Theme
Collaboration in innovation ecosystems
Build your own Foodvalley
Learn how to develop a thriving agrifood innovation ecosystem
Around the world, regions are asking the same question: How do we build a successful innovation ecosystem like Foodvalley? How can companies, knowledge institutions and government work together to strengthen competitiveness and accelerate innovation?
The Netherlands offers a unique opportunity to explore this question from the inside. Through direct engagement with partners that helped shape it, international visitors can experience how a regional initiative evolved into a globally recognized agrifood innovation ecosystem.
From knowledge cluster to coordinated ecosystem
Foodvalley grew from a strong concentration of agrifood expertise around organizations such as Wageningen University & Research and NIZO Food Research, combined with entrepreneurial drive, public support and active collaboration between companies.
This so-called ‘triple helix’ of business, knowledge institutions and government working together accelerates innovation and brings new solutions to market.
Meet the people behind the ecosystem
Building a successful innovation cluster requires alignment between many different actors. Companies, startups, researchers and policymakers each have their interests and roles.
During a visit, delegations can engage with:
- Cluster managers and ecosystem coordinators
- Entrepreneurs and startups operating within the innovation ecosystem
- Researchers working with industry partners
- Policymakers supporting innovation and regional development
This multi-perspective approach reveals the complexity behind successful ecosystem building.
What makes an innovation ecosystem work
Creating an innovation ecosystem requires more than infrastructure. It depends on several critical foundations: a clear value proposition for companies, active matchmaking and business intelligence, professional governance, diversified funding sources and constant investment in stakeholder relationships.
Success ultimately depends on people willing to create new and sometimes unexpected connections.
What FoodX offers
Because the Netherlands is geographically compact and internationally oriented, visitors can combine meetings with ecosystem architects, company visits and strategic roundtables within a few days. The result is a deep, realistic understanding of what it takes to build and sustain a successful innovation cluster.
If your region, ministry or development agency is exploring how to develop a Foodvalley-like ecosystem, we would be pleased to design a tailored program. You will meet the people who built it, the companies who benefit from it, and the partners who continue to shape its evolution.
Building an innovation ecosystem is about understanding the mechanisms behind it and translating them into your own context. The Netherlands offers you the opportunity to learn from experience.
Example program elements:
- Ecosystem overviews and briefings on the Dutch ‘Diamond’-model of collaboration
- Meetings with public authorities shaping innovation policy
- Visits to innovation campuses and shared research facilities
- Exchanges with startups and scale-ups operating within the ecosystem
- Workshops and expert meetings focused on building and strengthening innovation ecosystems
Interested?
Would you like to explore the Dutch ecosystem for innovation and collaboration? We will gladly discuss the possibilities of a tailored program that includes this topic with you.
Explore related themes
Collaboration in innovation ecosystems is closely connected to other areas of food innovation. A FoodX program can combine multiple themes, allowing you to explore related topics.