Innovation does not happen in a vacuum. Behind successful companies lie essential enabling conditions such as the valorisation of knowledge, access to capital, facilities, and collaboration. When these conditions are in place, innovations can find their way to market much more quickly. It is no coincidence that the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) is fully committed to strengthening and future-proofing ecosystems.
That this approach is also gaining national recognition is evidenced by the report The Route to Future Prosperity, written by former ASML CEO Peter Wennink at the request of the Dutch government. Dietvorst – ten Tije recognises much of BOM’s own work in it. “It talks about the right conditions, about innovation ecosystems, and about creating focus. That is exactly what we at BOM have been working on every day for years.”
BOM takes a very targeted approach in focusing on innovations that have the potential to contribute to societal transitions in the fields of health, food, and energy, Dietvorst – ten Tije explains. “We see technology as an accelerator of these innovations.”
The Wennink report focuses on the Netherlands’ future earning capacity. It identifies concrete conditions that need to be in place to enable entrepreneurs to innovate. “Ecosystem development is precisely about that: the entire context in which innovative companies operate,” Dietvorst – ten Tije explains. “Entrepreneurs can only grow if the system around them functions properly. We intervene in that system to make it more effective.”
Ecosystem model
That may sound abstract, and sometimes it is. But by being actively involved in these ecosystems on a daily basis, BOM’s programme managers make it tangible. They do so using an ecosystem model that consists of ten elements.
One key pillar of this model is the availability of facilities. Earlier this year, for example, a new innovation centre for medtech and biotech opened at the High Tech Campus Eindhoven, where companies can make use of shared labs and cleanrooms. “Facilities like these are essential,” says Dietvorst – ten Tije. “For an individual startup, they are often unaffordable, but without this kind of infrastructure, you simply cannot move forward.”
Another element of the model is legislation and regulation. In some cases, regulations can slow down innovation, for instance when introducing innovative plant-based ingredients that help accelerate the food transition. “We don’t make the rules,” Dietvorst – ten Tije emphasises. “But we do play an important signalling role towards The Hague and Europe. When entrepreneurs consistently run into obstacles, we make sure those signals reach the right decision-makers.”
From exploration to execution
A large part of ecosystem development takes place in what Dietvorst – ten Tije calls the “preliminary phase.” It starts with exploration: where are the opportunities? What challenges are entrepreneurs facing? What questions do they have? And where is the sense of urgency strong enough to trigger action? This is followed by programming: building a concrete programme or project together with partners, funding, and a clear objective. Then comes execution.
“That preliminary phase may sound somewhat process-driven, but it is essential for building support,” says Dietvorst – Ten Tije. “Without thorough exploration and programming, no projects emerge that truly bring about change.”
A compelling example is Brabant House of Cyber, an innovation coalition that brings together businesses, educational institutions and governments to strengthen the digital resilience of Brabant-based companies and realise innovations in the field of cybersecurity. Ultimately, this is also expected to lead to new economic activity in Brabant.
A budget of €14.5 million has recently been allocated to this initiative, primarily by the Province of North Brabant. “BOM played an important role in the preliminary phase by analysing what was already happening and which parties needed to connect,” says Dietvorst – Ten Tije. “But above all by putting this theme on the agenda. After all, cybersecurity is a fundamental precondition for economic growth.”
There is now a concrete plan in place. Among other things, the coalition is focusing on the development of new security technologies (security by design), training programmes that prepare more people for careers in cybersecurity, and solutions to help companies become more digitally secure.
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International collaboration as an accelerator
Brabant’s ecosystems do not operate in isolation, but form part of (inter)national value chains. That is why BOM also strongly focuses on this from an ecosystem development perspective. It does so, for example, through interregional innovation programmes such as ACE. Within this programme, BOM connects entrepreneurs working on healthcare innovations with partners across the border.
In the agri-food sector, BOM links innovative food entrepreneurs from Belgium with demonstration and production facilities in Brabant—and vice versa—through the Food Pioneers Accelerator programme. And in the field of hydrogen, BOM works together with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) on a programme that enables Dutch manufacturing companies to enter the German hydrogen market.
“International innovation collaboration does not happen automatically,” says Dietvorst – Ten Tije. “It is preceded by a thorough process of exploration and connection. That is exactly where ecosystem development makes the difference.”
More than ten years of defence
One ecosystem that has visibly matured in recent years is the defence ecosystem. “We have been actively investing in this from BOM for more than ten years,” says Dietvorst – Ten Tije. “Geopolitical developments in recent years have only increased the sense of urgency.”
This has led, among other things, to the establishment of BITS, a collaboration between BOM, Brainport Development, and the Ministries of Defence and Economic Affairs. The aim is to connect innovative civilian companies with defence needs. This model of regional innovation hubs has since been rolled out nationwide (the so-called ODIN network).
Integrated collaboration within BOM
BOM has three core competencies: investing, developing and internationalising. Within a focus area such as Defence, these competencies come together seamlessly, Dietvorst – Ten Tije observes. For example, venture developers involve ecosystem developers in business plans to assess how realistic they are within the broader market context.
In addition, an increasing number of cross-overs are emerging between the six focus areas in which BOM is active. “For example, our energy specialists are consulted by companies from the plant-based network that want to make their operations more sustainable,” says Dietvorst – Ten Tije. “Connections like these make us stronger as an organisation and add extra value for companies and for societal transitions.”
Looking ahead
In 2026, BOM will place an even stronger emphasis on circularity, Dietvorst – Ten Tije says. “Circularity is increasingly determining the viability of business models.” BOM supports companies in applying circular solutions, tailored to each focus area.
This ranges from plastics recycling and CO₂ capture to pilot projects on circular water use and nutrient recovery, as well as preparing healthcare organisations for new circular regulations. In the manufacturing industry, BOM helps companies develop raw materials strategies.
On 1 January, for example, the innovation coalition IC Circular Semicon officially launched. This coalition focuses on circularity within the semiconductor industry. Its ambitions are being translated into concrete action at the Brainport Industries Campus (BIC), where work is underway on a triage centre in which used components are assessed, dismantled and routed to parties that can reuse them.
Digitalisation supports the transition to circularity. AI is already being applied in areas such as predictive maintenance and smart software. “But to develop truly impactful AI applications, access to large-scale computing power is essential,” says Dietvorst – Ten Tije. “That is why BOM is working together with TU Eindhoven, Tilburg University and the Province of North Brabant on the AI Supercomputing Initiative Brabant, enabling companies to innovate in socially relevant AI applications, such as early disease detection.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Dietvorst – Ten Tije also hopes to take further steps towards the realisation of smart energy hubs. These are local, decentralised energy systems that enable solutions for sustainable generation, storage and distribution. “Because without electricity, everything simply stops. You can’t run a business without it,” she says matter-of-factly.
The foundation of innovation
By definition, ecosystem development is focused on the long term. As a result, success is not always immediately measurable. This requires patience and interim milestones. But anyone who reads the Wennink report and looks at what is happening in practice in Brabant can see just how essential this work is.
Ecosystems form the foundation for innovation, entrepreneurship and future prosperity. Dietvorst – Ten Tije concludes: “It may not always be visible, but without strong ecosystems, innovation simply cannot flourish.”
