Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited the province of Groningen on a working visit and visited Campus Groningen to see and hear about their new innovations. The Prime Minister was impressed, “This is high-tech, this is the Netherlands at its best.”
The working visit focussed on the long-term economic agenda which is part of ‘Nij Begun’, a comprehensive package of measures for damage repair, strengthening efforts, and providing social and economic aspects for Groningen and North Drenthe.
The goal here is to make these regions attractive for work, learning, studying, and investment. The most important points are sustainable energy, health, and agriculture.
This included the visit to Campus Groningen, an innovation and research hub. There Rutte got to try one of the Groningen inventions: the plant-based eiwitterbal, which is a healthier version of the traditional bitterbal. It was developed through a regional collaboration project aimed at creating new, healthier products from sustainably grown crops, allowing him to experience the taste of innovation.
The prime minister was given a tour of the Innovation Centre of Royal Avebe on Campus Groningen and was offered insights into innovation and collaboration in the region. Various aspects of the future of agriculture were highlighted as well.
Rutte was also given a presentation by Marcel van der Sluis, owner of CBO CarbExplore, on innovation from the user’s perspective.
Photo: Geert Job Sevink
