Valorisation is the key word for the project Linking Knowledge to Market: benefiting from scientific knowledge and technology. Economie071 wants the existing knowledge in the region to lead to increased activity: not only jobs for the highly educated, but also for the broad base of the economy at MBO level (mid-level vocational education) and for suppliers. By leveraging knowledge, everyone in the region benefits.
Benefitting from Existing and New Knowledge
The Leiden region is a world player in the field of Life Sciences & Health. Having around 85 specialist life sciences businesses, the Leiden Bio Science Park is the largest sciences knowledge cluster in the Netherlands. Knowledge companies and life sciences related production facilities are also located elsewhere in the region.
Knowledge valorisation is primarily about translating scientific research into business. This can be achieved in many ways, for example by establishing a centre for entrepreneurship but also by bringing scientists and entrepreneurs together to discuss specific themes such as healthcare, vitality or logistics.
Moreover, the project is not only about deriving benefits from new knowledge. Opportunities have become apparent elsewhere, in existing businesses at the Bio Science Park and Bloemenveiling Flora Holland to name but two.
There are relatively few business relationships between these companies and the local / regional SMEs. How this situation can be improved is being looked into.
The project “Linking Knowledge to Market” is being set up by the district Katwijk. The project is currently working on an inventory. This shows that there are already many initiatives for achieving this goal. A theme-based approach, such as used 25 years ago for bio science, would again seem to be the most successful. Above all, it is important that the right players and networks are involved. In this context, successful examples found elsewhere are being analysed, such as Greenport.
The plan for this project will become more detailed in the coming months. This will include proposals for selecting themes and planning the next steps to be taken. The approach should lead to a process for linking knowledge to the market which can also be applied to other themes in the Leiden region.