ImpactCity bookazine 2021 - spread by ImpactCity

Welcome to

ImpactCity Table of contents

ImpactCity

Discover why ImpactCity was founded, how doing good & doing business is combined and how impact makers are supported.

Rabobank

Discover the vision of longterm ImpactCity partner Rabobank through a conversation between Director Harry Wientjes and Director Peter Kievoet of the municipality of The Hague.

Binckhaven

Binckhaven is the heart of The Hague’s impact ecosystem. Discover the different offices such as Apollo 14, de Titaan and the Caballero Fabriek.

Entrepreneurs of the City

From new energy solutions to food circularity and innovative educational tools: time to meet some of the impact makers.

New Energy

Humanity Hub

Apollo 14

ImpactFest

In conversation with Deputy Mayor Saskia Bruines, to discover how The Hague is transitioning to- and investing in new energy solutions. From supporting entrepreneurs, to actively collaborating with key partners.

Impact hub Apollo 14 is the central spot in the Binckhaven for impact startups to come together. Meet some of its residents and learn more about the facilities.

Hack the planet

Tech and data innovations can be used to address global challenges. Hack the Planet is an initiative that does just that. Such as with their project ‘Hack the Poacher’, to stop wildlife poaching.

The Hague Innovators

Funding is crucial in the process of developing an idea. The Hague Innovators Challenge is focusing on selecting and awarding the best ideas with cash prizes to make that next step a reality.

SolarDew

Water is a scarce resource for many across the world. Startups like SolarDew want to change this by bringing innovative and (financially) accessible solutions to the furthest corners of the world.

The Humanity Hub is the driving force in The Hague to bring impact makers who focus on humanitarian innovations together, to work on a more peaceful and just world.

ImpactFest brings impact makers together from around the world and provides a unique opportunity to meet global impact investors, take a deep dive with knowledge experts and exchange experiences.

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

“The impact economy is what the world needs right now.” Meet the DRK Foundation, one of the first impact investors out of Silicon Valley.

Hubs of the City

Working alongside likeminded impact-driven innovators is inspiring and motivating. That is why The Hague makes room for and connects with hubs in and around the city.

But there is more! Such as the impact database with Dealroom (14), the energy map (34), Startup in Residence (61), the interview with Idriss Nor from the DOEN Foundation (69), Campus@Sea and its residents (70), the Get in the Ring – Impact Competition (88) and the interview with Seepje founder Jasper Gabrielse (96).

Colophon ImpactCity was launched in 2015 and is part of the municipality of The Hague. info@impactcity.nl Editor in Chief Ananda van Welij Final editing Michael Blass Contributors Steffie Verstappen Ananda van Welij Mirte van Dijk Sharon Martens Coos Santing Barbara Waltmans Fransje de Gelder Irene Samwel The Hague Business Agency Photography Cover: Corné Bastiaansen Nico de Voogd Fleur Beemster Henriëtte Guest Unknown Group Municipality of The Hague © Articles from this book may only be reproduced with written permission from the publisher.

• P R E FAC E •

Here in The Hague, international city of peace and justice, people have been working to make the world a better place for more than 100 years now. Ever since the first International Peace Conference was held in The Hague in 1899, our city has been a global beacon for peace and justice. Over 200 international organizations, along with countless research institutes and knowledge hubs are based here. Every day, people in The Hague work towards creating a peaceful, just and secure world. ImpactCity was created from this DNA. It is an ecosystem for entrepreneurs and market leaders that combine doing business with doing good. After several years of investing with our partners in an infrastructure and network that best serves companies and organizations in the impact economy, the city has become a haven for impact entrepreneurs, NGOs and investors from around the world.

‘IMPACTCITY AIMS TO BE A LEADING EUROPEAN IMPACT ECOSYSTEM’ Jan van Zanen • Mayor of The Hague 6

ImpactCity aims to be a leading European impact ecosystem where entrepreneurs work on innovations to create a better world. Here they will find strong support and an ideal network to help them achieve their goals. And we will continue to support them as the frontrunners in the transition to a new economy based on the core values of sustainability and equality. Because the impact economy - in which society and profit go hand in hand - is the only way forward. A cause that the city of The Hague, ImpactCity, is dedicated to. Whether you work in the fields of climate, new energy, water, food or humanitarian innovation, ImpactCity aims to bring together people who are committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Innovation and technology are essential to reach these goals. We need to push innovations which are the essential building blocks for a sustainable economy. Together we can tackle the challenges the world is facing. I am proud of all the people who, as impact makers, contribute to addressing the global challenges on a daily basis to help build a better world. This bookazine provides an introduction to ImpactCity, The Hague’s dedicated ecosystem and its impact makers. And I would like to invite you to join us, to combine doing business with doing good and drive innovations for a better world. Jan van Zanen Mayor of The Hague

• INTRODUCTION •

ImpactCity is facilitating entrepreneurs and frontrunners who work on innovations for a better world, who combining ‘doing good & doing business’.

he Hague is an inviting, intimate seaside city that brings together people from all corners of the globe to work on key challenges, make important decisions and help build a better world. It is the seat of the Dutch government and is internationally renowned as the city of peace and justice. To address global challenges effectively, public and private partnerships are formed within the ImpactCity network on themes such as climate, new energy, water, food, and humanitarian innovation. Together they work, share their knowledge and develop new ideas. Global issues, such as those formulated under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), require innovative solutions, and The Hague provides fertile ground for these solutions to grow. ImpactCity’s primary goal is to

The ImpactCity programme helps to start, grow and establish entrepreneurs in six areas:

FINANCE

We facilitate access to local, national and European funding through various programmes, such as the ‘Make Impact: Get EU Funding’ programme, which helps entrepreneurs qualify for a European subsidy.

VISIBILITY

Making the unknown known: ImpactCity, its partners and all the participating startups and scale-ups work hard on their visibility to increase awareness and their impact, both online and offline. create an optimal climate in The Hague in which ‘impact makers’ are in pole position to tackle societal challenges. The Hague is home to more than 200 international institutions and organisations that are committed to creating a better world – a number which is rapidly increasing thanks to all the entrepreneurs working to combine ‘doing good’ & ‘doing business’.

www.impactcity.nl

TALENT

Access to talent is an important factor for growth. Global issues which are formulated under work with universities, colleges and other partners on a wide range of initiatives, we invest in sustainable entrepreneurship programmes, and we connect students, graduates and other job seekers with partners from the ecosystem.

