We do this by redesigning and reusing products, components and raw materials and drastically reducing the use of natural resources. Innovative solutions are needed to curb the depletion of earth’s natural resources. Investing in innovation, maintenance and new earning models is crucial for a sustainable recovery of our economy and for moving towards an economy in which all the smart and cleanly produced goods remain in use for as long as possible.

This Strategic Innovation Investment Agenda (SIIA) shows what the East Netherlands has to offer. The SIIA was created in close cooperation between the provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel, the development company Oost NL and the regional economic network, Th!nkEast Netherlands and the Economic Boards.

We want to invest particularly in a sustainable circular economy and we are looking for partners to do so. In this document, we show where our focuses lie. Then, together with you, we would like to discuss which programmes contribute most to economic growth and a sustainable future.

Modern materials, such as plastics, textiles, composites and rubbers, have become part of our society. Looking at this physical flow of materials, our current economy is largely a linear one. We extract more and more raw materials, manufacture and use products, and discard them as waste. This consumer society has a number of drawbacks. Primary raw material extraction and the dumping or incineration of waste cause emissions into the air, soil and water. This has a negative impact on the climate, biodiversity and health. In addition, a linear economy makes us dependent on scarce raw materials from less stable or reliable countries, which entails strategic risks. Finally, we miss out on economic value because we do not (sufficiently) use valuable materials or product components or because we do not use products and materials efficiently.

More and more companies are looking for ways to combine sustainability and profitability. By focusing on a more circular economy, fewer primary raw materials are needed and we create less waste. This contributes to a better environment, less dependency on scarce raw materials and to new earning models and economic opportunities. The East Netherlands is therefore committed to a circular economy with the longest possible value retention for what has already been produced, and the smallest possible amount of waste.

These Strategic Innovation Investment Agendas East Netherlands are an initiative that is partly the result of the cooperation with the partners within Th!Nk East Netherlands and the regional Economic Boards.