Dutch research organisation Holst Centre has signed a new accord with the Brabant Development Agency (BOM).
The agreement's aim is to ensure maximum leverage of Holst Centre's expertise in plastic electronics and wireless sensors to turn Belgium and the Netherlands into a hub for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working in these disciplines.
BOM connections
Peter Visser, programme manager for high tech industry at BOM, explains: 'The south of the Netherlands is one the most innovative regions in Europe. Especially Eindhoven region that is renowned for its high number of patent applications. Holst Centre also generates a lot of patents, but making optimal use of the knowledge in those patents is another matter.
Peter Visser, programme manager for high tech industry at BOM, explains: 'The south of the Netherlands is one the most innovative regions in Europe. Especially Eindhoven region that is renowned for its high number of patent applications. Holst Centre also generates a lot of patents, but making optimal use of the knowledge in those patents is another matter.
'As a regional development agency BOM has very good connections to SMEs in the high tech arena. We need to reach out and tell these companies that the technology is ready and available to use.'
Holst support
The SMEs that BOM is able to connect with Holst will receive support in three ways. Firstly, licencing agreements will grant them access to the patents Holst has built up over the past 9 years. This intellectual property covers interesting discoveries in thin film processing, lamination, large-area printing, and roll-to-roll production of plastic electronics.
The SMEs that BOM is able to connect with Holst will receive support in three ways. Firstly, licencing agreements will grant them access to the patents Holst has built up over the past 9 years. This intellectual property covers interesting discoveries in thin film processing, lamination, large-area printing, and roll-to-roll production of plastic electronics.
Secondly staff at SMEs will be offered dedicated training either at Holst Centre headquarters in Eindhoven or their own facilities.
Finally, individual SMEs or clusters which operate through the new relationship with BOM will be eligible for the financial support its gives to innovative companies through BOM Capital.
Bert Gyselinckx, co-managing director of Holst, says: 'Through this new collaboration with the BOM, we can more quickly reach a much larger selection of high-tech SMEs and share our latest developments. Moreover, with its network, expertise and financial possibilities, the BOM can offer our international partners essential support.'
SMEs
Visser explains why, despite its good track record working with major firms like DuPont, Fujitsu, BASF and Sony, Holst Centre called on BOM to help it target smaller firms through the new initiative.
Visser explains why, despite its good track record working with major firms like DuPont, Fujitsu, BASF and Sony, Holst Centre called on BOM to help it target smaller firms through the new initiative.
He says: 'A lot of large companies all have the same problem - they first need to see a €100 million market opportunity before they look to move on products.' SMEs are better positioned to exploit nascent demand for plastic electronics in fields like healthcare sensors, body area networks, low power gas sensors, and light out-coupling to increasing the luminescence of OLED lights.
Visser says: 'The good part of the story for companies that are not part of the Holst Centre family already is they now can make use of this knowledge to jump start their businesses, and build their own competitive edges on top of it. For cluster around plastic electronics people should think about integration of technologies available and making whole products.'
Local knowledge
Visser, who until November 2013 worked in the Lighting division of Philips, says: 'At the moment we are trying to establish clusters around the Holst knowledge centre. In order to have a solid working collaboration in this new domain you need to be within a certain geographical distance.' This means the new support will be limited to companies in the Netherlands and Belgium - the two states who initially contributed to the establishment and development of Holst Centre.
Visser, who until November 2013 worked in the Lighting division of Philips, says: 'At the moment we are trying to establish clusters around the Holst knowledge centre. In order to have a solid working collaboration in this new domain you need to be within a certain geographical distance.' This means the new support will be limited to companies in the Netherlands and Belgium - the two states who initially contributed to the establishment and development of Holst Centre.
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