NETWORK

Meaningful connections accelerate innovation, impact and scaling. ImpactCity The Hague invests heavily in meeting places and (inter)national crossover events between startups, government bodies, international companies, institutions, NGOs, UN departments, knowledge centres and thousands of small creative entrepreneurs. Our flagship event is ImpactFest, attracting more than 1,600 impact makers a year.

INNOVATION

Innovation needs space to develop and grow. Facilitating innovation is done on many levels, such as support for experiments both on land and the North Sea, connecting impact entrepreneurs and government departments with challenges through the Startup in Residence programme and more.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Startups and scale-ups need physical space to grow. The Hague, therefore, has several co-working spaces in various price segments. Some have been adapted for specific domains, such as tech, impact economy, sustainability, humanitarian innovation and cyber security.

• INTERVIEW •

Rabobank The Hague Region has been a partner of ImpactCity since 2019 and has recently renewed the partnership for another two years. Together we will continue to support entrepreneurs who focus on the new sustainable economy, making the city and region of The Hague the ideal place to establish and grow an impact-driven business. In this short joint interview, Harry Wientjens, Director of Rabobank The Hague Region, and Peter Kievoet, Director of Economic Affairs, Mobility and Spatial Planning at the Municipality of The Hague, explain why Rabobank and ImpactCity cooperate so intensively. What is your vision of The Hague as an impact and business city?

RABOBANK: A LONG-TERM LOYAL PARTNER OF IMPACTCITY Harry Wientjens & Peter Kievoet 10

• PA RT N E R •

→ Harry Wientjens:

‘In recent years, The Hague has developed as a city which brings together not only government, big companies, research and academia, and international organisations, but also entrepreneurs and other people who want to make a positive impact on the world. In The Hague, people are actively driving the transitions that the world needs. This is receiving international recognition. The arrival of major international impact organisations such as the Draper Richards Kaplan (DRK) Foundation, with which we also work, is a prominent example of this. Our mission is ‘Growing a better world together’, and the common thread is that you have to collaborate. By working together, you’re literally able to create more impact. This is why we’re partnering with ImpactCity to support entrepreneurs who make social impact and also have a successful business model.’ Peter Kievoet: ‘As an international city of peace and justice, The Hague’s focus on a strong ecosystem around a new, sustainable economy is a perfect match with the city’s DNA. We’ve been doing this for several years with ImpactCity, and it’s also clearly reflected in the Municipality of The Hague’s economic vision. The new sustainable economy offers unique economic opportunities for our city, from both a local and international perspective. We can make the most of them if we offer our entrepreneurs the right facilities and support. This is only

• PA RT N E R •

How does the partnership between Rabobank and ImpactCity aim to benefit impact entrepreneurs?

→ Harry Wientjens:

‘Rabobank wants to help entrepreneurs grow their company sustainably by providing financing, knowledge and a network. We think about every phase of a company’s life. Our startup and scaleup team established specifically for the first phase is a good example. The team can offer access to Rabobank’s large international network, introduce entrepreneurs to relevant investors, establish connections with other businesses and, of course, offer advice on Rabobank’s various financing products. Another good example is our Members’ Council. The members are experienced businesspeople and sector experts who make the time to discuss ideas with entrepreneurs and help them take the next step. Finally, in partnership with ImpactCity, we hold masterclasses for entrepreneurs.’ Peter:

→ Peter Kievoet: ‘This ties in very well with ImpactCity’s services. The activities focus on the range of matters that are crucial for success, such as providing a valuable network and giving access to financial support – for example, in European funding applications. We understand that it’s important to pay attention to all the different phases that innovative entrepreneurs go through. One might benefit more from a warm introduction to the right investor, the other from a cash prize, like that of The Hague Innovators, to support the early concept or go-tomarket phase. But we also see that thanks to the strong ecosystem in The Hague, our close municipal involvement with ImpactCity, and the connection with programmes such as Startup in Residence, we can really make a difference.’

At Rabobank, what major developments do you foresee in the sustainable economy in the coming years and what opportunities are there for entrepreneurs in the Hague region?

• PA RT N E R •

possible with strong partners in the impact economy, which is why we’re so happy to be continuing our long-term collaboration with Rabobank. We’re really going for this together.’

→ Harry Wientjens:

‘Based on our mission, we support our customers and regional ecosystems to increase wider prosperity in a way that is future-proof. We focus on transitions and projects in which we can really make an impact in collaboration with our customers and partners. For example, with the municipality of The Hague, we’re running a Food Waste Challenge for the hotel industry, in which several hotels are taking up the challenge to reduce food waste. And we’re working with the Diverzio Foundation to help a number of our large clients in the healthcare sector to access healthy, tasty and sustainable food. These kinds of innovations that can benefit a lot of people in the city are precisely what is important. The bank’s services increasingly go hand in hand with achieving positive social impact. To us, the one is no longer separate from the other.’

www.rabobank.nl/bedrijven/startups-en-scale-ups

• PA RT N E R •

In 2020, ImpactCity decided to partner with Dealroom to create the largest platform in the world for global impact and the innovation ecosystem. Founded in 2013, Dealroom is a global provider of data and intelligence on startup and tech ecosystems. The new platform was launched at ImpactFest on 27 October 2020. The goal is to accelerate purpose-driven entrepreneurship and innovation through better data. The impact and innovation platform bring together startups, investors, non-profits, governments, and corporates in one openaccess data-driven platform. Offering a new map of the global impact and innovation ecosystem, the platform will facilitate data-driven policy and decision making, provide for cross-industry knowledge sharing, and foster the partnerships required to help next-generation innovators succeed on the global stage.

