A European innovation hub worth watching

Innovation hub meaning 

There are various definitions of innovation hubs. The most common meaning is that innovation hubs are a place that facilitates subject-matter expertise on technology, knowledge and strategic innovation management, and industry-specific insights. On the one hand, you have these hubs that enable active knowledge transfer between researchers and business experts, and on the other hand, industry, government and representatives of academia. And on a broad spectrum, global innovation hubs are cities or metropolitan areas that can lead the flow of global innovation elements and influence the efficiency of resource allocation, drawing on their unique advantages in science and technology innovation. 

Outstanding innovation hub in Europe 

The Eindhoven region is a true innovation hub in the South of the Netherlands named the best performing Dutch economic region in 2020, even during a global pandemic. Companies such as Philips, DAF, VDL Groep, and Philips' spin-offs ASML, Thermo Fisher Scientific (former FEI), and Neways Electronics and knowledge institutes such as the Eindhoven University of Technology, and research institute TNO have made the region famous for its technology and innovation. Eindhoven produces an unequalled high number of patents per year, considering its relatively small population. The region is also home to the world's smartest square kilometre and an inordinate number of hardware startups. 

Innovation leader and global frontrunner  

Recent research by the European Patent Office EPO shows that Brainport Eindhoven leaves cities such as London, Munich, Stockholm, and Paris far behind in innovative power and confirms Southeast Brabant's image as a global frontrunner in innovation. When it comes to patent applications in the fourth industrial revolution, Brainport Eindhoven leaves Europe behind entirely and is in the 15th position worldwide. Brainport is also constantly ranked as an innovation leader on the regional innovation scoreboard (RIS), an instrument used by the European Commission to rank the innovative strength of European regions. 

An innovation ecosystem with strong focus on deep tech 

Investors are also attracted to the innovative power of Brainport Eindhoven. Techcrunch surveyed several investors that indicated Eindhoven as an essential European tech hub with a strong focus on high tech hardware and deep tech. The respondents suggest that the region's strength lies in areas like photonics, robotics, medical devices, materials science, deep tech, automotive tech, sustainability tech, Medtech, Big Data, hardware and precision engineering.  

Brainport Eindhoven a ‘tech city to watch’ 

In its Tech Cities 2021 research program, International real estate consultant Savills is seeing global shifts under Tech Cities due to the increasing attention for welfare in society. Thanks to the pandemic, some are reassessing ‘what makes a good place to be.’ Wellness and health matter more than ever when it comes to location decisions. Eindhoven seems to have benefitted from this behaviour change. A city’s access to open space, cycle networks, and clean air have risen in importance. Savills has labelled the Eindhoven region as a Rising Global Tech Contender and a tech city to watch that also covers its residents’ needs in wellness, health, and everything above. 

Among the best tech cities in Europe to work and live 

Relocator platform Movehub indicates that Eindhoven is among the top seven best tech cities in Europe for finding work. Next to other European cities such as Tallinn, Amsterdam, London, Berlin, Stockholm and Lisbon. Movehub refers to Eindhoven as one of Europe’s most exciting and fast-growing tech hotspots. Moreover, Eindhoven is also in fifth place of ECA International’s ranking for most liveable locations for European expatriates. 

Large community of international engineers, scientists and IT specialists 

The Brainport Eindhoven region has a large and fast-growing international community as it is a magnet for engineers, scientists and IT professionals such as data scientists and AI professionals. “Eindhoven is a lively and very international city, “ says Lucia Fonseca from Portugal, who works at Philips as a biomedical engineer. “So much is going on here in the Brainport ecosystem. I have a lot of friends here who work on improving the future, such as green mobility, the batteries of the future, etc. You find like-minded professionals here, and each brings their own culture and perspectives. Therefore, to anyone considering moving to Brainport Eindhoven, I would say just come and try it. You will definitely extend your network, grow personally and have a great experience.” 

Are you interested in finding out more about Brainport Eindhoven, its technologies, companies, DNA, its quality of life or are you interested in finding Tech and IT jobs in Eindhoven? Then take a look at the Brainport Eindhoven website.