Venture Café Rotterdam ensures the

interaction between the two interna-

tional hotspots through inclusive pro-

gramming, supported by CIC and ECE

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RotteRdam InnovatIon dIstRIctInternational hotspot for smart manufacturing

FACT SHEET

Located just west of the city center of Rotterdam and on opposite banks of the river the Maas, a unique ecosystem around smart manufacturing is rapidly emerging: the Rotterdam Innovation District. It is a hybrid zone between the exciting city cen-ter of Rotterdam and Europe’s largest port, creating unprecedented synergies. Entre-preneurs start new businesses here on a daily basis. They are attracted to the Rot-terdam Innovation District by its simplified legislation for experiments, the refurbished monumental port industrial heritage and a variety of platforms that supports their scaling-up and connects them to the regi-onal innovation ecosystem. Well-connec-ted over land, over water and of obviously digitally, a thriving urban waterfront is emerging with still plenty of room for yuccies (young urban creatives) to break existing boundaries: You’re invited to Make It Happen!

Rotterdam is gaining momentum as the Nether-lands’ most exciting city, alongside Amsterdam. Upon the completion of architectural icons such as the renewed Central Station and food-walhalla de Markthal, The New York Times, the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet identified Rotterdam as an inter-national must-see city. The city has also become a magnet for entrepreneurial talent, underlined by the recent establishment of the Boston-based Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC). The area where CIC chose to locate, the Rotterdam Central District (RCD), has been successfully regenerated and now acclaims metropolitan allure. On opposite banks of the river the Maas, just west of the city

center, a historic port area is becoming the very next - complementary - location in Rotterdam with great international appeal: the Rotterdam Innova-tion District.

November 2015 Stadshavens Rotterdam1 officially launched the Rotterdam Innovation District (RID). The RID is a large, raw area that is fully aligned with the dynamics of the so-called Next Economy, which is roughly defined as the transition from mass-pro-duction to mass-specialization and from stable to flexible. Within this Next Economy, manufacturing increasingly returns to the city. This manufactu-ring utilizes the possibilities the Internet offers: it is smart manufacturing. Sustainability is a prere-quisite. It is also strongly aligned with the princi ples of the sharing economy. For example, stu-dents, engineers and designers come together to experiment with new materials and technologies to make things in so-called makerspaces2 where they can share facilities such as 3D printers, scanners, lasers and CNC-machines. Innovations in smart manufacturing require substantially more interac-tion and quicker learning curves than traditional manufacturing. This is facilitated by co-location, creating an ecosystem over time. The RID is a pri-or example of such an ecosystem, rapidly growing and inviting more entrepreneurs to join.

RoTTERDAMTHE HAGUE

AIRPoRT

What makes the RID unique from all other Innova-tion Districts in the world3 is that water is elementa-ry; the RID embraces the river Maas. For example, high-speed water taxis and water buses connect the RID and the rest of Rotterdam. The elemental importance of water for the RID is also expressed by the continuing presence of the maritime indus-try, it will form a ‘hybrid’ zone between the city of Rotterdam and Europe’s largest port. Traditional port activities move away to make place for new port related smart manufacturing activities. As the maritime industry shifts towards digitalization of logistics, the use of robotics, sensors, inspection drones, new materials to build more sustainable quay walls or better ships, etc., a cross-pollination of the maritime industry and smart manufacturing creates unprecedented synergies. The strong pres-ence of the food, creative, clean-tech and medical industry in the RID creates even more possibilities for cross-pollination.

RDM RoTTERDAM

MERWE-VIERHAVENS (M4H)

NIEUWE MAAS

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01 Uit je Eigen Stad | 02 ECE | 03 Analyselab | 04 CleanTech Delta | 05 Declaree | 06 Dutch Domotics |