BUILDING THE LARGEST GLOBAL IMPACT AND INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM PLATFORM Dealroom 14

In November 2021, the database catalogued 8,000+ startups and scaleups, 12,000+ funding rounds, and 600+ innovative companies addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. The open-access platform powered by Dealroom, in partnership with ImpactCity, Danske Bank, and Tech Nation, draws on the partners’ collective impact, data, and innovation expertise to create a new digital home for impact and innovation, aided by the support and insight of supporting partners Progress Tech Transfer Fund, +impact, Impact First Investments, GITA, Exponential View, Planet+, Tech2impact, Bethnal Green Ventures and 2150, and media partner Sifted. For ImpactCity The Hague, the database is an invaluable source of intelligence, and it enables us to monitor developments within the ecosystem by making the data accessible. We also collaborate with Dealroom to produce an annual report on the global impact and innovation ecosystem. The report shows the growth in investment in impact startups worldwide and the increase in a number of jobs. The 2021 report showed that the ImpactCity region is responsible for one in four impact jobs in the Netherlands. According to Yoram Wijngaarde, founder and CEO of Dealroom, the outcome demonstrates the crucial work ImpactCity is doing in the ecosystem. Focusing on the Impact Economy pays off in the long run.

www.dealroom.co

Binckhaven

Binckhaven is rapidly developing and evolving from a run down inner-city business area into a contemporary multifunctional and cool urban area. The three harbours in the Binckhorst district function as anchor points in this development. One of them is Binckhaven, where a number of vacant industrial buildings have been converted into coworking spaces like De Besturing and Apollo 14, and offices from three signature companies: Q42, Secrid, and GreenFox. The area’s accessibility has been improved with the opening of a new road, the Rotterdamsebaan, which connects the central motorways of the Randstad conurbation, and is to be further enhanced with high-quality public transport. Construction work has started on iconic projects such as One Milky Way, Frank is een Binck and the Nieuwe Hallen. Where in past decades the ‘old industry’ left its mark, the new sustainable economy will become increasingly significant in Binckhaven.

Startup and scale-up scene Binckhaven has become the hub and showcase for The Hague’s impact startup scene. It is home to the Caballero Fabriek, in which 200 creative companies are based, plus Apollo 14 which is the home of impact makers. In 2022, the Titaan will be opened to provide startups with a space to grow and scale.

www.binckhaven.nl

Binckhaven is the heart of The Hague’s impact ecosystem, where everything revolves around ‘doing good & doing business’. It offers an innovative and experimental environment where startups, scale-ups and creatives make a positive impact every day.

Caballero Fabriek The Caballero Fabriek (CabFab) is a multifunctional multi-company building for innovative, creative and cultural companies. Originally a cigarette factory, the building now hosts creative minds and activities in the fields of multimedia, graphic design, photography, advertising, ICT, communication, events and architecture. Not just any business can rent space at the Caballero Fabriek; a condition is that the company must be creative, innovative and complementary to current tenants.

• HUBS •

Binckhaven

www.cabfab.nl

Apollo 14 Apollo 14 is the impact hub for entrepreneurs, organisations and investors who contribute to a better world through technological and social innovation. Located in Binckhaven, and part of The Hague’s impact ecosystem ImpactCity, Apollo 14 is a vibrant an inspiring place for startups to join forces with other impact makers. www.apollo14.nl

De Titaan The Municipality of The Hague is investing in the realisation of a new creative business complex, De Titaan, for scale-ups outgrowing their initial offices. Reinforcing Binckhaven as the impact street and hotzone of The Hague, De Titaan will focus on scale-ups working on innovations for a better world. De Titaan is located just next to the Caballero Fabriek and will be completed in 2022. www.titaan.nl

• ENTREPRENEURS •

GreenFox Social Return GreenFox focuses on contributing to: Decent work and economic growth

GreenFox started in 2009 as a social enterprise for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market. At Saturnusstraat 47 in the Binckhorst, a highly motivated team is working for a better future for people who are unemployed. In cooperation with the City of The Hague, GreenFox is constantly looking for opportunities for its participants. The organisation helps companies and the government to achieve the goals of Social Return, the Participation Act and Buy Social, as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Together with a wide network of social enterprises, GreenFox helps companies to incorporate ‘Buy Social’ and have a positive impact with their purchasing policy and decisions and supports people in returning to the regular job market. GreenFox Social Return believes that everyone deserves equal access to the job market.

www.socialreturn.nu

Secrid Secrid focuses on contributing to: Decent work and economic growth Responsible Consumption and Production

Secrid has been producing the secure wallet since 2009. The company has 120 employees. Fifty suppliers (400 FTEs) are involved in the production, three of which are sheltered workshops (over 100 FTE). Secrid aims to make a social contribution with the manufacturing of its wallets by offering people who are disadvantaged in the labour market the opportunity to work in one of these workshops. www.secrid.com

• B I N C K H AV E N 2.0 •

Over the coming years, several new building projects will be finished in and around Binckhaven, preparing the area for a bright future. Innovation impact entrepreneurs will be able to start and scale their businesses, enjoy a drink with their colleagues and mingle with the residents of the new houses and apartments.

Frank is a Binck Frank is a Binck is a cool, multifunctional landmark that will be the new entrance of the Binckhorst, offering a total living and working experience. The project comprises cafes and restaurants with apartments above in the former Van Klingeren wing, a coworking space with open workspaces, and a flexible living concept that

offers space for both rented social housing and owner-occupied apartments. The building gives a contemporary interpretation to architect Frank van Klingeren’s philosophy of creating cohesion in society, or ‘de-clotting’.

Nieuwe Hallen The plan for the ‘Nieuwe Hallen’ is that of a dynamic and healthy living and working climate for entrepreneurs in The Hague and internationally oriented businesses. The Nieuwe Hallen will be line with the historical use of the original buildings, and the existing quality of the industrial heritage ensemble combined with the innovative character of De Binckhorst. The program is supplemented with catering and small-scale retail to enhance the vibrancy of the area. Suitable housing is added in phases: lofts, 3-generation homes and residential-work homes, 30% of which are social rent.

www.mei-arch.eu/projecten-archief/nieuwe-hallen

www.stebru.nl/projecten/frank-is-een-binck

Nova The Nova tower will bring together working and living in the innovation area of the Binckhaven and the Binckhorst. The construction of the 183 apartments is set to finish in 2024. Nova is built with high-quality and sustainable materials. For example, the facade is formed by prefab concrete elements, insulation and a concrete inner leaf. The aluminium frames are finished with an anodized layer, so that they don’t split. What’s more, because nature is part of a healthy lifestyle, the building incorporates natural features, with a moss-sedum roof, a green façade and nesting boxes for birds and bats, and is surrounded by an area full of native flowering plants, teeming with butterflies and insects.

