The end of the year invites looking back. Leonie Hussaarts: ‘For me, this means looking back on my first 8 months as director of Key Region Leiden, an organization in development with a clear mission:

• Accelerate innovation & connect knowledge clusters;
• Preserve space for work through future-proof business parks;
• Strengthen broad-based SMEs.

Our credo: without strong SMEs, no strong knowledge economy. And without strong knowledge clusters no future-proof region.

Results

A sampling of what we have put together since May 1:

• Kicking off Key Region Leiden on July 7: Science for life!
• ROM-B’s exploration of how to keep room for entrepreneurship in business parks in the future.
• Opening House of Quantum at BioPartner Leiden: key technologies reinforcing each other.
• Strengthening the team with colleague Jarra Schroijen, a nice next step in further building Key Region Leiden.
• Opening Comet Lab at NL Space Campus and designating Unmanned Valley as official BVLOS test area.
• Investments that carry through to the entire region: from Eli Lilly’s €2.6 bln to €146 million for accessibility and housing.
• Dozens of SME vouchers for digitization, because SMEs are the backbone of our economy.
• International recognition: DutchReview calls Key Region Leiden a science hub of significance.
• Leiden Bio Science Park at the forefront of the Red Biotech proposal “Biotech Nexus” as part of the Wennink Report.
• Valuable conversations with government, education, entrepreneurs and major companies from across the region.
• Meeting administrative Europe table and working visits to Brussels for international positioning and presentation of our white paper Quantum Life Sciences.

And last but not least: incredibly fun and valuable meetings with enterprising, smart, fine and motivated people from our region. What a joy to work here!

Why does this matter?

Because everything is connected and we need each other. Large knowledge clusters strengthen local and regional businesses. And precisely the broad SMEs form the backbone of our economy and the knowledge economy. Key Region Leiden is the place where 8 of the 10 key technologies from the National Technology Strategy come together. Together we make impact. Together we are the key to innovation.

Samen maken we de kenniseconomie waardevol voor iedereen

WE ARE KEY!

You are KEY, We are KEY! Follow us on Linkedin to not miss a thing and help build a strong, innovative region!

Key Region Leiden has the highest knowledge density in the Netherlands around eight of the 10 prioritized key technologies. Innovation and collaboration is key. In doing so, we are in close contact with our network of partners to quickly capitalize on opportunities. Short lines, lots of energy. With the drive to achieve social impact at all levels. For the region, for South Holland, for the Netherlands, for Europe, for life! Science for life.

At the time of writing, Key Region Leiden is five months underway and director Leonie Hussaarts has been in office for almost 150 working days. Time for an interview about what regional cooperation can mean for the knowledge economy and the broad range of SMEs in the Leiden region. [This article can be read in the December issue of Into Business].

Opportunities and growth

Much attention is paid to business activity at Leiden Bio Science Park, NL Space Campus and Unmanned Valley. The local economy also runs on entrepreneurs in business parks. Is there attention for both? “As director of Key Region Leiden, let me be clear about that,” says Leonie Hussaarts. “Without strong SMEs, there is no strong knowledge economy. And vice versa: the strength of our knowledge clusters actually provides opportunities and growth for the wider business community. Both can count on our attention.”

When knowledge clusters do well, SMEs benefit along with them.

Everything is connected

The national government announced major investments in our region. What is the connection with local business? “It all hangs together. From big to small,” Hussaarts explains. “Take the arrival of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly in Katwijk. They are investing 2.6 billion euros in a new drug production facility. This not only strengthens the Leiden Bio Science Park, but also creates 500 new jobs, 1,500 construction jobs and accelerates the construction of housing and roads. For example, the national government is investing millions in renovating Leiden Central Station and improving the rail connection to Utrecht. The new station will be the gateway to our region for visitors, residents, workers and new talent. The plumber or baker around the corner will also benefit from these developments.”

The plumber or baker around the corner also benefits.

Living and working in balance

The region has a major housing challenge. You often hear it said that housing cannot exist without work. How does Key Region view this? Hussaarts: “Maintaining space for work is essential. Business parks are the lungs of our local economy. However, these sites are nearly full. That is why we are exploring with partners the establishment of a Spatial Development Company for business parks (ROM-B). This investment fund can create space by redeveloping unprofitable real estate and building more compact and higher. Proceeds go back into the fund. This is how we enable growth for existing and new businesses. We will now enter into discussions with city councils about this approach and hope for support from the province and national government.”

