

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FOREWORD

The power of collaboration

In this issue

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3

Factory of the future Synthetic cell offers wide range of applications

16 Start-up - Elysian Electric short distance flying

Combining synthetic building blocks into real, living cells is a major scientific challenge that we have been working on for years. Within SynCellEU, a European network of knowledge institutions and companies, we have already come a long way.

This is good news because it can advance our understanding of the causes – and thus perhaps the prevention – of diseases.

Armed with synthetic cells, efficient production of biofuels, dietary proteins and medicines might be also possible.

Or CO₂ fixation. However, to make the final push and stay ahead of international competition, we need access to new subsidy programmes and venture capital.

This brings us to European strategic autonomy. Financing has a key role to play here, too. By investing heavily in key enabling technologies such as AI, biotechnology and quantum in the short term, we can strengthen our internal market and increase our security and resilience. European loans, a better investment climate and a new trade policy are all stops on the roadmap to European autonomy. Just like increased collaboration in innovation systems, as we already practice in Delft.

The construction sector is facing financial challenges as well. What is new is the danger that housing projects in areas with climate risks will no longer be able to proceed because insurers are withdrawing. In the Rotterdam MerweVierhavens area, we show how things can be done differently with climate-adaptive construction. Impetus will be given to climate finance and climate-proof living if insurers accept or even encourage projects like this.

These and other subjects make this edition of Pioneering Tech a worthwhile read once again. Head over to the Pioneering Tech Platform for more recent articles, podcasts, or sign up for the newsletter.

18 Daring Dilemma - Climate adaptive construction Who picks up the bill?

30 Roadmap for strategic autonomy The key to European resilience

Also 14

8 Insights Liselotte Stolk on the hunt for the best smartwatch sensor

25 Fieldlab Mondai House of AI

28 The Investor Deeptech requires patient investors

38 Meanwhile Future casting in Kaapstad

40

Explainer The looming water crisis

44 What if Art involving quantum physics

VISIT TUDELFT.NL/ PIONEERINGTECH

PHOTO © GUUS SCHOONEWILLE

Tim van der Hagen, Rector Magnificus and Chairman of the Executive Board

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FUTURE

PHOTO © EVOLF/ SANDRA JØRGENSEN, CREATED WITH THE HELP OF AI

THE FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

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The factory of the future SYNTHETIC CELL OFFERS BROAD RANGE OF APPLICATIONS

B y Ri a nne L i ndh o u t

So far, synthetic cells have been cause for excitement, especially for fundamental scientists. But take note: they can become efficient and sustainable factories that make all kinds of things for us and that extract a lot of CO2 from the air. The US and China see that as well. How will this revolution become a European innovation success?

FUTURE

Perhaps you are familiar with algae diesel, by which algae with some extra genes are ‘programmed’ to produce fuel.

Or with bacteria that deliver protein on demand. If this is successful on a large scale, does that mean that narrow water cylinders full of algae or silos full of bacteria will be the ultimate factories of the future?

Marileen Dogterom, professor of Bionanoscience at TU Delft, does not think so. “Such an algae, yeast or bacteria cell is not happy with an assignment. It tries to survive and has all kinds of tasks to perform.”

For example, a cell has a defence system that consumes energy and mainly tries to make the cell grow and divide quickly, especially under optimal conditions. Your product is only being released in small quantities due to this, and the production process is very energy-intensive.

PHOTO © INGE HOOGLAND

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Above Marileen Dogterom Top right TU Delft students working in the lab

Cells without a fuss How wonderful would it be if we could make cell-like systems that primarily focus on producing what we ask of them? Without the fuss of, for example, a defence system, because that is not necessary in the protected environment in which we would keep them. They would grow and divide, but above all, they would make very efficient fuels for us, or certain proteins, vaccines or medicines. Dogterom: “Imagine that a synthetic cell would be able to make animal proteins. You could then make meat-like products with much less energy and fewer raw materials.”

The vision for the future that Dogterom has in mind is to create numerous products in a sustainable way with super-efficient synthetic cells. At this time, the ability to make such a cell is a wonderful challenge for scientists with more fundamental interests. “You have to understand all the basic principles sufficiently enough to be able to replicate them.”

‘I hope that the EU will make it possible to work on promising new technology with larger consortia’ Marileen Dogterom

Essential piece of art Dogterom is a member of the Steering Committee of the European Synthetic Cell Initiative (SynCellEU), a large network of knowledge institutions that has been in existence for eight years. The network, coordinated from Delft, organises activities, and also lobbies for and facilitates fundraising. Dogterom states that great things have already been achieved. She says: “In our consortium we have succeeded in making cell-like vesicles from fatty substances that let themselves bind with proteins, allowing two vesicles to be formed. It is also possible to have ATP production take place in such a vesicle.” That is an indispensable piece of art because every cell needs the energy carrier ATP.

Linking and scaling up Dogterom herself specialises in the cytoskeleton: structures that make the cell firm, give it its shape and through which all kinds of substances are transported.

It is also essential for the symmetrical distribution of doubled DNA before the cell divides. “We can now recreate that. For example, Christophe Danelon's group manages to make DNA duplicate itself in cell-like vesicles. And we can build a simple cytoskeleton that can divide the DNA.” The work of the Delft groups of Cees Dekker and Gijsje Koenderink is essential for the splitting of the cell, says Dogterom. “Amongst the things they work on are the various mechanisms to enable the splitting of the vesicles.”

One of the greatest challenges is to link all of these separate processes and structures in such a way that a real, self-multiplying cell is formed. Dogterom: “No one can do this alone; a lot of different expertise is needed.

The basis is there. Initially, it’s okay if one of these cells dies after three divisions. If we have the basic ingredients of the cell cycle under control and can vary with all sorts of its aspects, then that in itself is progress.”

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PHOTO © TU DELFT

THE FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

DNA DRIVEN SYNTHETIC CELLS © KOENDERINK & DANELON LABS, 2025

We all benefit from fair success

These vesicles (also known as gene expression liposomes) contain DNA that provides instructions for producing specific proteins. These proteins serve as early building blocks of a synthetic cell (in this image, they form structures such as filaments, networks, and rings).

Patents are an important aspect of the success or failure of technology. If companies obtain patents on (parts of) a technology, there is a risk that it will become less accessible to researchers and governments with limited resources. Dogterom has considered this.

‘If you get close to certain applications, you will not escape patents. As researchers, we can try to maintain control. If we apply for patents in the future, we don’t have to sell them all to one large company. Then you get a situation like in Big Tech, where one or a few companies own everything. I want to make sure that synthetic cells help us all, through food production or waste treatment, and not just make certain shareholders rich.’ From her coordinating role, Dogterom aims to make sure things are going well. ‘I have recently become a member of the International Bioethics Committee of UNESCO. We also discuss the synthetic cell there.’

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FUTURE

Reinventing carbon fixation Along with Dogterom, Tobias Erb is also a member of the SynCellEU Steering Committee. He is the director of the Max Planck Institute of Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg, Germany. He has a great ambition: “We are trying to reinvent carbon fixation.

Nature invented it once and we think it can be better, faster.” That is quite a statement. All green plants capture carbon with their growth. They absorb CO2 from the air and convert it into sugar, which is then used to produce other biomass.

That is no small thing: it is the basis of the whole food chain on Earth! The oxygen as its waste is crucial in our atmosphere. And it would not be good enough?

“Cells capture carbon by using their metabolic software – their genes – and their hardware: organelles such as chloroplasts. We want to improve that software, and perhaps also the hardware.

It’s like replacing a 16-bit processor in a computer with a 64-bit.”

Yet biologist Erb does not think about nature disrespectfully: “Through evolution, the carbon fixation has been optimally adapted to environmental conditions.” The process must be able to withstand temperature fluctuations and temporary drought.

Researchers have the liberty to develop minimalist, faster hardware that only needs to function under stable optimal conditions. “Compare it with the design of a racing car that could only race quickly and energy-efficiently. There is no need for a child seat, you could actually leave out a lot.”

In small drops of water floating in oil, Erb and his colleagues can bring together fifteen to twenty enzymes in a vesicle with cell components. This has already succeeded in converting CO2 into biomass.