Elera Under the same development as Nova, Elera will feature threeroom apartments, leaving the entire ground floor available for commercial operations and businesses (135m2). www.pleijsierbouw.nl/pleijsier-bouw-bouwt-groene-woontorennova-op-maanplein-in-den-haag/

• ENTREPRENEURS •

Saltrex focuses on contributing to: Zero Hunger

Saltrex offers companies worldwide the best circular solutions for the reuse and recycling of commodities, damaged and brand protected goods or food related products. Manufacturers, logistics service providers and their insurers are confronted daily with damaged but still usable raw materials or surplus stock that has to be disposed of. Although unusable for the owner, the

remainder can still have a lot of value for other. The transparent and safe Saltrex Auctions platform gives these goods a second chance. Saltrex Certified Reuse & Recycling (CRR) makes the link between companies and the available waste solutions and technologies, helping businesses to find the best options for certified reuse and recycling of waste and resources, from handling cargo track and trace to checks and certification.

• ENTREPRENEURS •

Saltrex

www.saltrex-crr.com

VanBoven VanBoven focuses on contributing to:

The Hague has become the place where networks and expertise meet. The local and international network of The Hague connects NGOs, research centers, knowledge institutes, companies, governments and many young and creative entrepreneurs who want to make a difference. With sustainable development goals in mind, these remarkable startups and scale-ups manage to add real value, have social impact and scale their business. We would like you to meet some of these impact makers here, but also check out the ImpactCity website, where you will discover many more that are part of the ImpactCity community. www.impactcity.nl/en/company

Responsible Consumption and Production

The fresh vegetable market is one of the constant shortages and surpluses. VanBoven predicts the harvest of fresh produce to perfectly align supply and demand. The result is decreased food waste, a resilient value chain and fair prices. Growing fresh vegetables is a real art – a complex process in which growers dance with nature. It has always been hard to predict the optimal time to harvest and the resulting yield. If the yield rises unexpectedly, growers are left with a large stock of perishable products. Food waste can be prevented by temporarily increasing demand through collaboration in the value chain. VanBoven offers the exact window of opportunity to make such fine-tuning possible. VanBoven was founded in 2019 by three entrepreneurial friends who set out to unleash the power of data in the fresh vegetable value chain. With a growing team of young and ambitious engineers, they’re working hard towards a smarter and more sustainable future. www.vanboven.io

At higher altitudes, there is sufficient wind to power the world’s growing renewable energy demand. Ampyx Power is developing a utility utility-scale Airborne Wind Energy System (AWES) with tethered wings that fly at 200 metres to convert stronger winds into electricity. This compact system avoids the use of heavy towers and foundations, providing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for the production of wind energy. Our planet’s survival depends on a sustainable energy future. Although existing technologies are creating progress towards this goal, to accelerate the energy transition we need to unlock additional sources of sustainable energy, such as wind power at high altitudes. The AWES requires much less material to construct, smaller foundations, and less infrastructure. It has the potential to be a highly cost-effective way to harvest wind energy by increasing the usability of deployment sites for offshore re-powering, deep off-shore and remote on-

BBBLS focuses on contributing to: Affordable and clean energy

In the world of horticulture, there is a striking paradox: while greenhouses provide many advantages, their energy consumption and carbon footprint are questionably large. The ability to grow pure, flavoursome food in volume without generating this carbon footprint continues to be a challenge.

shore. By developing innovative, elegant and material-reducing solutions, Ampyx Power is leading the way in meeting tomorrow’s energy demands. www.ampyxpower.com

Solar Monkey Solar Monkey focuses on contributing to: Affordable and clean energy

In 2014 the founders of Solar Monkey saw a rapidly growing yet inefficient solar energy market. They spotted a big opportunity: enable installers to grow more quickly by simplifying their processes.

• ENTREPRENEURS •

Ampyx Power focuses on contributing to: Affordable and clean energy

• ENTREPRENEURS •

BBBLS Energy Saving Greenhouses

Ampyx Power

BBBLS was born in 2012 in response to this issue. Their goal is to make it possible to grow healthier food, with better flavour, for a larger number of people, with a significantly lower energy use, and a dramatically reduced carbon footprint. BBBLS uses soap bubbles to create dynamic insulation and shading for greenhouses, producing an energy saving of up to 80 per cent and enabling horticulture to become net zero. Thanks to radical innovations, they are able to build double-pane greenhouses using a special kind of foil so the roof and walls can be entirely filled with bubbles! At the heart of their business are genuine people who care about what we eat and the world we live in. After many years of trial and error, research and development, BBLS is now convinced that it is possible to build net-zero greenhouses that also increase revenue at higher margins for the grower.

Solar Monkey’s innovative software allows solar installers to design a full system remotely within one minute. This helps their efficiency, giving the solar panel market a major boost. Over 100,000 systems a year are now designed using Solar Monkey.

In December 2021, BBBLS received a 1.2 million euro subsidy from the European Commission under the REACT EU program, which is part of the Green Deal. With this funding, BBBLS will build a greenhouse that will be net-zero, in which they will be scaling and testing their technology in real life together with Koppert Cress for the next two years.

www.solarmonkey.io

www.bbbls.net

• E N T R E P R E•N H EUR BS •

Yespers focuses on contributing to: Responsible Consumption and Production

Yespers produces breakfast foods and snacks. Each of our products has a unique flavour and story. They all contribute to our mission to promote an inclusive and sustainable food chain. This is our main goal!

i-did i-did focuses on contributing to: Decent work and economic growth Responsible Consumption and Production

i-did is a fashion workshop for sustainable fashion which makes beautifully designed products from recycled felt. The felt is made from textiles that would otherwise be thrown away, contributing to reducing textile waste a little at a time and increasing circularity.

What’s more, i-did provides an opportunity to learn a trade to people who for a variety of reasons are unable to function in society without support. The employees receive professional training, often achieve qualifications for the first time in their lives, are coached in personal development and gain work experience.

