New Brighthouse and Brightworks buildings festively opened
Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo has been growing rapidly in response to a fast-growing influx of companies and institutes focusing on innovation in the field of food, future farming, and the biocircular economy. Today, provincial executive member Stephan Satijn and Venlo’s Mayor Antoin Scholten festively opened the new Brighthouse building, as well as the Brightworks building, which had already been taken into use earlier this year.
With the establishment of several companies and institutes whose activities are all in some way related to the food chain, the Brightlands food innovation campus in Venlo has grown rapidly since it was first set up in 2017. Brighthouse and Brightworks will provide a new impetus to the campus’ further ambitions for growth. The buildings offer space for new laboratories, workshops, pilot production facilities, R&D, and offices.
The official opening ceremony was performed by Stephan Satijn, member of the Provincial Executive of Limburg, and Mayor Antoin Scholten. ‘The Brightlands Campus has proven that it plays a crucial role in bringing parties together. This is the place where entrepreneurs and scientists meet. This is the place where new ideas are born and innovation is sparked. This is the place where students breathe new life into the system. If there is an ecosystem that's being developed anywhere, it's here on campus. The opening of the new buildings shows that our approach is working and succeeding,‘ says Antoin Scholten.
‘The Brightlands Campuses, with their power to innovate, are of great value in moving toward sustainable economic growth. That's why Brighthouse and Brightworks are great meeting places for various parties,’ adds Stephan Satijn.
Specific Requirement
Brightworks has generated substantial interest from start-ups and scale-ups, and the first companies – including Innoveins Seed Solutions and Brightlabs – have since moved in.
Brighthouse, on the other hand, was designed with scalability in mind and offers its tenants a supportive environment that facilitates rapid growth. As flexibility is one of the key pillars of the overall design, the buildings can easily be tailored to the specific needs and requirements of their tenants. The Brighthouse concept was developed at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, where the third Brighthouse is currently under construction.
Boost
Brighthouse in Venlo has since leased three of its five storeys to Maastricht University, BVB Substrates/Kekkilä, and Pulse X Fellowmind, a newcomer on the Brightlands campus. Saskia Goetgeluk, CEO of Brightlands, confirms that ‘apart from celebrating the opening of the buildings, we are also celebrating the arrival of a new, high-impact tenant and the substantial expansion of two of our current tenants. That will give us quite a boost.’
Maastricht University
Dean Thomas Cleij of Maastricht University and founder of the Brightlands Future Farming Institute says, ‘The region, Maastricht University, and the campus all join forces here in Venlo. This enables researchers and students to set to work in the very heart of the region, surrounded by companies in the agrifood sector. We are literally neighbours: you see each other and start up a conversation, from which the most wonderful partnerships and innovations are born.’
Kekkilä-BVB
Guido Linders, Business Unit Director of European substrate giant Kekkilä-BVB: ‘The network that is created on the campus between our people and the companies, organizations, and research institutes here helps us – as a company – to more quickly and easily keep abreast of all the latest innovations and developments in the region. This allows us to respond even faster to the changes around us, and brings enormous benefits to our company. We gain inspiration and wonderful partnerships are initiated.’
Pulse X Fellowmind
Managing Director Ton Hagens of Pulse X Fellowmind: ‘Moving to the campus has resulted in more opportunities for cooperation within as well outside of the organization. Brighthouse is an ideal location for brainstorming with your colleagues as well as an inspiring place to invite your clients, and to seek cooperation with organizations in the immediate vicinity.’ Brightlands is home to a marvellous blend of well-known names, start-ups, and ambitious educational institutes. ‘As a company that helps other companies achieve digital transformation and become future proof in terms of production, commerce, and service, we look forward to being a part of this and naturally expanding and giving substance to our network.’
About Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo
Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo is part of the Brightlands innovation ecosystem in Limburg, whose four campuses are home to 800 companies and research institutes, over 15,000 employees and 13,000 students. At present, 74 business enterprises, 700 employees and 1200 students are active at Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo. The campus ecosystem focuses on healthy nutrition, future farming, and the biocircular economy, resulting in innovation in food production, nutrients, and alternative raw materials for consumers.
Please call Esther Gootzen on +31 (0)6-54395964 for more information.
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