“Our aim is to use, for example, fifty enzymes to fix CO2 in the form of substances that we can use to make antibiotics, or flavourings. But then faster and with less energy consumption than current production methods.”

ILLUSTRATION © STEFFIE PADMOS

Are there others waiting to pounce?

It sounds as if the researchers have already come very far, and the first spin-off companies have therefore been set up or just started. Yet the Technology Readiness Level, to use a bit of jargon, is still fairly low. In practice, this means that companies do not yet make major investments to explore certain fields of application. Dogterom: “The research in the field of the synthetic cell is still largely fundamental, with unpredictable results and applications.”

Along with companies that already smell opportunities, policy makers in particular are now in play. So far, subsidies have come from national science funders and the EU's science programs. With the European network SynCellEU, it seems as if Europe is

‘Nature invented it once and we think it can be better, faster’ Tobias Erb

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PHOTO © CHRIS KETTNER

THE FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

PHOTO © DAVID AUSSERHOFER

Above Tobias Erb (second from right) and his team. They want to understand photosynthesis as well as possible, so that they can improve it.

Tobias Erb, director of the Max Planck institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg, Germany, and steering committee member of SynCellEU.

on top of this, but it is not a foregone conclusion. There is also BuildACell of the US and in 2024 China founded SynCellAsia. Are those others waiting to pounce? If we are not careful, all patents will be outside Europe and we will have to pay big money for synthetic cells. Dogterom is not afraid of this. “When SynCellAsia was launched, I thought: look, we have set something in motion. It does not have to be a problem if Europe continues to invest well. That way, we can benefit more from the work of others before they start drawing up crucial patents.”

That investment can become a problem. As such, this subject would have been very suitable for The National Growth Fund, which invests as much as 300 million euros in projects that generate sustainable returns. However, The National Growth Fund has been shut down.

Dogterom: “At the end of 2024 we were still able to start EVOLF with a grant of 40 million euros from the science funder The Dutch Research Council within the SUMMITprogramme for fundamental research.”

The Dutch consortium EVOLF (Evolving life from non-life) is the follow-up to the BaSyC (Building a Synthetic Cell) program of five universities and AMOLF

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FUTURE

Vesicles

PHOTO © IMAGE CEES DEKKER LAB/SCIXEL

Lifeless molecules

PHOTO © DAVID AUSSERHOFER

In water droplets floating in oil, Tobias Erb’s team brings enzymes together in a vesicle with cell components.

THE FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

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Schematic representation of building a synthetic cell. One of the greatest challenges is to link all the separate processes and structures in such a way that a real, self-multiplying cell is created.

Living cell

(FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics), which started in 2017. But that is not enough. Dogterom: “In order to be able to really work towards a wide range of applications, much more needs to be done collectively, preferably within Europe. This way, we can make maximum and coordinated use of all the good research that is taking place in Europe and achieve a sustainable new technology where Europe is leading.”

Money where the mouth is

‘In order to be able to really work towards a wide range of applications, much more needs to be done collectively, preferably within Europe’ Marileen Dogterom

There is still a long way to go. Dogterom: “Real major investments often only take off when we know how to do something. That’s how it was with the CRISPR/Cas technique that allows you to modify DNA. Europe didn’t jump into that until patents had already been fixed elsewhere in the world.” She mentions that Europe did invest early in quantum technology.

Europe wants to work towards sustainable prosperity and competitiveness, but it must put its money where its mouth is. Dogterom: “The EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation called Horizon Europe will expire in 2027. The new program, hopefully with many funding opportunities for collaborative programs and research on synthetic cells, will be announced next year.”

Currently, within Horizon Europe there is on the one hand the ERC (European Research Council) grant program in which relatively small consortia of scientists work together, and the similar EIC (European Innovation Council) – where scientists work with companies. On the other hand, the EU has major programs in the field of great transformations, such as digitisation, climate and energy, transport and health. “Those focus on technologies with a high Technology Readiness Level.

We operate at a level just in between. It should be possible to work with relatively large consortia within Europe during the early stage of a promising new technology. I hope that the new framework program will close this gap.”

Her German colleague Erb also sees a role for venture capital investors. “CO2 fixation is hot. In addition to our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, we need to capture billions of tons of carbon each year to meet climate targets. Solutions based on synthetic biology can and will contribute to this. And carbon fixation is a billiondollar market.”

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FUTURE

ILLUSTRATION © STEFFIE PADMOS

THE FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

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PHOTO © DAVID AUSSERHOFER

Biotech companies can use synthetic cells and help improve them

3D model of RuBisCo, a crucial enzyme for photosynthesis. Green plants and algae consume CO2 and create oxygen.

‘The result is not the only thing that is important, the way to get there also yields a lot’ Harmen van Rossum

About fifty people already work at the company Cradle that Harmen van Rossum co-founded in 2021. ‘Our customers are researchers and companies that want to improve existing proteins for experimental or medical purposes. They upload the protein sequence and indicate which properties they want to push in which direction – stability or activity, for example. Our AI models then provide suggestions for improved proteins that the customer builds and tests themselves.’

Although Cradle is a software company, it also has a laboratory. Van Rossum: ‘There we make proteins to train, test and improve our models. We also help our customers and the wider Bioengineering community by sharing our lab methods and tools.’ Van Rossum’s colleagues now use E. coli-bacteria to make proteins on demand after DNA introduction. ‘The problem is that it takes quite a long time – often about three weeks from design to result. Also, a bacterium is not able to make certain proteins exactly as we want them, because bacteria cannot complete certain processes that human proteins sometimes need.’

The synthetic cell could be an interesting alternative.

And: when researchers of synthetic cells are ready to improve the inventions of nature, they can turn to Cradle for protein optimisation.

Just the right proteins Harmen van Rossum

PHOTO © CRADLE

Bioengineer Harmen van Rossum is following the developments from his company called Cradle.

The entrepreneur could make good use of the synthetic cell to produce the proper proteins (see box), but he also sees another interest. “The ultimate goal is not the only important aspect in this type of research, the way to get there is as well. When Craig Venter had reconstructed a complete synthetic bacterial genome from pieces of DNA in 2010, it was not only interesting that we can now grow a synthetic bacterium Mycoplasma mycoides, but the way to get to that point yielded many new research methods and techniques.” Now it is much easier to build DNA, for example. In combination with lab automation, it has become much easier to do many more experiments simultaneously and more rapidly. “If you can make and test 384 proteins at the same time instead of one or two per week, you can answer many more questions and hence progress at a faster rate. That is also what we must continue to invest in.” ■

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8 INSIGHTS

Liselotte Stolk and Leonard Moonen established the company Praxa Sense.

This startup develops a sensor that uses laser technology to collect medical data through wearables such as smartwatches. Eight insights from an entrepreneur in health & technology.

Above Liselotte Stolk Right and below The Praxa Sense speckle sensor

PRAXA SENSE

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By Ju rjen Slu m p Photos Er n o W i e n t j e s

Added value to wearables

8 INSIGHTS FROM PRAXA SENSE

Searching for the best smartwatch sensor 1

Kill your darlings

“Praxa Sense started with a device that detects heart rhythm disorders remotely. This product had a number of problems: the sensors, for example, were unreliable. We came into contact with a professor at TU Delft, Dr. Nandini Bhattacharya, who was working on a specific technology that solved all the problems in one fell swoop. We then decided to change direction and make this solution the company’s main objective. Ever since then, things have been moving fast.”

2

Listen to the people around you

“The difference in the way the market reacted to our new proposition was telling. This solves our problem, we heard from all sides. With each conversation, we noticed that things were flowing naturally rather than us having to force it.

Even though we have invested a lot of time, energy, and money in our first product, you should not be afraid to leave it behind and listen to the people around you.”

3

Strike while the iron is hot

“Current smartwatch technology that measures your heart rate works with LED light, which comes with a couple of major drawbacks: it does not work well on people who have dark skin and it is unreliable when in movement. Our speckle sensor uses laser light, a technology that ensures reliability, even under more difficult circumstances. It offers many more applications for measuring your heart function: in addition to heart rate, for example, it can also measure blood pressure and artery stiffness, which greatly expands the possibilities of remote monitoring.”