• ENTREPRENEURS •

Yespers

www.i-did.nl

We aim to stimulate a food system that ensures that we can enjoy tasty and healthy food sustainably. To achieve this we need a healthy planet and an inclusive business model. We carefully select our ingredients and suppliers in order to make the food chain fairer and more sustainable. By focusing on short supply chains, we prevent food loss and wastage, reduce our carbon footprint, increase our income and create new jobs. In cooperation with our chain partners, we constantly think about ways to do things even better, and we realise tangible impactful projects. We call this Foodwithimpact! We work on our mission both internationally and here in The Hague. In our production facility at The New Farm, we are developing a new model for food processing. The aim is not to cause food waste and solve the problem afterwards, but to prevent it in the first place. Our new approach of processing extracts out of crops as a whole also generates local employment. The food value chain plays an indispensable part in finding the solutions we need for a sustainable and equitable society. We are proud to contribute to a solution based in the City of Peace and Justice! www.yespers.com/foodwithimpact

Canopus Drilling Solutions Canopus Drilling Solutions focuses on contributing to: Affordable and clean energy

Canopus Drilling Solutions offers unique drilling for deep well construction. Canopus is named after a star in the southern constellation of Carina, around 310 light-years from the Sun. As the second-brightest star in the night sky after Sirius, Canopus is used as a beacon for space navigation. Canopus drilling solutions offers innovative drilling technology based on jetting and advanced underground navigation. The technology is able to steer a drilling unit accurately and allow it to drill long, horizontal wells. Canopus aims to be a guiding light for geothermal drilling, navigating drilling units towards new horizons, opening up new possibilities for geothermal reservoir development projects. www.canopusdrillingsolutions.com

The Hague is committed to geothermal energy. The new Rijswijk Centre for Sustainable Geo-Energy (RCSG) recently opened as a geothermal field lab, Haagse Aardwarmte Leyweg aims to generate geothermal energy for the southwest of the city, and in the nearby Westland horticultural region, greenhouses are heated using geothermal energy. Moreover, the International Geothermal Association (IGA) is moving its operational headquarters to The Hague. These developments show that The Hague is taking a central role in the rise of geothermal energy nationally.

LessonUp focuses on contributing to: Quality education

LessonUp is an online teaching platform for educators, schools and organisations. It helps them engage with students, seek inspiration from other teachers, and gain insights into student learning curves and achievements. Students have the opportunity to access a variety of lessons on any device, from laptop to phone or tablet. And as a teacher you can track their progress online or in the classroom.

• ENTREPRENEURS •

LessonUp

Geothermal Energy

The goal is to provide an all-in-one tool that enables teachers and schools to minimise time spent on lesson development and boost student knowledge. At a time when online education is playing a crucial role, LessonUp offers the flexibility to access, build and teach lessons anywhere.

www.geothermal-energy.org

www.lessonup.com

Bondi Bikes bondi offers sustainable sharing systems for urban commuters. We aim to promote a mobility future that is Connected, Shared, Autonomous, and Electrified (CASE). bondi helps cities, companies, and campuses to ease congestion, decrease smog, and provide a clean and green alternative to cars. bondi have integrated a simple, convenient and affordable service model in every aspect, from sourcing vehicles, to operations, to a convenient rental experience using the bondi app. Our main focus is to offer a service that has a positive impact on people, cities and the environment. bondi is committed to the SDGs and the exclusive use of sustainable vehicles. We aim to provide a full mobility solution for cities in both developed and developing countries.

www.bondi.city

• INTERVIEW •

The Hague, traditionally the number one location for energy businesses in the Netherlands, is also rapidly transforming itself into a hotspot for the energy transition. “When it comes to sustainable energy, there is no Dutch city that has more to offer in terms of business activity, knowledge networks and technology development,” says Saskia Bruines, Deputy Mayor and alderman for Economic Affairs, International Affairs and Municipal Services, in an exclusive interview.

‘THE HAGUE IS THE PLACE-TO-BE FOR IMPACT ENTREPRENEURS’

• PA RT N E R •

In June 2020, the municipal government of The Hague adopted a new Economic Vision which will serve as a roadmap for the city’s economic policy for the coming years. The Vision aims to broaden the city’s economic base by developing three internationally attractive sectors: Legal & Policy Capital (just world), Security Delta (safe world) and ImpactCity (better world). One of the key elements of ImpactCity is sustainable energy. According to alderman Saskia Bruines, The Hague has all it takes to become a major international hub for the energy transition. The mission to be energy neutral by 2030 underlines the focus of the city for realizing new energy initiatives.

What specifically is going on in The Hague in terms of sustainable energy and the energy transition?

→ “Too much to mention! The North Sea will become

one of the world’s largest locations for the production of offshore wind energy. It is no coincidence that offshore wind leaders like Siemens and Orsted have offices in The Hague dedicated to technological innovation. We also have designated a special Testing Area in the North Sea where sustainable energy activities can be tried out and developed, such as seaweed farming. Oceans of Energy has built the world’s first offshore floating solar farm off the coast of The Hague. Delft University of Technology, world famous for its solar-powered racing cars, is a hotspot for energy innovation. Tech incubator Yes!Delft was chosen as the second best academic startup incubator in the world in 2018. Delft University now also has teams developing a hydrogen-powered racing car and a hyperloop.

Saskia Bruines • Deputy Mayor of The Hague

• PA RT N E R •

→ “There is a lot of technological development taking place in geothermal and aqua-thermal energy, hydrogen, solar energy, offshore wind, smart grids, data analysis and energy storage. But the energy transition also crosses over into new business models and new legal and regulatory solutions. The Hague has a lot of knowledge and innovative strength in these areas. This makes The Hague the-place-to-be for innovative impact entrepreneurs!”

• PA RT N E R •

What will be the most important themes and developments in sustainable energy over the next years in The Hague in your view?

We are very proud to have the International Geothermal Association located in the Hague. In Rijswijk next to The Hague the new Centre for Sustainable Geo-energy was opened recently where companies can carry out research and pilot projects. Also don’t forget that the traditional offshore oil and gas producers, as well as the engineering and services suppliers, are all busy ‘greening’ their activities and they are doing a lot of this right here in The Hague.”

What does the city itself do to attract and support companies?

