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

The SIIA has been set up around five themes: digitalisation, prevention and medical technology, smart energy, the smart production of sustainable food, and a sustainable circular economy. These are five important pillars for the further development of innovation in East Netherlands to meet the major social challenges that the world is facing. We particularly want to increase our impact with capital and knowledge along the lines of these pillars. For this, we are looking for partners in the Netherlands and Europe.

In this document we show where our emphases lie. We would like to talk to you about possible collaboration and mutual complementarity. In this way, we can together contribute to a strong and clean economy and to a strong earning capacity of the business community. And thus to a sustainable future.

Christianne van der Wal
Provincial Executive member for Economy 
of the Province of Gelderland

Eddy van Hijum
Provincial Executive for Economy 
of the Province of Overijssel

Wendy de Jong
Managing Director of Oost NL

Our society faces major challenges: in healthcare, energy transition and in the field of food and sustainability. This calls for devising and deploying innovative solutions and scaling up tried and tested practices. In the East Netherlands, this happens every day. As a result, we have something valuable to offer to the world.

As the East Netherlands, we invest in data-driven knowledge and innovation, crucial for a sustainable and strong economy. At the same time, we are tackling the accelerating green and digital transitions. With investments in a healthy living environment and innovation, we stimulate employment and contribute to affordable, personalised and accessible health care.

East Netherlands has an active network of knowledge and innovation clusters in which companies, educational and research institutes, collaborate. They also realise innovative solutions for integrated energy systems for decentralised generation, storage, conversion and use of sustainable energy. These solutions are brought to the market at an accelerated pace, thus strengthening the competitive position of the entire Netherlands.

Our region has a strong and broad primary (agricultural) sector. Together with knowledge institutions and agri & food technology companies, they come up with integral solutions for sustainable food production worldwide. In doing so, we focus on a circular economy. This means prolonging the value of what has already been produced and keeping waste to a minimum.

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.