4

Discover the value of wearables

“Our dream is that smartwatches, which are now close to the medical world, can really be used as a medical product.

This would allow healthcare to be moved from the hospital to the home environment, which keeps healthcare affordable. More important is that many patients can be screened and helped at an early stage because their watch would send out an alert. Adding that value to all types of wearables: that is our mission.”

5

Small is great

“We distinguish ourselves by miniaturisation. The first test setup at TU Delft almost filled an entire room.

Our sensor is now so small that it fits in handheld devices, yet fitting it in smartwatches is our ultimate goal.”

6

Dual use? Multi-use!

“We are operating in the medical field, but many other applications are conceivable. The sensor measures the flow of liquids, so you can also use it in the agricultural sector, to measure how crops grow and absorb water. Other possible options are the shipping industry and animal husbandry. It also enables a military application: with the smartwatch, you can assess the condition of wounded soldiers. These examples show that the sensor has a wider potential application and we can increase our impact through licensing.”

7

Investors are more than lenders

“I talk with a lot of investors and I learn much from them: how to build financial models and think carefully about a business plan. You can have some brilliant ideas, but if you don’t make sure you have the right team, you don’t know what to spend to achieve your goals or you don’t know what your customers need, you won’t make it.”

8

Take the plunge

“Everything I have experienced has shaped me. Take, for example, the development of our first product, which we are not going to bring to the market. If I had done that, I would not have been here now. Don’t wait too long to take decisions, because you hold yourself and your company back if you hesitate for too long. Just go in head-first and occasionally you fall flat on your face.

That proved to be the most useful thing.” ■

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STARTUP

The Delft-based startup Elysian develops an electric passenger aircraft with a range of around 800 kilometres that can transport 90 people. The first official flight is scheduled for 2033. Founder Daniel Rosen Jacobson is working singlemindedly towards that initial flight.

Right Daniel Rosen Jacobson Below Impression of the Elysian E9X

Electric aircraft to make shorter flights sustainable

ELYSIAN

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By Eli se Sp et t er Photos E l ysi a n

Elysian recently moved its operations to Hoofddorp, where the office is located in the building of the aerospace company Fokker Services and its sister company Fokker Techniek. Both companies were taken over in 2021 by investment company Panta Holdings, founded by Daniel’s father, aviation pioneer Jaap Rosen Jacobson.

Can you explain exactly what Elysian wants to achieve?

“We want to make short-haul flights more sustainable by building an electric aircraft that is fully battery-powered. Rather than converting existing aircraft, the question we asked ourselves was: what is possible if you start from scratch? We then came up with a design that is different from anything that is flying today. We researched this further in partnership with TU Delft, which has also published scientific articles on it. Half of all flights worldwide are shorter than 1000 kilometres. Those are the flights for which we want to use our electric aircraft.”

You started officially in January 2023, even though almost nobody believed in battery-powered electric aviation that can fly long distances. Yet you went ahead.

Why? “We had already been working as a project group. Everyone thought that long-distance electric aviation was impossible. But we found a technology to make that happen.”

And what is that technology?

“The basis is a design that is totally different. We are building a heavy aircraft, because batteries are heavy. But as we are flying emission-free, that doesn’t matter.

The wings, which house the batteries, are extra wide, and the body is smaller.

We use eight engines and a separate backup system. In terms of width and weight the aircraft is similar to a Boeing 737, but for only 90 passengers, so you have enough battery capacity to fly longer distances.”

How unique are you?

‘Half of all flights world­wide are shorter than 1000 kilometres’

“We are the only company in the world that is working on a battery-powered electric aircraft for 90 passengers. Other parties are focusing on hybrid aircraft, which run on jet fuel as well as batteries, or on smaller aircraft, such as a 30-seater in Sweden.”

You became part of TU Delft’s Aerospace Innovation Hub in 2023. How has that community helped you?

“We started there in a small room and eventually had six offices. Having direct contact with the TU Delft researchers that are working on sustainable aviation was a huge help to us. Just being able to talk to someone in the canteen or the lift often resulted in good ideas.”

What can the industry do for you?

Did you also have a personal motivation?

“Definitely. I grew up in aviation, between planes and hangars. My father founded Panta Holdings, which operates in the aviation sector. My own background is in technology and start-ups. It feels really special for me to use everything that Panta has built up to develop a new company that can make a genuine impact. This is an opportunity to contribute to a major change that I know is coming.”

After two years, are you still as confident?

“More so, in fact. We have already managed to solve a lot of technical challenges and are building a strong team of people from across the industry. We started with four people, but are now a group of experts. We are working in partnership with TU Delft, the University of Twente, the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).”

“We can develop in partnership. Not just in terms of production, but also genuinely sharing risks and designing new components.

Components for our aircraft, for example.

And when companies understand what we are doing, it would help if they give us public support.”

What technological challenges do you still have to overcome?

“We have ten major challenges – our ‘hot potatoes’ – such as batteries in the wings, cooling, and the backup system.

Certification is an enormous issue as well: demonstrating that the aircraft is safe and getting it licensed. That will take years.”

Suppose it’s 2033. Will I be able to fly to, let’s say, Madrid in an Elysian plane?

“Not quite, but it should be possible with one transfer. You will be able to fly directly to the South of France – Lyon, for instance – or Germany.” ■

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DARING DILEMMA

CLIMATE-ADAPTIVE BUILDING

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Who picks up the bill?

By J u r j e n S l u m p

Visual O nt we r pwe r k

The site of the former harbour Merwe-Vierhavens, on the north side of the Nieuwe Maas in Rotterdam, is being developed into a new living and working area. The area, which was once one of the world’s biggest fruit harbours, is being transformed into a ‘robust and sustainable residential district’ in the heart of the harbour. It aims to set a new standard for climate-adaptive construction.

Merwe-Vierhavens is in an unembanked area. People living there cannot get flood insurance. That poses new dilemmas, for engineers, policymakers and financial institutions alike. How do we ensure that in the future we can construct climate-proof buildings in areas prone to flooding, without residents getting into financial jeopardy?

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DARING DILEMMA

PHOTO © TU DELFT

Interdependencies

International perspective Zac Taylor, TU Delft (Faculty of Architecture & the Built Environment)

Financial innovation

Zac Taylor grew up in Florida and has seen with his own eyes the destructive effects that hurricanes have on local communities. “The market stops functioning. Insurers withdraw, making it impossible for people to secure mortgages, and investors avoid the region.”

The American researcher is studying the interrelatedness of climate change, urban planning and the financial sector.

Miami is the ‘canary in the coalmine’, he warns.

Real estate and infrastructure represent a large part of the assets of financial institutions worldwide, including pension funds. If the market stops working and major insurance companies pull out of risky areas where they own real estate, what consequences will that have for the global financial system? Will our savings and pension be at risk?

In the Netherlands we don’t have to worry yet, says Taylor.

“The situation here is incomparable to Florida. Our Delta Works offer extremely high protection and we have a long tradition of climate adaptation.”

Nevertheless, the Netherlands has no cohesive plan to keep climate risks financially controllable. Financial parties need more access to a variety of data relating to specific areas.

“To remain a reliable country for investors we need to answer a lot of questions: what are the climate risks, where are climateadaptive measures needed and who is responsible for them?”

Taylor is currently developing a framework for this within the Resilient Delta Initiative, a transdisciplinary partnership between TU Delft, Erasmus University and Erasmus MC. It devises technical, organisational and financial solutions for climate-proof development within various partnerships, including the Red & Blue programme of the NWO (Dutch Research Council).

One thing is clear: in the long term, this requires extra money and smart financing. Climate-adaptive construction is more expensive and potential damage must also be financed – but what is the smartest approach and who ultimately picks up the bill? Taylor sees this as a huge balancing act: “How do we design future neighbourhoods with these long-term risk and financing considerations in mind? Where is the sweet spot between financial and technical strategies, between buildinglevel or delta-scale action, between public versus private responsibility?”

Schiedam centrum

Spangen

Oud Mathenesse Merwehaven

Metro Marconiplein

M4H

ILLUSTRATION © GEMEENTE ROTTERDAM

Cohesive plan

Merwe-Vierhavens could be a solution to part of the puzzle.

