‘Building an innovative and inclusive region together’

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Written by Brainport Eindhoven
Brainport PartnerfondsMaatschappelijkStrategie & OrganisatieOndernemenOntdek Brainport

Philips committed to the future of Brainport: ‘This region is a driver of innovation and the national and international economy’

The success of the Brainport region will lead to significantly more jobs and residents in the coming years. The region is gearing up for a jump in scale, but that also puts pressure on society. Every resident of the region should be able to participate, but that will not happen automatically. In addition to support from the government, the business community is investing in measures in the areas of talent development, accessibility, housing, facilities, equal opportunities and social cohesion through the Brainport Partner Fund. Philips is one of the companies that have joined the fund. President Sylvia van Es: ‘Since Philips produced its first light bulb in Eindhoven in 1891, we have been at the forefront of many technological innovations that have helped shape the Brainport region.’
 

That Philips was one of the first to join the fund is no surprise, as the company's commitment to the region is deeply rooted. Sylvia van Es, president of Philips Netherlands, sees it as a natural responsibility to contribute to the quality of life in Brainport: ‘Corporate social responsibility is in our DNA. Ever since our establishment, we have had an eye for the community. Nowadays, you can see that, for instance, through our role in the association Brainport voor Elkaar, which focuses on the welfare of the community.’ 

Another good example of that attitude is the Philips Employment Plan (WGP), which has been supporting people with a distance to the labour market for 40 years. ‘Through this, we offer jobseekers a year of paid work experience, combined with personal coaching. Since the start, some 13,500 people have participated, 70% of whom successfully progressed to a job. This is unique in the Netherlands,’ said Van Es.

Shaping the Brainport region

Since Philips produced its first light bulb in Eindhoven in 1891, the company has been at the forefront of countless technological innovations that have helped shape the Brainport region. Van Es: ‘Partly as a result, this region has developed into a major driver of innovation in the national and international economy. Today, we focus on innovation in healthcare to enable better care for more people. We are still a major investor in research and development in the region and the Netherlands.’ 

Philips invests around 700 million euros a year in innovation in the Netherlands, much of it at its campus in Best and the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven. ‘Brainport plays a huge role for Philips and our 6,500 employees in this region and our activities worldwide. Many of our innovations, which contribute to better healthcare worldwide, are developed here. We are proud that we were at the foundation of Brainport and see enormous innovation potential. Not just for big companies, but also for startups we need to help grow, as we do through support for the Gerard & Anton Awards.’

Accelerating innovations in healthcare

One of Brainport's core strengths is cooperation between companies, government and knowledge institutions - also known as the triple helix. Van Es cites the Eindhoven MedTech Innovation Centre (e/MTIC) as an example. ‘Here, Philips, TU/e, Catharina Hospital, Máxima Medical Centre and Kempenhaeghe work together to accelerate innovations in healthcare. Thanks to short lines of communication and close cooperation, we can apply technology faster, for example in the field of AI in healthcare.’

According to Van Es, this joint approach is essential to tackle the challenges of the future. ‘Healthcare systems worldwide are facing increasing pressure, both financially and due to staff shortages. Technology and innovation can make a difference by giving healthcare providers more time for patients and enabling people to take better care of their own health.’

Major challenges for the region

Brainport's rapid growth has numerous visible and invisible effects. ‘The region attracts talent from all over the world, which creates a diverse and highly skilled labour market,’ Van Es explains. This encourages not only big companies, but also startups and young businesses. 

Despite the successes, Van Es also sees major challenges for the region. ‘We must continue to invest in education and talent development. It's not just about data scientists, but also engineers working on the devices we build here. Training new talented entrepreneurs, technicians and researchers is crucial for the future , so that they continue to enable innovation.’ She also highlights the importance of entrepreneurship: ‘Entrepreneurship is the engine of our economy. We must continue to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship; this is where the rest of the Netherlands can learn a lot from how we do it together in Brainport.’

Fully exploiting Brainport's potential

According to Van Es, the Brainport Partnerfonds is crucial for future-proofing the region: ‘The fund contributes to equal opportunities, a balanced labour market, housing construction and better accessibility. The fund creates the conditions that enable us to keep innovating.’ But more is needed to support growth, she says immediately. ‘We need support from The Hague and Brussels. Only then can we fully exploit Brainport's potential.’

The region's success also brings responsibilities, Van Es notes. ‘Brainport belongs to all of us. With the Partner Fund, we can work together towards an inclusive, innovative and future-proof society. Together, we make the difference.’

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