Delft University of Technology is the first university in the Netherlands to enter into a partnership with the recently established ASR Dutch Science Park Fund. The cooperation focuses on the financing, development and exploitation of real estate for companies and scale-ups that want to settle on the TU Delft Campus. This will further strengthen the innovative ecosystem around Delft University of Technology.
The first projects in which Delft University of Technology cooperates with the fund include the development of a multi-tenant building and a lab. For X! Delft, the new programme in which large companies work together with researchers on the TU Delft Campus on new technologies, a collaboration with the fund is obvious as well.
Multi-tenant building
“Collaboration with companies is important to develop new technology and knowledge into products and services that benefit society,” says Nicoly Vermeulen, Vice President Operations of the Executive Board. “Delft University of Technology stimulates this by supporting startups, developing field labs and through X!Delft. With the Science Park Fund we ensure that these companies also get a nice place on the TU Delft Campus. ”
The arrival of the multi-tenant building is important for startups that are becoming too large for business incubator YES!Delft. The accommodation of those companies is now under pressure because there is no suitable property available in Delft. The startups themselves prefer to put their money into the development of their product instead of new buildings. The result is that many companies are leaving Delft. There is enough demand: research shows that until 2025, companies need around 30,000 m2 of office and manufacturing space.
Shared ambition
Delft University of Technology itself does not invest money in real estate for companies. The Science Park Fund is expected to be successful, because it is different in design: by developing properties at different universities in the Netherlands for different types of tenants, a responsible risk profile is created and exploitation will become profitable.
Delft University of Technology does not invest in the Science Park fund, but does have control over which companies are allowed to settle on the campus. Potential companies are tested for, among other things, the degree of cooperation with Delft University of Technology, whether there is a shared ambition and their contribution to the community on the TU Delft Campus.