At the moment it is protected only against high water by the Maeslantkering storm surge barrier. That shows clearly what interdependencies come into play in the decision-making, says Taylor. “Today, investments are being made on the hypothesis that in the future a big flood barrier will play a role in protecting the area. But it isn’t clear what that role is. It depends on future flooding risks, on future decisions at national and local level, and on future technological advancements.”

The question is what the best approach is and what the goals are. “And that is a loaded question.” All these insights are being brought together in Merwe-Vierhavens, leading subsequently to an integrated framework for climate-adaptive construction that sets out plainly who should pay for what: state, local government, financial institutions and citizens.

The Merwehaven is the first sub-area within Merwe-Vierhavens (M4H) to change from a traditional port area to a new residential area.

CLIMATE-ADAPTIVE BUILDING

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PHOTO © DAAN VERMEER

The city of Rotterdam is prepared for all future climate scenarios.

FOTO © TU DELFT

Engineering perspective Cees Oerlemans, TU Delft (Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences) Hydraulic engineer Cees Oerlemans is carrying out PhD research into the correlation between flood risk management and real estate development. “It’s all about the interaction between climate risks and the world around them.” Within the Red & Blue programme, Oerlemans is researching the modelling of flood risks in areas outside the dikes in the period 1970-2150.

Over that entire timespan, the risks are being analysed, as well as how they are influenced by construction, climate and flood barriers.

This research offers valuable data for the financial sector and is therefore a significant building block for a cohesive – and financially viable – adaptation strategy.

Hydraulic engineering operates the multi-layer safety approach, Oerlemans explains. The first layer is prevention: preventing the occurrence of floods. That is the purpose of the Maeslantkering storm surge barrier. The second layer relates to a sustainable climate-robust design, such as raising the ground, wet floodproofing and dry floodproofing. The third layer is crisis management: being well prepared in the event of flooding.

A fourth layer – sustainable damage repair – was recently added, as a result of the floods in Limburg. Just as layer zero: awareness.

Dry floodproofing and wet floodproofing

Local level vs. system measures

In terms of technical solutions, a lot can be done to enable climate-proof development of new residential districts such as Merwe-Vierhavens. For instance, raising the ground on which public spaces and buildings are constructed.

Or dry floodproofing – making a building watertight. Or wet floodproofing – water gets into the building if a flood occurs, but the damage is limited because the ground floor is laid with tiles rather than wood.

What constitutes an optimal climate adaptation strategy, from a technical viewpoint? That is impossible to say.

Oerlemans: “You have to weigh up what you do at the local level and at the system level.’ Oerlemans explains.

The Maeslantkering offers sufficient protection right now, but in the long term – 100 years – there might be a need to make the unembanked areas less dependent on protection by the Maeslantkering, and to focus more on local measures.”

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DARING DILEMMA

PHOTO © ERIC FECKEN

In Rotterdam, the low-laying quays have been increasingly flooded in recent years.

PHOTO © VERBOND VAN VERZEKERAARS

In practice, it will be a combination of the two: improving the Maeslantkering and periodically raising the unembanked ground levels. The latter is a particularly big challenge for existing buildings. “Maybe we need to think of temporary constructions or homes that you can jack up.” If you do not want to raise ground levels, all kinds of innovative emergency flood barriers are possible, which Flood Proof Holland is currently researching.

Technical innovation “In technical terms we make use of centuries-old solutions in the water sector”, says Oerlemans. That is not where the challenge lies. “The innovation consists of optimally combining and incorporating the various technical, spatial and financial measures. That’s where there is room for renewal and innovation.”

Perspective of insurers Vylon Ooms (Dutch Association of Insurers) “The damage due to extreme weather is becoming greater”, says Vylon Ooms, policy advisor on climate change at the Dutch Association of Insurers. “That gives rise to a lot of questions: what can we do to prevent and minimise that damage, and what is the role of insurers in that regard?”

To answer those questions the Association is working with bodies such as Resilient Delta. The partnership focuses on the public and private roles and responsibilities for ensuring climate-adaptive construction in areas like Merwe-Vierhavens.

Dutch insurers are not blind to global developments.

“What is happening in the US is a warning for us.” The relationship between financial institutions worldwide is tangible too,

says Ooms. Insurers are covered, in their turn, by reinsurers.

“If a lot of damage occurs elsewhere in the world, the reinsurance premium in the Netherlands could go up.”

Awareness and damage limitation measures Ooms is doing PhD research at VU Amsterdam into how insurers can use climate adaptation to prevent and minimise damage caused by extreme weather. His initial findings show, for example, that companies are significantly more likely to take action if they have been warned. “We are now sending an e-mail or SMS to customers when storms are forecast: make sure your fencing is secured. That helps.”

Another issue is taking damage limitation measures after a flood. These include making houses watertight, using stone floors instead of wood, and moving power sockets higher.

Ooms would like climate adaptation to be included in building regulations, ensuring the new buildings are always resistant to extreme weather.

Fundamental questions Construction in unembanked areas poses fundamental questions for insurers. “Our main dilemma is that you don’t want to encourage construction in unembanked areas,” says Ooms.

CLIMATE-ADAPTIVE BUILDING

23

“Floods are uninsurable for a reason. We regard a dike as a precondition for insurance and we don’t want buildings to be constructed in floodplains that are designated as water storage areas.”

At the same time, there are also unembanked areas where the risks are less severe, such as Merwe-Vierhavens. “As an Association, we are investigating whether it could be insurable, but ultimately it’s up to the individual insurers.”

Together with several parties, the Association is examining new products, such as a water label that indicates the likelihood of floods. If you get a good rating, you ought to be able to get flood insurance. Ideally, a label of that sort should be in line with the policy of local authorities and mortgage lenders in the area.

That ought to be a huge incentive for consumers to take climate-proof measures.

Ooms does not regard the provision of partial finance for climate-adaptive districts and suchlike as a task for insurers.

The government is still the prime mover concerning prevention, Ooms confirms. “The dike protects us, insurance covers the residual risk if things go wrong.”

Perspective of the municipality Johan Verlinde (programme manager, Rotterdam Climate Adaptation Plan) In Rotterdam, the low-lying quays have been increasingly flooded in recent years. Whereas in previous years that occurred several times a year, in 2024 it happened 48 times to the city’s lowest-lying quay (cycle path under the Willemsbrug).

A ‘high-water festival’ is held at the start of each storm season to alert residents to the risks, says Johan Verlinde, programme manager of Rotterdams WeerWoord, the climate adaptation programme of the Municipality of Rotterdam.

The city is one of the lowest-lying cities in the Netherlands delta: 85% of the urban area is below sea level and 15% is in unembanked areas. Previously, the city had to contend with an excess of water, rising sea levels and extra rainfall, but nowadays periods of drought and heat pose problems as well.

Unembanked areas are located on higher ground The city is prepared for all scenarios, says Verlinde, who was trained as a civil engineer in Delft. “As a municipality, we try to look 100 years ahead. We have a minimum building height for new construction in unembanked areas. Additionally, for each area outside the dikes we set up adaptation strategies in which we take account of the existing buildings and the characteristics of the area.” We also cooperate robustly on a regional scale within the Delta programme. All options remain on the table,

PHOTO © GEMEENTE ROTTERDAM

Water label

including replacing the Maeslantkering with a floodgate.

“Then all of a sudden there are no more unembanked areas.”

The paradox of the unembanked neighbourhoods in Rotterdam is that, although they are not protected by a dike, they are Rotterdam’s highest-lying areas. So these neighbourhoods are very different from, for example, floodplains, which flood more frequently. “Because they are located on higher ground, they are already well protected and the only risk is of water nuisance. But in extreme situations, if the Maeslantkering shuts down, we are well protected.

We have to adapt step by step going forward.”

Blank canvas Rotterdam is also part of Red & Blue, and one of its new neighbourhoods has been designated as a research area.

Merwe-Vierhavens is ideally suited for this, as developers do not need to take a lot of existing buildings into consideration.

Verlinde calls it a ‘blank canvas’.

What is the extent of the public responsibility of a city like Rotterdam for climate adaptation? “We are still debating that question, so we don’t have an answer yet,” says Verlinde.