07 Erasmus MC Incubators | 08 LabHotel | 09 Omnigen | 10 Symbid | 11 Temporary Works Design | 12 TickID |

13 Viroclinics | 14 Solid Shapes | 15 Designdock Rotterdam | 16 SuGu | 17 Carola Zee | 18 CEAD | 19 Refil |

20 Robot Printing | 21 S.T.R.S | 22 Susan Bijl | 23 Ultimaker | 24 Windchallenge | 25 Made in 4Havens |

26 Studio Roosegaarde | 27 De Voedseltuin | 28 Opticool | 29 Santas Koffie | 30 Spark design & innovation |

31 HIWA Cold stores | 32 Continental Juice | 33 Ampelmann | 34 Albeda College | 35 Damen | 36 EICB |

37 IHC Merwede | 38 RH Marine | 39 Innovatiecentrum Kunststoffen | 40 iTanks | 41 Jules Dock | 42 Public

Domain Architecten | 43 RDM Centre of Expertise | 44 RDM Makerspace | 45 SkilledIn | 46 TU Delft (Robotics) |

47 Van Gansewinkel | 48 Zadkine (process technology) | 49 HR (automotive construction) | 50 HR (industrial

product design) | 51 Energy Floors | 52 IC Duurzaam Bouwen | 53 Franklin Offshore | 54 RH Marine |

55-59 Many more | Schiedam (selection) | A Huisman | B Damen | C Mammoet

(Clean) Tech

Creative

Financial serv.

Food

Facilitator

Knowledge institute

Maritime

Medical

Ambitions for the future development of the RID are high. The city government and the port autho-rity work together with a network of relevant sta-keholders to support these ambitions. Three core visionary principles define their common vision on this future development, and are identified as the main strengths of the RID to build on further:

• ExpERIMEnTs - Simplified regulation com-bined with world class facilities will continue to attract creative entrepreneurs to experiment in a real-life environment, to chase the extraordi-nary and explore new territory. Regulation will not limit or hamper innovation and self-control is actively promoted. Dedicated port basins will be made available for experiments with floating factories, farms and houses.

• spACE - The raw, unpolished and diverse at-mosphere typical for former port areas will be cherished. More monumental industrial heritage is refurbished for new businesses. The monumental buildings are contrasted with state-of-the-art office buildings and experi-mental housing, creating an interesting juxta-position. Within the RID, it is mainly the south bank of the Maas that provides ample space for prototyping and research – most educa-tional institutions are located here - whilst the much larger northern bank of the Maas pro-vides entrepreneurs with the necessary space for full-scale production.

• pLATfoRMs - A wide variety of companies, research institutes and universities provide platforms for direct access to talent, money and ideas. Leading-edge multinationals such as Am-pelmann, Continental Juice, Damen Shipyards, Studio Roosegaarde and Viroclinics connect to start-ups, incubators and accelerators. Innova-tion platforms such as the Erasmus Center of Entrepreneurship and the regional overarching Venture Café empowers entrepreneurs from the RID, catalyzes the development of new products and services and connects them to the regional innovation ecosystem.

PLATFoRMSConnected to the regional

innovation ecosystem

SPACEDeploying the archi-cultural

heritage for future wealth

ExPERIMENTSSimplified regulation,

promoting self-control

The visionary principles translate to efforts enhancing the freedom to experiment, creating more favorable meeting places and expanding the inclusive programming, respectively. A large-scale investment program for urban manage-ment, infrastructure improvements and public space enhancement will kick-start these efforts to transform the RID into an even more inspiring place to work and live.

In 2025, the RID is bursting with knowledge in-tensive innovative activities and one of the most prominent location for smart manufacturing in North-West Europe. Many of today’s businesses have scaled up activities and new business are still experimenting and innovating. Up to 2,500 residential units have been realized in the RID, creating a 24-hr buzz. The RID is physically more compact, fully (public) transit-accessible and tech-nically-wired. Also, it is the most prominent area in the city for the World Expo 2025 in Rotterdam.

1 Stadshavens Rotterdam is a cooperation between the City of Rotterdam and the Port of Rotterdam Authority

and is responsible for the transformation of former port areas in Rotterdam in the coming 20 to 40 years.

2 The RID is home to three complementary makerspaces: SuGu, RDM Makerspace and Madein4Havens.

3 Innovation Districts are found in Boston, Barcelona, Stockholm, Medellin, Montreal and many more cities. Urban

leaders in these respective cities use their Innovation Districts as impetus for their cities to attain a superstar status.

Join us! Together we can accelerate the Rotterdam Innovation District development.Please contact: Stadshavens Rotterdam, Lekstraat 14, Rotterdam, info@stadshavensrotterdam.nl, www.innovationdistrict.nl.