→ “When an impact company wants to set up shop

in the Hague, we roll out the red carpet. Impact entrepreneurs in the energy sector can count on support in finding office space, homes for staff, funding, marketing, recruitment and networking opportunities with other companies and institutions. For foreign companies much of this is done through The Hague Business Agency. We also have a number of specific projects going on that are focused on the energy transition, and the worlds of ecoloog, food and sport that companies can participate in. It is all part of Campus@Sea. For smart city initiatives we have Living Lab Scheveningen. Oceans of Energy and their new floating off shore solar energy park, is a good example of that.”

NEW

PosHYdon Pilot to integrate three energy systems in the North Sea: offshore wind, offshore gas and offshore hydrogen by producing hydrogen from seawater on Q13 platform in the North Sea.

Offshore Wind Farm

International Airport Schiphol Amsterdam Major hub and one of Europe’s most well connected airports.

Scheveningen is only 13 NM away from the Hollandse Kust (Zuid) offshore wind farm, creating opportunities for offshore operations and maintenance. 60 minutes

40 minutes

Amsterdam

North Sea Innovation Lab Area to test and demonstrate innovation in the open sea. Entrepeneurs and scientists can test their smart technologies on safety, sustainability, energy, sport and consumer experience.

Campus@Sea / Port of Scheveningen Campus@Sea is an open innovation ecosystem ‘for impact solutions facilitating multi-use of the sea through a dedicated community, from labs in the harbour to an offshore test bed near shore Scheveningen.'

The North Sea The North Sea plays a key role in the energy transition. At first with oil and gas production and now increasingly with renewable energy. It offers opportunities for, marine energy, large-scale offshore wind, hydrogen production and carbon storage.

HAL Central

Energy & Engineering Companies

First urban-based geothermal station in the Netherlands that will deliver heat to 2500-4500 homes.

Large multinational energy and engineering companies run their European or Global business from The Hague: Shell HQ, McDermott, Worley, Siemens (Gamesa), Neptune Energy, Total, Bilfinger Tebodin, Aramco Overseas, Wintershall, Ørsted 6 10 11 12 4

WarmtelinQ Unique project that transports waste heat from the Port of Rotterdam to The Hague to heat up houses.

The Hague 8

Horticulture Westland

ImpactCity & Impact Hub Apollo 14

The impact hub for entrepreneurs, organizations, and investors who contribute to a better world. Located in the Binckhaven.

Geothermal energy delivers heat to 700 hectares of greenhouses producing food, plants and flowers.

9 2

Types of energy

Government The Dutch Government is the driver of numerous energy projects and offers financial incentives.

25 minutes

Gate Terminal (LNG) Wind

Solar

Oil & Gas

Geothermal

Marine

Hydrogen

CC(U)S

Cleantech

Other

30 minutes

Start-up infrastructure

Other highlights

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC) 7. The Hague University of Applied Science 8. ROC Mondriaan 9. Green Village 10. Shell New Energies 11. Nexstep 12. NOGEPA

Yes!Delft – The Hague Yes!Delft – Delft Buccaneer WorldStartup The Hague Tech

Rotterdam

Port of Rotterdam Largest port in Europe and future hub for hydrogen

Rijswijk Centre for Sustainable Geo Energy The Rijswijk Centre for Sustainable Geo-energy (RCSG), a unique field lab where geothermal heat projects can be tested on a real scale.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport Porthos Project Porthos is developing a project in which CO2 from industry in the Port of Rotterdam is transported and stored in empty gas fields beneath the North Sea.

TU Delft TU Delft is a leading university in engineering and technology. With 8 faculties it offers 30 bachelor and 16 master programs.

Design by:

Apollo 14

• HUBS •

Office spaces

Apollo 14 is the impact hub for entrepreneurs, organisations, and investors who contribute to a better world through technological and social innovations. As part of The Hague’s impact ecosystem ImpactCity, it is a venue for startups to join forces with other impact makers in a vibrant and inspiring location. Apollo 14 is in Binckhaven, the Hague’s startup hotspot, alongside the Caballero Fabriek, De Besturing, Kompaan and De Titaan. Startups can find affordable office space and flexible workplaces, plus full support in ‘doing good & doing business’ through the ImpactCity partner network.

Units are available from 19m2. It’s possible to combine units to create a larger space. Flexible workplaces are also available.

company and make that next step. Partners include RVO, UNIIQ, EY, Rabobank, V.O., Pels Rijcken, KIT, Worth Systems, Treety and The Hague International Center (THIC).

Event Spaces

Community Activities

Apollo 14 is more than just an office. Various event spaces are available for you to hold events, meetings, workshops or training, either online or in person. They also offer an ideal place to connect with other impact makers.

At Apollo 14 you can join forces with other impact makers by working on innovations in one vibrant and inspiring location. With community activities, matchmaking events, lunches and one-to-one connections, you can get the most out of The Hague’s impact ecosystem.

Startup Support Apollo 14 is not just a gathering place for entrepreneurs working on a better world. Startups have direct access to all kinds of service providers in the startup ecosystem, such as investors, business developers, experts, knowledge partners, and mentors. Various partners of ImpactCity come to Apollo 14 for open consultations and appointments. Thanks to this set-up, you’ll find it easy to connect to the right person to help you grow your

Café Soof Meet your new investor, colleague, intern, or business partner in Café Soof at Apollo 14. The cafe serves great coffee and lunch for an enjoyable and effective meeting.

www.apollo14.nl

• ENTREPRENEURS •

4impact is a venture capital fund investing in Dutch digital tech4good start-ups combining societal and sustainable impact and financial return. Founded in 2019, the portfolio and investment focus is based on three pillars: environment, inclusion, health & well-being. Portfolio companies are based in the Netherlands with a scalable business model and international potential, thereby creating meaningful impact across borders.

Atelier Jungles Atelier Jungles focuses on contributing to: Decent work and economic growth Responsible Consumption and Production

Atelier Jungles is a young and creative brand producing high quality and handmade women’s apparel. Because of their sustainable, ethical and local approach to fashion, they have several partners in The Hague among which the municipality of The Hague. Their mission is twofold: to show that sustainability can be fashionable and for women to look great from day to evening without compromising on people the planet by producing locally with locals. An honest approach to fashion in which they represent a diverse array in the team and customers which is inclusive in people, sizes and age. The collection mainly consists of sustainable fabrics or designer surplus fabrics. www.atelierjungles.com

YazamTec: Innovations for smart cities The fund is headquartered in impact hotspot Apollo 14, The Hague where ImpactCity and other key stakeholders in the impact investing and startup scene are located, making it an ideal place for cross-fertilisation and co-creation.

www.4impact.vc

Yazamtec focuses on contributing to: Sustainable cities and communities

YazamTec has solutions that enable cities to deliver new mobility and parking experience, based on technologies that reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, road risks and operational parking costs.