“But the municipality cannot solve the entire problem on its own. It’s a problem for the whole community, including Rotterdam residents who want to live by the water in MerweVierhavens. We need real estate developers, investors, other public authorities, insurers and the people of Rotterdam themselves to take action.’ That debate has only just begun.

‘Who is responsible for what?’ Through the housing corporations the municipality uses its influence to take measures against extreme weather, and developers are reminded of their responsibility.

Amphibious buildings Climate-adaptive construction such as in Merwe-Vierhavens is the future of urban development, in Verlinde’s opinion.

In relation not only to unembanked areas but also to residential construction in deep polders. Other problems arise there, and potential solutions include floating homes and amphibious buildings. “There’s no way of avoiding it.” ■

Let’s innovate with impact for a better society Let your organisation lead the way Do you know what role your organisation can play in societal transitions? Think of the energy transition, the challenges in healthcare, the new developments in AI and robotics. And do you want to ensure that your team is also up to date thanks to the right training? Or do you need a technological innovation that is not currently available?

At TU Delft, we are committed to solving technical and societal issues.

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FIELDLAB

25

MONDAI HOUSE OF AI Fieldlab ID Name Mondai House of AI

Mission

To bring together science, business and society in the development of AI applications.

Headquarters

Molengraaffsingel 29, 2629 JD Delft

Founded in 2022

Number of employees 16

Partners in the AI ecosystem for South Holland TU Delft, Zuid-Holland AI, Digitalzh, Robohouse, Do IoT Fieldlab, the province of South Holland, EU, Convergence AI, Data & Digitalisation, YES!Delft, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands AI Coalition, Kickstart AI and many others.

Joost Poort, managing director of Mondai House of AI.

Building humancentred AI systems together

By B e nni e Mo l s

Photos Er no Wi e nt je s

26

FIELDLAB

MONDAI HOUSE OF AI

Mondai House of AI connects science, business and society to facilitate the development of AI applications.

TU Delft Campus is being modernised and also gradually expanding southwards. At the beginning of 2025, this led to the relocation of Mondai House of AI to a futuristiclooking, cylindrical office building that looks out over the A13 motorway towards Rotterdam. “Mondai is TU Delft’s AI innovation centre”, says Joost Poort, Mondai’s Managing Director. “Briefly summarised, Mondai’s vision is to enable AI. AI is an enabling technology, which means that it’s relevant in virtually every social domain. And we enable AI.” Mondai opened its doors back in 2022 thanks to a grant from the province of Zuid-Holland. The centre aims to create connections between the AI research and education that TU Delft has committed itself to via the AI Initiative on the one hand and AI applications for business and society on the other hand.

Poort: “Mondai is based in Delft and has a regional focus and connections with the national and international AI playing field. We are boosting the development of AI applications in seven strategic domains that are relevant for both TU Delft and the Zuid-Holland region: energy and sustainability, health and technology, mobility, smart industry, financial technology (fintech), port and maritime and, last but not least, peace, justice, security and governance.”

Mondai shares its new home with field lab RoboHouse, AI-hub Zuid-Holland, Do IoT Fieldlab (Internet of Things), Digitalzh and several AI start-ups. It is a physical manifestation, in one building, of the AI ecosystem that the innovation centre wants to boost.

Which concrete results has Mondai already achieved?

Poort gives three examples: start-up support, science and innovation support and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) support.

Boosting entrepreneurship Mondai has joined forces with the start-up incubator YES!Delft, which is located in an adjacent building, to boost start-up entrepreneurs. “Mondai adds AI expertise to the general support that YES!Delft gives start-ups”, Poort says. “We connect start-ups with the right people in the AI ecosystem.”

One great example is Momo Medical, a start-up that is now based in the same building as Mondai. Momo Medical is developing an app that gives healthcare professionals an insight into the sleeping behaviour of residents in a nursing home. The app is linked to bed sensors located under residents’ mattresses.

Poort: “A number of healthcare organisations wanted to know how AI could be used to benefit the healthcare

MONDAI HOUSE OF AI

27

Left Joost Poort wants to give SMEs the most practical guidance as possible as they navigate the digitalisation process.

Right The AI ecosystem that Mondai wants to boost, gets a physical manifestation in the new location in which the innovation centre is located since the beginning of 2025.

sector and asked me to organise an AI inspiration session.

I then contacted Menno Gravemaker, the founder of Momo Medical, to see whether he could come along to the session to talk about his company’s AI business case.

Which he did. A year has now passed and he’s still telling me what a huge effect his presentation has had. This illustrates how we here at Mondai create value by putting the right people in contact with each other.”

PERCIV AI and DuckDuckGoose are two other start-ups that share a building with Mondai. PERCIV AI develops AI that helps autonomous vehicles understand their surroundings better. DuckDuckGoose develops AI that detects deepfake images.

Boosting science A second example of Mondai’s role is its boosting of scientific synergy and partnerships that pave the way for innovation. “TU Delft, Erasmus MC and Erasmus University Rotterdam have been working together in the Convergence programme for several years now”, Poort says. “The programme focuses on the resolution of complex social challenges. As part of this partnership, we have created the AI Port Center amongst other things.

It is exploring how AI can help make the Port of Rotterdam sustainable. Recently, NWO awarded the PortCall.Zero research project an amount of €4 million euros to identify how drastic reductions to the port’s CO2 emissions could be achieved. Although the focus is primarily on science at the moment, this could – of course – boost entrepreneurship in time too.”

Boosting small and medium-sized enterprises

‘We are boosting the development of AI applications in seven strategic domains that are relevant for both TU Delft and the Zuid-Holland region’

A third example of the role that Mondai is playing in the development of an AI ecosystem is the support it provides to SMEs via MKB Data Studio. “Its object,” Poort says, “is to give SMEs the most practical guidance possible as they navigate the digitalisation process. We create a data scan to give SMEs an insight into the data they have at their disposal and the value they can create with it. In terms of AI, examples include the use of existing AI tools and the deployment of students to implement projects for SMEs. MKB Studio also organises science consultations in which academics from TU Delft put their heads together with SMEs to figure out how to make digitalisation work for them in practice. Traditionally, there has been a clear gap between what the university does and what SMEs need, but MKB Data Studio is also making the university far more relevant for SMEs.” ■

28

THE INVESTOR

the investor

Innovations Industries ‘DEEP TECH REQUIRES PATIENT INVESTOR’

By J u r jen Slump

For investors, it is difficult to assess the risks of deep tech such as quantum technology (shown here).

PHOTO © KLAPSTUK VOOR QUTECH

Harm de Vries recognised the potential of deep tech – innovations based on groundbreaking technology – a long time ago. He was the first person in the Netherlands to set up an investment fund focused solely on it. Innovation Industries now manages 900 million euros spread across three funds.

The investment company has offices in Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Munich, and works closely with universities of technology.

“All our people are technicians.”

INNOVATIONS INDUSTRIES

29

“We set up an early stage fund in Twente as long ago as 2009. In those days, the term deep tech did not exist; we called it high-tech. Interest in the integration of software and hardware was growing, but there was no funding for that type of company. With our small fund we got substantial inflow from all over the Netherlands, because spin-offs from universities other than Twente had no other options. There was a need for a larger fund and in 2017 we launched Innovation Industries, with three partners.”

The Innovation Industries portfolio includes two companies with their roots in Delft: Nearfield Instruments and Battolyser Systems.

Nearfield Instruments makes advanced measurement devices for the chip industry; Battolyser Systems is developing an integrated battery and electrolyser to combat network congestion.

Deep tech is extremely complex. So why did you decide to take the plunge?

“Because the solution to the major social challenges nowadays – climate change, food shortages, rising global population, cybersecurity – can be found only in ground-breaking technologies.

Those technologies are created within the walls of the university.

There was an enormous demand for solutions, but also an enormous shortage of capital. We saw it as both an opportunity and a mission to take on those social challenges.”

How is deep tech different from ‘normal’ tech?

“It’s very hard to assess the risks. You need to understand the technology and to have a vision on where the world is headed: what will society need in ten years’ time when the product is finally ready? You also need patience. It takes a decade to go from university to application, but before that you generally need ten years within the walls of the university.”

What does that require of your employees?

“The main thing is that they have a good understanding of tech.