Ready for the future

How does Key Region Leiden help entrepreneurs be ready for the future? “The future of SMEs lies in digitization and innovation,” Hussaarts says confidently. “That is why we have helped entrepreneurs with digitization vouchers, workshops and coaching to improve their earning power. The ‘Make digitization work for you’ project is now coming to an end, but we are exploring whether we can continue this successful initiative in 2026. At the same time, we are working daily to strengthen the connection between knowledge and the market. Not only for large companies, but especially for the broad SMEs in the region. We link education and research to entrepreneurial questions. In this way we ensure that new technologies and insights do not remain on the shelf, but land in everyday practice.”

The region needs to show up at the right consultation tables.

So the region is doing well?

“That’s true, but it doesn’t happen automatically. Key Region Leiden is a super interesting and talented region, we have that wind with us. But you have to show yourself at the right consultation tables,” said Hussaarts. “Building a relevant network is essential. Not only with partners in the region, but also at the provincial, national and European levels. What I love about this is the enormous energy I encounter everywhere. Great! Our partners should be proud of that. They have built this and I like to build on that.”

Building impact together

“It should be clear: the Leiden region has a unique concentration of knowledge, talent and entrepreneurship. We must tell that story clearly, otherwise we risk investments and subsidies going elsewhere. Now is the time to proudly show what we have to offer through our common story and a powerful lobby. We do that together. For our residents, our entrepreneurs and our future! Join us! Follow Key Region Leiden on LinkedIn and sign up for the newsletter.”

Welcome to KRL! Who are you and what are you going to do?

Thank you! My name is Jarra Schroijen and I started as the new secretary of Key Region Leiden since last week. Before I started at Key Region I was a student of history and then I completed the master African studies. In my new position as secretary, I help with practical matters such as structuring our documents and helping with communication. I also contribute to the content of how Key Region Leiden can strengthen our economy by focusing on our important themes: innovation, entrepreneurship and space & infrastructure.

Why did you want to work at Key Region Leiden?

During my internship at the municipality of Leiden, I found out how cool our Leiden region is. Where I previously knew there was a business park behind LUMC, I now became aware of how important the Leiden Bio Science Park is for the Leiden region and the Netherlands. I also found out that we have two more leading clusters in our region, NL Space Campus and Unmanned Valley. To contribute to those gives a lot of energy, so the choice was quickly made.

What struck you most in your first week?

The energy that radiates from Key Region Leiden. The various partners who have one goal in mind: a strong economy for the Leiden region. It is great to see that, when you work together, a lot is possible.

What do you do outside office hours?

In my free time, I like to engage in volunteer work, play music and read. Books about history and Africa I find interesting, but I’m sure that was obvious.

Good luck Jarra!

We are looking forward to the European Week of Regions in Brussels. With a delegation from Key Region Leiden, we are eager to engage in discussions with members of the European Commission and other regions we can work with.

Smart collaboration

Together we face the challenge of keeping start-ups and scale-ups in Europe. How can we cooperate in a smart way for this? From Key Region Leiden, we see many opportunities for developments in the field of Quantum Life Sciences.

Pilot region Quantum Life Sciences

Quantum Life Sciences is an emerging field that can make a big difference to people’s well-being worldwide.

Key Region Leiden is excellently positioned for this new field and is poised to serve as a European pilot region for Quantum Life Sciences, bringing together leading expertise in quantum technology, AI and life sciences/biotech/health. Science for life!

We look forward to meeting the network in Brussels!

• Check out our infographic (NL/ENG).

The Key Region Leiden Foundation Board, in addition to the incumbent chairman, has been joined by two new members. The board now consists of three members coming from the fields of government, education and entrepreneurs. They are the following directors:

• Chairman Wietske Veltman, alderman for the economy of Leiden municipality (center in photo);
• Secretary Willem Jan Zirkzee, chairman Entrepreneurship Leiden (pictured left);
• Treasurer Joeri van den Steenhoven, a member of the Executive Board of Leiden University of Applied Sciences (pictured right).

For now, representation from the knowledge clusters is through our director Leonie Hussaarts.

‘Together we are committed to strengthening the innovative power of our region. We are intensifying cooperation with the province, state and Europe and ensuring a stronger connection between innovative clusters and the local economy.’

We sincerely thank our former board members Martijn van Pelt (VNO-NCW Rijnland) and Otto Jelsma (mboRijnland) for their years of commitment to our agenda.

The photo below shows a large part of Key Region Leiden Steering Committee. Check out our partner page for more information.

