Imagine a business area where more than 140 high-tech companies and institutes are located - such as ASML, Philips, IBM, Intel and NXP. All together it employs more than 10,000 people of 85 different nationalities. A wide space, with lots of green and even a major lake, yet so compact that everything is within walking distance: we are on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, "the smartest square kilometer of Europe" as they like to call it.
The business park, originally the place where Philips Research (the NatLab) was located, in 2003 opened up for other companis. Until now the campus has continued to grow every year; even during the years of crisis new companies kept coming. For general director Frans Schmetz there is still plenty of room for expansion. "I would like to grow to 13,000 employees and 160 companies within three years."
Rents on campus are higher than on an average business park. Schmetz: "We are not too expensive, but quality does have its price. We are Silicon Valley in miniature, on a stamp as it were. We offer everything that a company could wish for. We have so many facilities, I would not know what to add."
"You're paying more rent here than on an average industrial area somewhere else", agrees Heico Sandee, founder of the startup Smart Robotics, a sort of employment agency for robots. "But the campus has something special: all the companies here are working in the same sort of business: to develop high-tech innovations. You won’t be surprised to find an Ikea or some other warehouse next to you all of a sudden, and that makes for a pleasant atmosphere.
"The network and the atmosphere are unique, says Martijn van der Linden, communications manager at chipmaker NXP. "You are surrounded by people who are engaged in high-tech. That automatically creates a connection, which is good for your network. You know your neighbours." Evert Rietdijk, managing director at Segula Technologies, calls the campus an appealing location. "This helps for example when we want to hire new people. When you can say that they come to work on campus, people are immediately impressed. "
Most of the day it's quiet on the campus; everyone works, mostly within the walls of their own buildings. But around midday offices run empty and the paths are filled with strolling people: lunchtime. At the Strip - a building 400 meters long containing cafeterias, restaurants, shops, a hairdresser and a gym - groups of colleagues are moving around. Every day about 4,000 people eat on the Strip. "It is really buzzing around here," says Huib van den Heuvel, director of Solliance. "Once you get there it feels very international, because you hear people talk in lots of different languages." If he has foreign guests on campus, he usually eats in Grand Café Colour Kitchen. "There you are served. But when I go to lunch with colleagues, we take a walk around the Strip or the lake, and we get some food from the supermarket. It is very easy to meet somewhere here, that's one of the best things of the campus life."
The catering facilities are a means to emphasize the real distinguishing point of the campus: the open innovation culture. Clear example is the sharing of research facilities, such as cleanrooms and equipment. You need a microscope? Just rent one for an hour. A lab needed? Just walk in and you can get started. Robbert Daan, marketing director of Philips Innovation Services: "Companies can focus on their core competences, and they don’t need bother about the purchase conditions or expensive equipment." Even teams or specialists you can hire. And robots. Daan: "We get a lot of corporate demand for specialists who are only needed for a few months. Or they hire a certain team for let’s say two years. The big advantage is that in this way they can get people who are attuned to each other and know the campus.” Managing director Evert Rietdijk of Segula for example makes extensive use of shared facilities. "We're a relatively small company on the campus, so we really enjoy all the facilities of the campus. This saves time, now we can concentrate on the things that really matter to us."
The high level of productivity becomes visible if you look at the number of patents being requested. On average, four patent requests come from Eindhoven verey day, which is about 40 percent of the total number of patents in the Netherlands. Forbes Magazine Eindhoven thus called the "most inventive city in the world."
The campus is committed to share its bright minds with the world. There are about 200 events each year, often related to knowledge sharing. "I often go to business activities organized by the campus," says Martijn van der Linden from NXP. "An open day, a lecture. I'll meet colleagues from other companies and because you're all interested in the same sort of topics, it’s easy to arrange a meeting." These events are not held only to satisfy the existing companies. It is also an effective marketing tool to attract new businesses. Schmetz: "An efficient way to meet potential new neighbors."
And after the first meeting, the High tech Campus offers a soft landing for foreign companies that are interested: the Campus Partner Program. "We can tell you how well it all works here, but it’s always better to see for yourself. Hence we offer foreign high tech companies the free use of all of our facilities for two months. You get an introduction and will be accompanied by one of our account managers. The opportunity of a lifetime, I would say."