That is the criterion for selecting our staff. They have all undertaken technical studies: you cannot learn deep tech on the job. Instead of teaching the technology to economists we teach investment to people with a good technical background.”

How do you speed up innovation? What is the recipe for success?

Harm de Vries

of capital, and the risk is that companies cannot get any funding, even though their technology is fine. “The start-up policy leaves something to be desired, however. On the one hand the government is trying to encourage the creation of start-ups, but at the same time they are making it extremely hard for those new companies in terms of taxation and by making option schemes impossible, so you cannot reward your staff adequately. The government is actually shooting itself in the foot.”

Could the industry do more?

“Yes, the Big Tech companies in the Netherlands ought to buy up more companies, because there are scarcely any exits. Without them, there is no chance of advancement. That means that the companies will collapse, whereas ultimately they should all be bought up.

Preferably by Dutch or European companies.”

And universities? Opinions are divided on the degree to which they ought to be involved in spin-offs.

What is your view on that?

“Our operations are multi-stage and we invest in everything from the very first phase to the scale-up phase. The sums that we invest vary from 250,000 euros for a start-up to a maximum of 60 million euros for companies that want to scale up. As we are involved from the earliest phase, we can save our companies from making mistakes.

Our experience often enables us to identify pitfalls that starting entrepreneurs don’t recognise in time. That is what speeds up the process.”

“We would like every university to have a fund for investing in spin-offs. That is not a role for the private market, because there is no money to be earned from it. We are being encouraged to do that right now, but we are making big losses on it. Give university funds like Delft Enterprises more clout. If companies get support from the university for a longer period, they can prepare themselves a lot better to hit the market.”

How do you scout your companies?

“We are very good in electrotechnology, precision mechanics at the nanoscale, photonics, and semiconductor development. A lot is happening in agri-food too, such as in the domain of plant breeding and making crops resistant to the effects of climate change. I also hope that quantum technology will boom; we have to keep focusing on that.”

“Among the projects we are involved in is the Thematic Technology Transfer programme of the four technical universities and TNO, which is dedicated to generating successful spin-offs. We also have direct contact with the likes of Delft Enterprises, the vehicle that TU Delft uses to invest in spin-offs. Apart from that, many companies know where to find us and we actively monitor the market.”

Is the government doing enough to stimulate activities relating to deep tech?

“The technology policy is very good. The previous government’s national technology agenda includes all the themes in which we invest. The government fund InvestNL is also oriented to deep tech; that is a positive development. The major shortcoming is the dearth

Where are the opportunities for the Netherlands?

What drives you as an investor? What is your motivation?

“I have always been hugely excited by new technologies. I also get inspiration from entrepreneurship and from collaborating with dedicated entrepreneurs and scientists that are pursuing a worthy goal. We will always support good initiatives run by dedicated and talented people.” ■

PHOTO © INNOVATION INDUSTRIES

Two participa­ tions from Delft

Why does Innovation Industries focus on deep tech?

30

IMPACT

Investing in innovation: the key to European resilience

ROADMAP FOR STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

31

By Ire ne S a l ve rda

Vi sua l O nt we r pwe r k

Europe has entered a new geopolitical era.

A radical change in direction is emanating from the White House and is redefining the political landscape. Old alliances are being reevaluated, and new strategic priorities are emerging.

The call for an ‘Open Strategic Autonomy’ in Europe, making it more self-sufficient and resilient in important sectors such as defence, energy and healthcare, is getting louder than ever.

To achieve this, a clear plan of action is required, not only for substantial investments in defence and security but also to stimulate much-needed innovations. What are the critical steps on the road to strategic autonomy in Europe, and what role do research and innovation play in it?

Manuel Heitor, the former Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, gets straight to the point: “Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the challenges ahead have reawakened Europe to the need for closer collaboration.”

A key figure behind the influential ‘Align, Act, Accelerate’ report, which is often mentioned in the same breath as the ‘Draghi report’ on European competitiveness, he stresses the need for Europe to join forces. “Our collective response to the growing geopolitical threats needs to shift up a gear,” he says firmly. “We have to double our efforts in the area of research and innovation in defence, security and resilience.”

At the beginning of March, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, unveiled a comprehensive plan to increase defence spending. “We need a similar proposal to implement our recommendations for strengthening the impact of research in Europe,” says Heitor.

Defence research as leverage for innovation and autonomy Achieving strategic autonomy in Europe requires substantial investments in the research and innovation infrastructure, with a leading role for the defence sector as a driver of European competitiveness. Consequently, joint investments in a European ecosystem for defence and space research are needed, Heitor believes. “Developing groundbreaking products like advanced satellite technologies and autonomous energy systems allows us to strengthen our defence capabilities and our overall resilience.”

This integrated approach should stimulate the growth of innovative companies as well. “This can be used as leverage in escaping the ‘mid-tech trap’, meaning that countries or regions have a solid industrial basis but not the capacity to compete at the highest level of technological development,” Heitor adds. “This leverage can also foster collaboration between European regions, which is hugely important in tackling resilience issues in the field of climate, nature and loss of biodiversity.”

The EU is dependent on several countries for critical raw materials, energy and indispensable technology. The geopolitical developments in recent years, such as the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 crisis, have shown us clearly how vulnerable this dependence makes us.

Not only does it entail economic risks, but it also undermines our security, resilience and democracy. Open strategic autonomy offers the EU the opportunity to shrink these dependencies while continuing to enable international cooperation.

PHOTO © VNO-NCW

What is Open Strategic Autonomy?

PHOTO © MANUEL HEITOR

IMPACT

A radical new plan for funding The tumultuous geopolitical developments add momentum to the sharp insights of Draghi and Heitor. Normally, it takes a long time for this type of recommendation to be turned into concrete actions. “Now everyone understands that there is no time for endless negotiation and that immediate action is necessary,” says Heitor firmly. “The EU is capable of it when a threat arises: just look at the COVID-19 crisis.”

To back up his next point, Heitor elaborates on the funding mechanisms required. “First of all, Europe has to be willing to take out loans in order to really invest in research and innovation.

In contrast to the US, where debts and procurements are managed more flexibly, strict rules hamper European funding of research and innovation. Moreover, the budgets are fragmented: around 90% are realised nationally and only 10% at a European level,” he explains. Whereas the US can mobilise 2.4% of its GDP for private funding of research and innovation initiatives, the EU can muster only 1.2%. “This always gives American Ivy League universities and tech companies an enormous advantage.”

According to Heitor, European loans must be deployed to set up an effective tender system for products ‘designed and manufactured in Europe’ that are of great strategic importance, such as information and defence systems. “Governments can then participate actively and take the lead in stimulating public-private investments in research and innovation,” Heitor says. He is critical of the slow EU bureaucracy, whereby approval for a research proposal sometimes takes two years.

“To compete with global powers like the US and China, we have to be prepared to fail. Knowledge institutions have to be willing and brave enough to take risks and therefore also to invest in research that might not be successful, or only in the long term.”

PHOTO © VNO-NCW

32

Manuel Heitor (former Portuguese minister of Education, Technology and Science), Marhijn Visser (strategic policy advisor International Trade & International Corporate Social Responsibility at VNO-NCW) and Reineke Timmermans (strategic policy advisor Innovation and Industrial Policy at VNO-NCW).

From brain drain to brain gain Heitor’s third recommendation is getting impetus thanks to the Trump administration. “Focus on the new generation: it’s really important to provide jobs and perspectives across the board and to open up more opportunities for academic talent to excel,” he stresses. While the US is making cuts to federal support for research and young scientists, Heitor sees an opportunity for Europe to make bigger investments and to turn the current ‘European brain drain to the US’ into a ‘European brain gain’.

ROADMAP FOR STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

33

PHOTO © GETTY IMAGES

Battery technology plays an important part in the energy transition. TU Delft is working on the battery of the future. It is sustainable, affordable and recyclable, made with as few critical materials as possible and can ultimately be produced in Europe.

What is TU Delft’s view?

Geert-Jan Houben, Pro Vice Rector AI, Data and Digitalisation, and portfolio holder Open Strategic Autonomy at TU Delft: “The geopolitical challenges are huge, and TU Delft stands fully behind the call by Heitor, Timmermans and Visser to take action now. Knowledge institutions, together with the government and industry, need to decide very soon what challenges to prioritise for a resilient Europe.