• ENTREPRENEURS •

4impact

Drivers looking for parking add to overall traffic congestion. It is estimated that if they could find parking easily, road traffic congestion would be reduced by 30%. At the same time, this would reduce air pollution from anywhere between 30% and 50%. The Municipality of The Hague identified this as an opportunity and enlisted YazamTec to provide a smart solution to address the city’s parking and traffic congestion woes, getting The Hague on track to becoming a truly super-smart city. www.yazamtec.com

WellDecommissioned WellDecommissioned focuses on contributing to: Climate Action Life on land

says the company first wanted to prove to itself that the concept could work successfully and that there was demand in the market.’

Currently, there are over two million open oil and gas wells. Over the next 20 to 30 years, the energy transition from fossil fuels to cleaner forms of energy will result in the majority of them being closed. This means they will need to be cleaned up. This highly complex and expensive task has to be done responsibly, which has already resulted in its postponement in many locations. WellDecommissioned has developed a method to tackle the decommissioning or reuse of oil and gas installations faster and better.

‘Our in-house software enables us to plan very complex projects at a detailed level,’ he says. ‘In this way, we can quickly provide concrete and optimised solutions. We work according to the oil and gas industry standards and can handle any specific situation. When we help to make the risks and costs manageable, it becomes easier for the government to set a clear framework for decommissioning. A contractor, oil company or government that works with us knows exactly what the process will be like.’

WellDecommissioned is one of the promising impact entrepreneurs at the Apollo 14 impact hub and is fully self-funded. Founder Marc Nijmeijer

www.welldecommissioned.com

• MEET HACK THE PLANET •

Techie Thijs Suijten at startup Hack the Planet is passionate about the potential of technological innovation to have a social impact. ‘We’re eager to use our technological knowledge and expertise to address global challenges,’ he says. We checked in with him to hear about his take on tech for good.

• ENTREPRENEURS •

The Hague-based tech startup Hack the Planet has been at the forefront of pioneering surprising tech solutions for some of the world’s pressing global challenges. At the core of its approach is the use of high-tech to make the world a better place. ‘Over the past twenty years, I’ve written over a million lines of code,’ Thijs says. ‘At some point, I paused and wondered how many of them actually changed people’s lives for the better. That’s when I joined Hack the Planet.’

Saving wildlife

‘THE HAGUE OFFERS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH MEANINGFUL PARTNERS’

Recently, the team has been putting its time and energy into one of its latest projects, Hack the Poacher, an anti-poaching initiative aimed at helping to protect wildlife in national parks by deploying mobile phone detection technology. Poachers rely heavily on their mobile phones for navigation and communication, so mobile phone detection would greatly help park rangers to keep animals safe.

Coming up with entirely new technological solutions to pressing global challenges is what makes us tick.

Hack the Planet’s custom-designed devices can be hidden across national parks, detecting and locating poachers who are carrying a phone. Park rangers are then informed so that they can target poachers in action.

Fingers crossed ‘Back in 2018, we tested an early prototype in a national park in Zambia,’ Thijs says. ‘With just 30 to 40 detection sensors, we will be able to monitor an area of around 300 square kilometres. We’re planning on doing a full-scale test in late 2020 and are keeping our fingers crossed that we will be able to carry on with our plans despite Covid-19.’

Thijs Suijten • Hack the Planet

‘At Hack the Planet, we are staunch believers in learning by doing. Sometimes you just have to put yourself out there and try something. It’s the only way to figure out if it works,’ Thijs says. ‘We could have easily talked about this for years and not actually done anything. That would have been a waste.’

‘In five years from now, I hope we will have sourced even more cool projects that aim to have a meaningful impact. Coming up with entirely new technological solutions to pressing global challenges is what makes us tick.’ Thijs says. ‘So many different parties in The Hague are exploring entirely new approaches to global issues. They’re complex issues that we’re working on, which is why we can’t succeed by ourselves,’ he adds. ‘The Hague offers the perfect opportunity to connect to meaningful partners. By meeting and sharing our experiences, connections happen and projects come into existence.’ www.hack-the-planet.io

Jungles Atelier

Learning by doing

4impact Venture Capital

If the full-scale test proves to be successful, Hack the Planet aims to roll out similar detection systems in 10 to 20 other wildlife parks around the world.

AKE MPACT

• ENTREPRENEURS •

They’re complex issues that we’re working on, which is why we can’t succeed by ourselves.

GET EU FUNDING

To help impact entrepreneurs with complex subsidy applications and to enable innovations for a better world, ImpactCity runs the ‘Make Impact, Get Funding’ contest. The competition supports entrepreneurs through a targeted programme on making a national or European subsidy application. Applying for government funding is extremely time-consuming for entrepreneurs and requires specialised expertise. Depending on the best fit for the stage of the business and the characteristics of the innovation, the contest winners receive expert advice on their funding applications, from national subsidies to the Horizon Europe’s EIC Accelerator. For more information, see the ImpactCity website under ‘Access to Funding’.

• EVENT •

Circularise focuses on contributing to: Responsible Consumption Climate Action

Circularise, founded in 2016 in The Netherlands, is a supply chain transparency start-up that helps plastic manufacturers, brands and OEMs to trace raw materials from source, from a source into parts and ultimately to end products. The company uses blockchain and other cutting-edge technologies to enable businesses to share data about their products while retaining privacy over sensitive information.

The world is becoming more complex and social issues are becoming more international. At the same time, these issues such as safety, energy, climate and food have an impact on the lives of urban residents. In the Hague Innovators Challenge, ImpactCity challenges startups, scale-ups and students to present innovative ideas on global social issues, as described in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Winners of the challenge receive a cash prize with which they can use to fund the development of their first pilot or prototype.

