By September 2017, a building of 12.000 square meters will arise at the corner of High Tech Campus Eindhoven. After all official procedures have been concluded, building will begin at the end of this year. 

The Smart Industry Hub will be filled with office space, research labs and warehouses. The Hub is specifically build to attract Small and Medium Enterprises (SME). Which is the missing link in a variety of companies on the Campus, according to Frans Schmetz, Managing Director at High Tech Campus.

Schmetz can’t give the exact figures. “But the building will cost double-digit millions to build”, he says. The Hub, which will be rented out to companies in a range of different compartments, should eventually house around ten to fifteen companies.

"If the first Hub is a succes, we will build again.

Risk
Schmetz: “In building this, we are definitely taking a certain risk. But this is embedded in the way we work on campus. We always work with companies that are focussed on innovation, they explore new terrains, which means there always will be an uncertain future.”

Still, the investment group that owns the Campus, has given the nod to go ahead with the building. The group, lead by Marcel Boekhoorn, purchased the campus from Philips in 2012, a deal which transferred a total of 425 million Euro to Philips.

Vacant space
But the risk taken, is calculated. “The amount of office space that is vacant on campus is below one percent”, Schmetz says. In the rest of the city, vacant office spaces are much higher. In 2014, it was still between fifteen and twenty percent. “That’s a big difference. Over the years we’ve noticed that companies like to be on the Campus, surrounded by others, all aimed at doing the same innovative work. We’re convinced the Hub will be filled with companies.”

Those that are interested in coming to the Hub, can choose between three different spaces: An office, a research lab and a warehouse. When the buildings finished, by September 2017, the way the buildings space is divided, will not be set in stone. “We don’t want the compartments to be pre-fixed. Parties that are interested should point out how much room they want to use and we will make sure the required space will be there.”

The cost for the spaces to rent, will be ‘substantially lower’ than the costs for other spaces on the Campus, according to Schmetz. “They have been fitted to match the budget of the SME we want to attract. They’re competitive with offices on a place like the Hurk in Eindhoven.”

They might be competitive, yet the price for a spot on campus is higher than a spot at the Hurk. “Financially, yes the rate is higher here, but we make up for that by provinding a surrounding filled with companies that are focussed on High Tech innovation. Other places don’t offer that.” That approach has paid off so far. Since the campus was sold in 2012, the amount of High Tech companies on site has grown from 100 to 145, putting a total of 10.734 people to work everyday.