The Netherlands has leading research and innovation clusters at its disposal that can play a key role in this. To speed up the process, The Hague and Brussels must minimise the bureaucracy and make the funding models more flexible. This will give us the room to invest more in promising, groundbreaking research. Industry must make venture capital available, so we can bring knowledge more quickly to the market. Only then can we make our European societies sustainable, secure and resilient.”

‘To compete with global powers like the US and China, we have to be prepared to fail’ Manuel Heitor

This idea has been set out in his Choose Europe programme, which aims to involve more youngsters in science and innovation and to protect them from the appeal of populism.

Heitor fervently hopes that this programme gets swift approval.

“It is imperative to involve younger generations more intensively in research and innovation. To that end, knowledge institutions can teach them – at all levels – about the history and importance of democratic norms and values.”

A significant role for key technologies and the internal market Closer to home, in the Netherlands, Reineke Timmermans and Marhijn Visser – key figures in the domain of innovation and commercial policy at the largest Dutch employers’ federation VNO-NCW – are looking at European strategic autonomy. “The topic is more relevant than ever,” Timmermans begins. “And the defence element in it is growing steadily.”

34

IMPACT

Open strategic autonomy The roadmap of Manuel Heitor → New EU funding mechanisms for innovation

→ Choose Europe: offering education and job prospects to young people

→ Defense & space as leverage for innovation

Geert-Jan Houben → Invest in key enabling technologies → Education & life long learning: training engineers and other professionals

→ Strengthening cooperation between

knowledge institutions, governments and businesses in ecosystems

Reineke Timmermans & Marhijn Visser → Strengthening internal EU market and new funding mechanisms

→ Invest in key enabling technologies → Training of young talent and create an attractive European job market

GRAPHIC DESIGN © ONTWERPWERK | SOURCE: TU DELFT

ROADMAP FOR STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

35

PHOTO © PIDJOE / GETTY IMAGES

A sustainable energy supply will make Europe less dependent on other countries.

Key enabling technologies – technologies that are crucial for national security and economic growth – are of the greatest importance for Europe’s economic future. “In China and the US, huge investments are being made in AI and quantum computing,” says Timmermans. “These key enabling technologies are at the heart of the economic system of both today and tomorrow.”

As representatives of the Dutch industry, Timmermans and Visser have a different perspective on the steps that need to be taken. “Europe needs to get a move on with strengthening the internal market,” Visser asserts. “That market is growing significantly more slowly than in the US and China, mainly because of fragmentation. For instance, there isn’t any uniformity of policy in the area of labour and uniform pricing.”

Visser suggests that the internal market would benefit from improvements in defence, security and resilience, underpinned by a concrete action agenda. “We also need to look ahead to

‘Key enabling tech­ nolo­gies are at the heart of the economic system of both today and tomorrow’ Reineke Timmermans

tomorrow’s growth, with a robust research and innovation programme devoted to realizing the potential of public-private partnerships,” says Timmermans. “In the Netherlands, we are already doing this really well in strong innovation ecosystems such as the tech hubs in Delft, Eindhoven and Twente, and food technology in Wageningen.”

Keep startups and scale-ups in Europe In common with Heitor, Visser stresses the need for a fresh look at the capital market and at the investment climate. “We should be making more effective use of the innovations that are being developed in Europe. Many startups acquire knowledge here but then move to the US, attracted by venture capital. Public funds attract private funds, in Visser’s view. Consequently, he also advocates new funding instruments that improve the investment climate in Europe. “We need to adopt a different approach to venture capital and risk investments. There is no immediate need for extreme changes; we can start with pragmatic interim solutions, such as altering the mandate of the European Investment Bank so that it can participate in the funding of companies.” Attracting more funds for scale-ups is necessary, and urgent. “We have to be in a position to set up bigger financing rounds for research and innovation. All options must be on the table.”

Timmermans adds that partnering with companies is crucial, especially in strategic industries such as semiconductors.

“It’s essential to commit fully to strategic programmes like those relating to chips and semiconductors and to strengthening the European position. What we have, we want to hold and to strengthen in every respect, but we also want to build up new robust sectors in fields such as quantum technology, biotechnology and photonics.” This movement can be linked intelligently to other European priorities in the field of the

36

IMPACT – ROADMAP FOR STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

Right A technician holds a so-called wafer, from which chips are made. The chip industry plays an important role in strategic autonomy.

PHOTO © TU DELFT

PHOTO © PONYWANG / GETTY IMAGES

Below The critical raw materials pyrolusite (left) and rutile.

so-called twin transitions: green and digital, sustainable and secure, cyber initiatives and defence. “Speeding up the energy transition helps us to overcome our dependence on Russian gas and oil from the Middle East. More investments in artificial intelligence and cyber technology strengthen our resilience in terms of defence. Knowledge institutions and companies together play a major role in researching these possibilities and turning them into innovations.”

New commercial policy Timmermans and Visser, along with Heitor, regard focusing on talent development and human capital as a crucial part of the roadmap to strategic autonomy. “It isn’t a smart idea to bury your head in the sand, as is the political tendency nowadays,” says Visser. “We desperately need international talent, so the WIB (Balanced Internationalisation bill) needs to be amended.”

“Collaborating in ecosystems such as that of TU Delft plays a crucial role in attracting and educating talent,” Timmermans says.

“It also offers a wide range of career opportunities in research and innovation, including in industry. Moreover, it attracts public-private capital, and that is something we ought to focus on a lot more.”

Finally, Visser adds that a new approach to international commercial policy is crucial. “The US is becoming an untrustworthy partner for many countries. I therefore see opportunities for Europe and the Netherlands to expand the diplomatic relations with countries like India, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia. We should enter into new trade agreements, like the one recently signed with South American countries, and at the same time zoom in on the role of technology and innovation. The doors that Trump is closing could well open up for us.”

Invest in strong innovation ecosystems Heitor, Timmermans and Visser are firmly in agreement on an important intersection on the European roadmap: the need to invest in innovation ecosystems. They regard this fusion of knowledge institutions, companies and governments as crucial hubs that attract not only talent but also public-private financing. Heitor adds a further nuance concerning the focus on key enabling technologies: “Today we are focusing on artificial intelligence and quantum technology, but tomorrow that might change. So it’s especially important that we make our funding model for research and innovation broad and flexible, including continuous support for social and scientific research.”

Who needs to take what step, and when? “The time for making plans is over,” Heitor stresses. “Everyone has done their homework. All the European parties that see a role for themselves now need to act in unison.” ■

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38

MEANWHILE

Equity in accessibility to transport Ruth Nelson from South Africa has observed that accessibility to transport in countries throughout the world is often determined by economic considerations.

She wants the focus to shift to equity and justice instead. As part of her PhD research, Nelson developed a model to measure the fair division of access to transport systems in cities.

By Elise Sp et t er Photos R u t h N els o n

Imagine: you live on the outskirts of a city, you don’t have a car and it takes you two hours to get to work every day.

There’s no direct connection and you spend 40 percent of your income on public transport. That’s everyday reality for many people in cities like Cape Town.

Nelson is studying public transport in Cape Town to see how it could be organised better. Although she is doing her PhD in Delft, the focus of her project is Cape Town, the city in which she was born. The TU Delft Global Initiative (a programme in which academics commit themselves to global issues) has provided support for her research.

The connection between traffic information and employment Aided by network and data science, Nelson has developed various scenarios for the future of the transport system in Cape Town. She has also created a model in which traffic-information datasets were combined with employment statistics. The model shows the level of access to employment that people in different parts of the city have based

on the distance they have to travel and their public transport use.

In her model, Nelson has used three ethical theories to assess whether the access that the transport system offers is just.

“I didn’t want to pass judgement based on what I think is fair. So, I created an opensource software package that enables everyone, wherever they are in the world, to use this model to analyse how fair or just transport in various cities is.”

Equal opportunities Nelson says we all understand something slightly different by the terms ‘fair’ and ‘just’.

She considers three approaches to justice: equity – in which everyone is given the same opportunities; utilitarianism – which tries to create the most benefits for the biggest group of people; and Rawlsian justice – in which the most vulnerable groups in society are given the biggest benefits to reduce inequality.

