Greenhouse horticulture likes to point out how innovative it is. While that is true, innovative companies run into the fact that gaining access to the horticultural community is not so easy. As an outsider, try speaking the grower's language and getting space to test in a greenhouse.
This spring, therefore, the HortiScience Innovation Centre (HIC) was launched in Lansingerland. It is an initiative of the municipality, WUR, Delphy, StartLife, and YES!Delft. On Thursday 14 November, they organized a Startup Exhibition, where about eighty visitors were presented with a plenary program and a tour of the greenhouses. But even more important: it was possible to network with numerous start-ups present.
Soon during the plenary program, Lansingerland alderman Leon Hoek and Monique van Wordragen on behalf of WUR concluded that there are relatively few start-ups active in horticulture. Both parties want to do something about this through the HIC. It is an initiative from the municipality of Lansingerland, but although alderman Leon naturally considers it "the most innovative greenhouse horticultural municipality in the Netherlands", there is certainly also good cooperation with Westland and the Dutch Fresh Port, Barendrecht region, he hastens to add. "Together we have gold in our hands."
Leon Hoek (Lansingerland municipality) and Monique van Wordragen (WUR). View the photo report of the afternoon here.
But how will the HIC then help in concrete terms, day chairman Evert Jaap Lugt wants to know from Monique. "With our partners, we can offer start-ups everything they need," Monique says. The most important thing is to "better target" research, or in other words make sure it is well aligned with practice. In other words, market-driven research.
Leon cites the example of space travel. A lot of money was spent on research there, and there has also been criticism. Because: space travel, is a distant concept for many. Yet the councilor points out that thanks to those investments in the past, many techniques from space travel are now being put to good use in numerous sectors.
An example of one such space-age start-up is Skytree. During a tour of the greenhouses of WUR and Delphy, participants will meet Fred van Veldhoven, among others. CE-Line, Voltiris, Sigrow, and Koidra will also get a visit.
Fred van Veldhoven of Skytree at the Cumulus unit running in WUR's greenhouses. View the photo report of the afternoon here.
On behalf of Koidra, Fokke Kracht talks on stage about the challenges of gaining a foothold in Dutch horticulture. "A grower would prefer someone else to take the first step first," he says.
Chairman of the day Evert Jaap Lugt, Fokke Kracht (Koidra) and Eric Poot (Delphy). View the photo report of the afternoon here.
Koidra stems from multiple successes in the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge. Currently, the American-Vietnamese start-up is testing at Delphy. The company focuses on autonomous growing based on insights from botany. Later during the tour, Fokke receives compliments from a well-informed visitor. "I hear in the market that you guys are ahead of the curve. How come?"
Jildou de Jong of Thermeloen and Willem Kesteloo of Fotoniq can also talk about the challenges for start-ups in horticulture. Both are now well on their way, but in the case of Fotoniq, the technology might never have reached horticulture if an idea had not been born during a bike ride among the greenhouses in Westland. The HIC wants to start attracting start-ups to horticulture, and help start-ups connect with practitioners, with growers.
Jildou de Jong (Thermeleon) and Willem Kesteloo (Fotoniq). See the photo report of the afternoon here.
The latter is not entirely easy at the end of the afternoon. When Willem asks growers to raise their hands, no hands go up. However many policymakers were re-energized on Thursday afternoon, and new contacts were made between start-ups and participants. And that contact with those growers, that will 'come naturally'. And if not, the HIC will lend a hand.
HIC's next event? Padelles, on 31 January 2025.
View the photo report of the Startup Exhibition here.
For more information:
HortiScience Innovation Centre
[email protected]
www.hiceu.com