 

On July 7 at the Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP), the renewed public-private partnership was launched for the Leiden-Katwijk-Noordwijk knowledge axis. Under the name Key Region Leiden, seven municipalities, three knowledge institutions, three entrepreneurial associations and three innovation clusters are joining forces to further strengthen the regional economy – built around 3 key sectors.

“With the LBSP, the NL Space Campus and Unmanned Valley, the region has gold in its hands,” said Wietske Veltman, Leiden alderman for economic affairs and chairman of Key Region Leiden “These three clusters are all unique in the Netherlands and of great importance for health, safety and European strategic autonomy. Together they form one innovation region that we are further strengthening with this public-private partnership. This is how we work on the economy of the future and the broad prosperity of tomorrow.”

From fundamental knowledge to application

Key Region Leiden brings science and application together. Within the 3 innovation clusters – bioscience, space and unmanned systems – 8 of the 10 key technologies are being worked on. From fundamental research at Leiden University and LUMC and technical ESA/ESTEC projects to high-tech companies converting this knowledge into groundbreaking innovations

Those applications were highlighted in Plus Ultra by entrepreneurs and researchers from the innovation clusters;

• Meatable offers a solution to the climate impact of meat consumption with cultured meat.
• Soilspect uses satellite data to help construction projects run more efficiently.
• ANWB Medical Drones is working on a nationwide network of medical delivery drones.
• Huschka Security provides security for these knowledge-intensive businesses and links to the local economy.
• The practorate of mboRijnland and the lectorate of Hogeschool Leiden explained the value of practice-based research.

MBO Rijnland Board President Otto Jelsma talked about how the collaboration between research, education and business for training and retaining talent is being addressed. “By training together and binding talent to the region, we not only strengthen the innovation clusters, but also precisely the broad-based SMEs. That is crucial for a future-proof economy.”

Leonie Hussaarts, Key Region Leiden director, summed up the afternoon nicely “Thanks to this collaboration, we can share knowledge much faster and smarter and engage in surprising crossovers. From quantum in drug development to shared use of cleanrooms. This is important for the Netherlands and Europe because it allows us to maintain our key position in these crucial areas. It is also important for all inhabitants of this region because thanks to this flourishing (knowledge) economy we can build broad prosperity together “

Three top clusters and eight of ten key technologies

Key Region Leiden focuses on three sectors important to Europe’s health, security and strategic autonomy:

Bioscience

With 519 organizations and more than 26,000 employees, the LBSP is the largest life sciences and health campus in the Netherlands and also the fastest growing campus in the Netherlands (Buck consultants 2024). This is where the therapies, drugs and vaccines of the future are being developed. For example, work is being done on organ models on a chip that make animal testing unnecessary and on vaccines that can be administered via a nasal spray.

Esther Peters, LBSP director: “The Leiden Bio Science Park is the largest life science & health cluster in the Netherlands. Bio science is number one of the 12 growth markets defined by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and life sciences as 1 of 10 key technologies is important for the growth of our national economy. If we want to maintain our leading position in Europe and continue to contribute to the future of health and technologies of tomorrow, we must invest today in infrastructure that supports our growth. We like to do this together with our strong region. In addition, Life sciences & health is increasingly driven by Data & AI. The cross-pollination in the region, with space technology and data and drones, accelerates the development of this knowledge and applications with tangible impact.”

Space

The NL Space Campus has grown around the technical heart of the European Space Agency; ESA / ESTEC. Here more than 125 companies come together and more than 4,000 people work. Not only precision components for satellites are developed but also space technology is used for solutions to societal issues such as flexible energy storage in iron ore.

Marc Sandelowsky, director NL Space Campus: “We see that momentum and attention to space technology and data has greatly increased as a result of the current geopolitical situation. The Netherlands can now cash in on its position as host country of ESA/ESTEC and fully support companies working with space technology. With this collaboration, the wider region now fully supports this “.

Unmanned systems

Unmanned Valley is the largest campus in the Netherlands in the field of unmanned systems. Here, systems are developed and tested for air, road and water. The drone sector in Europe is expected to at least double in the coming years.

Theo de Vries, director Unmanned Valley: “The demand for drones has increased exponentially, both for societal applications, such as crop inspection, and for security purposes. At Unmanned Valley, companies are given support and space to develop and test new models; for use in the air as well as on land and underwater.”

Within these clusters, 8 of the 10 key technologies from the National Technology Strategy are being worked on, including quantum technology, AI and data.

Leonie Hussaarts; “The Draghi report clearly shows that investing heavily in a strong innovation climate is vital for Europe. High-tech, space and medicine are explicitly named as crucial. By investing in innovation in these areas as a knowledge region, we contribute to this task and keep innovative entrepreneurs in the Netherlands. “.