Nelson hopes her work will change how cities worldwide approach transport systems.

“They often focus on cost and benefit analyses, but what if we consider ethical aspects? What if we put justice front and centre? My model focuses on these questions.”

TU Delft Global Initiative

Policy recommendations TU Delft Global Initiative has supported Nelson’s research in several ways, which included the organisation of workshops with local policymakers in Cape Town. It is also helping with the formulation of policy recommendations that Nelson wants to present to Cape Town and with the distribution of the software. “At a time when we are feeling more divided than ever before, the TU Delft Global Initiative is playing a crucial role. It understands that the problems Africa is facing are relevant for us as well.”

The object of the policy recommendations is to improve access to employment, investment in public transport and support for the most vulnerable groups in the city.

Daily struggles and concerns Nelson feels it is important to listen to the experiences of people who use the transport system every day. “When I spoke to residents, they told me about their daily struggles and concerns. These included safety and long travel times.”

A good and just transport system also considers the needs of various groups: women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ communities and the elderly. “Everyone must be free to choose the type of transport they use without being afraid of violence or accidents.”

Towards fair mobility Nelson believes that a just public transport system forms the basis for inclusive and more equitable cities. “If you always travel by car, you never really come into contact with people who are different to you. On the street, you meet people from different social groups, children, the elderly and people of different ethnicities. I think that’s really good for society.”

Her dream is a future in which mobility is fair for everyone. Because: “This will have a positive economic impact and positive consequences for the quality of life too.” ■

39 FUTURE CASTING CAPE TOWN

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BACKGROUND ILLUSTRATION © LYNGOOD / GETTY IMAGES

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EXPLAINER

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40

THE NETHERLANDS: LAND OF WATER?

Time to take action to improve water quality

By Fleur D as sen

WATER QUALITY

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Left and above POND: a unique measuring system that provides insight into water quality and runs on the energy of microbes in the water. The colours indicate the water quality and change depending on the quality of the water. This new technology from the company Nova Innova is being tested in Diergaarde Blijdorp.

Middle Bio-Floats in Diergaarde Blijdorp.

1 The European Water Framework Directive The Water Framework Directive (WFD) will come into force in 2027 and will set strict requirements for surface and groundwater in the EU member States.

The bodies of water in the Netherlands will then need to be a healthy habitat for native plants and animals and drinking water must be easy to produce.

Merle de Kreuk, Professor of Environmental Technology at TU Delft, says this will be a major challenge.

“We are still a long way off achieving the targets for water quality in the Netherlands.”

Although water-quality targets were formulated for the Netherlands 27 years ago, little has happened since. De Kreuk: “All reports show that water quality is poor in the Netherlands. Nitrogen and phosphate levels are too high and there are too many PFAS particles, pharma­ ceutical residues and microplastics in surface water.”

2 Ecological and chemical water quality PHOTO © TU DELFT

The Netherlands might be known globally as the water management champion, but it is lagging behind other European countries where water quality is concerned. This is bad news for nature and also puts our drinking water at risk in the long term. Moreover, the innovative solutions required are still elusive. The water crisis can only be solved if the authorities, knowledge institutions and companies join forces to address the situation. Five things to know about water quality.

FOTO’S © ROBÈRT KROONEN

Below Merle de Kreuk

De Kreuk says that both companies and consumers are responsible for the pollution of our water. “Pollutants include pesticides, fertiliser and persistent pharmaceutical residues in urine.” Many of the things that consumers use are a source of pollution as well. “For example, tyre wear and microplastics from clothing that end up in surface water.”

Good water quality depends on both an ecological and chemical component.

The former means a healthy habitat for

42

EXPLAINER - WATER QUALITY

Lindsey Schwidder

PHOTO © TU DELFT

plants and animals, while the latter is achieved if hazardous substances are absent. However, water quality is also part of a complex system in which factors like run-off (rain, snow or meltwater) and groundwater pumping play a role. “So, it’s crucial for us to consider the consequences of climate change, including increasing heat, drought and heavy rain. They affect water quality as well.”

3 Looming nitrogen crisis The European Union strongly criticised water quality recently; the water boards and the Dutch Society for Nature Conservation (Natuurmonumenten) have raised the alarm about this issue in the past too. The ‘Schieland en de Krimpenerwaard’ regional water authority measured the highest ever levels of the hazardous substance deltamethrin (insecticide) in its region not long ago. The production capacity of drinking water companies is under pressure as well. For example, drinking water company Dunea is finding that future demand for drinking water is growing faster than predicted, while water quality is deteriorating. De Kreuk: “To summarise: nature is declining and drinking-water availability is at risk and could impact economic activities. As of 2027, fines like the ones we are currently seeing in the construction industry could be imposed too.”

4 Innovation is part of the solution Solutions involve addressing problems at the source, e.g. fertiliser policy, tackling sewage discharges, reducing industrial discharges and also using innovative techniques to purify water.

De Kreuk believes that improvements in

the measurement of water quality and the identification of source pollution are necessary as well.

One innovation from which the industry in particular could benefit is the electro­chemical water-quality sensor that Delft start-up Hypersoniq is currently developing. Thanks to AI, real-time monitoring is now possible of the wastewater of industrial companies that are struggling with their residual water and finding it more difficult to meet environmental standards with the technology currently available.

Lindsey Schwidder, the Water and Innovation Project Manager at TU Delft, says that field labs have an essential role to play in the search for new solutions.

Diergaarde Blijdorp is one of these living labs. “The zoo is a realistic environment in which to study and improve water quality because it’s part of the urban water system and reliant on multiple factors.” Many innovative companies carry out tests there in an attempt to measure or improve water quality with innovations like Bio-Floats, Pulsaqua, POND and BlueBloqs. Water quality at the zoo is measured in the same 14 places every four weeks. “It is becoming clearer what the reasons behind water-quality issues are and how the system works.”

5 Joint approach is vital The authorities, knowledge institutions and companies will need to join forces if the targets of the framework directive are to be achieved. De Kreuk: “In principle, water boards are responsible for surface water quality and expected to invest in new technology.” But the polluters themselves need to do their bit as well.

“Companies must ensure their wastewater is clean before they discharge it.”

De Kreuk also believes that social awareness is essential: consumers must realise how the products they use affect the environment.

“In my opinion, solutions are still a little fragmented,” De Kreuk concludes.

“Water quality is part of a large and complex system. This makes the interplay between the various parties and the corresponding technological developments even more important.”

Schwidder agrees: “We are gaining an increasing understanding of the problem, but good solutions aren’t as forthcoming.

Which is why I would like to invite innovators, researchers and public parties to work with us on scalable water-quality solutions." ■

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WHAT IF

Major impact quantum physics

The Coexist project also aims to spark conversations about how quantum physics affects our day-to-day lives.

“It is at the heart of many existing technologies, such as transistors, MRI scanners and the chips in our phones,” says Project Leader Emma Sanders. “In the future, quantum computers will potentially have a major impact on our society too.”

Finally, the project wants to encourage people to think. “The filters are symbolic of our different perspectives and ideas”, Emma explains. “Some filters are big, others are small. And sometimes you have to stand on your toes to be able to look through a different lens.

This shows just how important it is to be open to other perspectives and exert yourself sometimes to make sure you are.” ■

LEARN MORE AT TUDELFT.NL/ PIONEERINGTECH

By Elise Spet te r Photo E merge nce De lft

An art installation that makes quantum physics accessible. That’s Coexist: a new project in which student team Emergence Delft explores the combination of technology and culture.

Armed with linear polarisation filters, fructose water and white light, the TU Delft student team enables visitors to experience the world inhabited by the smallest particles. It’s a world we often don’t see, but it’s all around us, all the time.

Quantum physics studies how nature works on the smallest scale, where particles exist in multiple states at once and only become one reality when we observe them.

The object of the Coexist project is to make this phenomenon visible and tangible. In the art installation, filters are used to look at the same light in different ways.

If visitors look at the white light through one of the filters, they will see a colour. In other words, they will experience two mysterious quantum principles: superposition - where particles exist in multiple states - and the measurement problem - where these multiple states are reduced to just one reality when they are observed by someone.