KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP GAINS MOMENTUM

Over €2 million for Venture Lab Twente

24 November 2009 

Venture Lab Twente, a new breeding ground for knowledge-intensive companies, has been awarded a €2.4 million subsidy. The joint initiative by the University of Twente and Saxion University of Applied Sciences offers ambitious, high-tech starters an overall package comprising training and coaching, an extensive network and facilities. The subsidy has been awarded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the EU-funded ‘GO Gebundelde innovatiekracht’ programme.

Over the next few years, Venture Lab Twente aims to help 350 entrepreneurs to set up or rapidly expand their companies. "Our target is 210 healthy businesses by the end of the programme, 30 of which have the potential to expand further to over 100 employees," Prof. Aard Groen, scientific director of the Dutch Institute for Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship (NIKOS) which designed the new initiative, explains. The entrepreneurs are given training and coaching in personal and team skills and also special training on technology entrepreneurship. The programme also introduces them to relevant networks of sponsors, academic researchers and fellow entrepreneurs. Venture Lab Twente also provides premises. "Our highly-intensive, integrated approach seeks to increase the chance of success and accelerate growth, so that we can make a substantial and sustainable contribution to the economy," programme manager Rob van Lambalgen elaborates.

Regional, national and European

The subsidy has been awarded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland within the EU-funded 'GO Gebundelde Innovatiekracht' programme. The Twente region and Innovation Platform Twente are also expected to contribute to Venture Lab Twente to bring subsidies to €3.5 million. The subsidies mean that costs for participants can be kept as low as possible.

Venture Lab Twente has been designed and implemented by the University of Twente's NIKOS institute, which has in-house academic expertise. NIKOS provides an international network of experts on entrepreneurship. Many years of experience have been gained in encouraging knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship in the East Netherlands region, for instance via the successful Temporary Entrepreneurial Positions (TOP) scheme and the 'Kansrijk Eigen Baas' programme. NIKOS is itself part of the Institute for Innovation and Governance Studies (IGS). Venture Lab Twente is a joint initiative by NIKOS and Saxion University of Applied Sciences.

Monthly info evenings provide more information on Venture Lab: in Groningen on 23 November and Enschede on 7 December, see www.venturelabtwente.com

Contacts for the press: Rob van Lambalgen, Venture Lab Twente programme manager, tel +31 (0)53 4896153, Prof. Aard Groen, scientific director of NIKOS, +31 (0)53 4896933 or Wiebe van der Veen, University of Twente communication, tel +31 (0)53 4894244 / (0)6 12185692