Important for all activity in the region

Key Region Leiden is more than just high-tech and bioscience. The region is firmly committed to connecting with the local economy and on space for business.

“Key Region Leiden is a compact region where every square meter counts. In order to continue providing space for both the knowledge economy and the local economy, we must focus on compacting, making our business parks more sustainable and greening them. We want to do this through the development of a Spatial Development Company (ROM-B),” said Jacco Knape, alderman in Katwijk and administrative booster of the ROM-B.

We are also actively working on a Key Region Leiden pillar that connects the knowledge economy to the local economy.

Martijn van Pelt, board member at Key Region Leiden and chairman of VNO-NCW Rijnland: “Studies, such as from research firm Atlas, show that the knowledge economy is truly the engine of economic development in the region. However, those knowledge-intensive companies also need suppliers and their employees a vibrant hospitality industry and nice retail offerings. We are committed to all entrepreneurs in the region “.

Broad prosperity for all residents

The knowledge economy contributes enormously to the earning power of the region. This generates revenue that can be reinvested in amenities for all residents.

Wietske Veltman: “The LBSP has provided the municipality of Leiden with 56.9 mln over the period 2014-2022. That is more than 7 mln per year that we can invest in facilities for our residents. Strengthening the knowledge clusters thus contributes to maintaining the broad prosperity of the region.”

Otto Jelsma, MBO Rijnland board chairman: “What many people don’t know is that about 40% of the jobs at LBSP are filled at the MBO level. These are professionals with very special experience. Thanks to the cooperation with companies and governments within Key Region Leiden but also within specialized initiatives such as the Centra voor Innovatief Vakmanschap, we ensure that companies can find those professionals and that employees can gain interesting new knowledge.”

450 years of scientific tradition

In Key Region Leiden, science is brought to businesses to shape solutions to social problems. This fits with the scientific tradition in Leiden and the surrounding area; Leiden University was founded in 1575 as the first in the Netherlands and has largely shaped the pioneering mentality in the region.

Karin Horsman, director of strategy and academic affairs Leiden University “As a university, we place great importance on connecting with society and business. For example, thanks to all the companies at LBSP, we see that the fundamental knowledge we build up within the university and LUMC is transformed into therapies and medicines that directly make a difference in people’s lives. Strengthening this further is in keeping with our social mission”.

Building on 10 years of triple helix collaboration

Key Region Leiden is building on 10 years of triple helix cooperation within Key Region Leiden. The past year has seen an intensive development, with fundamental choices being made and new members joining. In addition to the three knowledge clusters, this includes the municipality of Noordwijk, which has become a partner specifically to strengthen the knowledge economy.

• Check out our Key Region Leiden Infographic.

The Leiden region has everything it needs to make an impact in Europe: key technologies in bioscience, space and drones, strong triple helix collaborations and an ecosystem where innovation is literally within cycling distance. But how do we smartly approach the way we work towards Brussels? We talked about this during the Europe Table. Led by Mayor Peter Heijkoop of the City of Leiden, a number of speakers took us through the possibilities and opportunities.

Pooling goals

MEP Jeannette Baljeu: “Cooperation at the European level is not a luxury, but a necessity. Bundle your goals and be very concrete. That way you can make an impact as a region. That does require the region to be very aware of its own strengths.”

Partnerships

Karen van Dantzig (Dutch Urban Envoy) outlined the new direction of the European Commission: “The strength of regions lies in their ability to translate European ambitions into concrete innovations. Ecosystems such as in the Leiden region – where key technologies converge – show how regional cooperation can contribute to strategic European goals. Partnerships that forge broad coalties in the process stand out in Brussels.”

Solutions

Paul de Bruijn (Committee of the Regions): “The key to European influence lies in cooperation. Only if we tell one story as a region can we reach Brussels. MEPs listen for solutions that work – and we have them. By joining forces, we increase our visibility as well as our clout.”

Trump in control

Many insights were shared during the meeting that call for a follow-up. The challenge now is to come up with a joint EU approach together, in which we actively bring the solutions from our key sectors to Brussels. What does that mean in concrete terms? Smart cooperation on innovation and R&D, across municipal borders, where coalitions with like-minded regions within Europe is also a smart strategy. Connecting (programs for) startups and scale-ups from the bio science, space and unmanned systems sectors. The Leiden region holds a trump card in this regard, as nowhere will you find so many key technologies together!

The next step? On July 7, we will launch our new name and direction as a regional cooperation. With that story, we will set out together, including towards Brussels. Follow us not to miss it.