It is the mission of Circularise to accelerate the transition to a circular economy and enable sustainable practices on a mass scale by promoting reliable and standardised information on material flows, material composition and components on a global level. In August 2020, Circularise was selected by EIT Raw Materials as one of the start-ups to receive €180,000 in support in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Shortly afterwards, in September 2020, the European Commission awarded Circularise €1.5 million in funding under the Horizon 2020 accelerator programme. In 2021, The Hague based investor 4Impact invested in Circularise too.

‘We have received a great deal of support in this ecosystem, especially from ImpactCity, which has provided financial support through The Hague Innovators Challenge, and also put us in the spotlight after we won the competition. Being in The Hague also enables us to stay close to the policymakers, meet the right people and participate in the field of sustainability and technology at every level.’

• ENTREPRENEURS •

Circularise

www.circularise.com

Igor Konstantinov, growth manager at Circularise

For more information see: www.impactcity.nl/the-hague-innovators-challenge

Previous winners of the challenge: Seepje, GreenFox, Noordzeeboerderij, CricketOne, HumanSurge, Iron Roots, Invisible Foods, Fungalogic, Circularise and Upinion.

• ENTREPRENEURS •

CricketOne focuses on contributing to: Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action

CricketOne is a food ingredient supplier specialising in extracting proteins from sustainable material: crickets. CricketOne produces a wide range of protein powder types, such as 65% protein, 75% protein concentrate and a soluble protein powder for nutrition: basic food as well as sports and clinical food. CricketOne aims to boost the market for cricket proteins by launching high-quality products

at an affordable price, as a counterpart to traditional animal proteins. They do so through intensive breeding techniques, vertical farming and IoT control systems, special cricket food made from 100 per cent local agricultural by-products, and a business model in conjunction with local farmers. The company contributes to addressing the global food crisis and climate change by introducing a new and sustainable protein from crickets on a large scale, while having a strong social impact among poor farmers, enabling them to earn about six times as much. www.cricketone.asia

Invisible foods

• ENTREPRENEURS •

CricketOne

The pre-startup prize worth €10.000 of The Hague Innovators 2021 was won by Invisible Foods, whose mission is to incentivise food companies to reduce their food waste and develop circular food chains. With their Invisible Food Manager they predict food loss, support companies in creating new upcycled products and reward efforts to reduce food waste with a data-driven certificate. A ‘Toolkit’ delivers fully traceable food saving results and provides companies with the opportunity to transparently communicate their real-time foodprint and impact. Invisible foods focuses on contributing to:

Naïf

The Invisible Foods team is a synergy of agribusiness, food waste and IT experts. They are tied together by the shared vision of a world where produced food reaches its maximum possible use-value.

Naïf is a cosmetics brand that caters to babies and toddlers. It was founded by two entrepreneurial dads, Sjoerd Trompetter and Jochem Hes. Their challenge: to come up with the world’s best sunscreen for the sensitive skin of babies and toddlers.

Iron Roots

Naïf won second prize in the 2016 The Hague Innovators Challenge. They received €20,000 in prize money, which they used to bring their all-natural sunscreen to market. The sunscreen is unique in that it uses a natural, rather than chemical, sun filter. This makes it safe for babies and toddlers. Over the last few years, Naïf has expanded its product mix to include creams and conditioners. In 2020, they introduced plastic-free baby wipes. The products are now available in over 20 countries and the company collaborates with UNICEF and the Dutch Cancer Society, KWF.

www.invisible-foods.eu

Iron Roots focuses on contributing to: Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action

Iron Roots was founded in 2017 by friends who didn’t like the fact that more than 90 per cent of all sportswear is made from plastics. Combining design, functionality and sustainability, they started making activewear from fabrics that don’t release polluting microplastics with every wash. What’s more, the production process saves on CO2 emissions.

Naïf is supported by impact investors and ImpactCity partners DOEN Participaties and Unknown Group. www.naifcare.com

Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action

Naïf focuses on contributing to: Responsible Consumption and Production

The founders work with factories that are dedicated to ethical production, and the materials they use are certified by organisations such as the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). One of the ways Iron Roots minimises textile waste is by

designing products to be made from a single fabric with maximum cutting efficiency – in some cases, it’s even possible to use the same fabric for multiple products. Iron Roots doesn’t create seasonal collections, which eliminates overproduction. The company’s sustainability policy is making a positive impact on our planet.

www.ironroots.com

• S TA R T U P •

For most Western countries and its residents, clean drinking water is no more than an after-thought. But for many people, clean drinking water is a scarce resource. 48

• S TA R T U P •

SolarDew

If we are thirsty, we can get a glass of water whenever and wherever we want it, always being confident that it is of the highest quality. But rather than this being the norm, this is more often the exception.

or many people around the world, clean drinking water is a scarce resource. They are forced to buy bottled water which is expensive and unsustainable. Or they are dependent on water supplied by trucks which is unreliable, both in terms of quality and punctuality. Often, however, people, and especially women and children, are left to fetch water instead of working or attending school. This is exactly the status quo that SolarDew, an impact startup in the Netherlands, is looking to change. SolarDew is focused on providing an affordable and reliable solution, that is easy to use, for families and communities that do not have access to clean drinking water. SolarDew has developed a product that, unlike most technologies, can remove viruses, bacteria, salts and heavy metals in a single step using only the sun’s thermal energy. It’s a simple and elegant process, whereby water is evaporated and passes through a membrane in order to condense as pure water on the other side. Instead of focusing on large scale solutions, SolarDew focuses on solutions at the point of use, in people’s homes and communities. With SolarDew’s

technology people are able to produce their own drinking water even if their nearest water source is seawater or has a high level of minerals, metals or salts. So why is this relevant? Water scarcity currently affects 700 million people, but is set to affect over half the world’s population by 2030. The situation is becoming urgent for more and more people, especially those on low incomes, who are already struggling with drinking water. From people living in fishing communities along the coast to island communities or in arid regions. The quality of the water is already changing in many of these areas. People are already noticing that the water they are accustomed to drinking is becoming saltier, contains higher levels of arsenic or other minerals. This has detrimental effects on people’s health. A solution that is simple, reliable and affordable is highly wanted. Last year, SolarDew developed partnerships with companies in Chile and Australia, aiming to expand in these regions. In 2021, SolarDew plans to launch two demonstration projects, with one being

» 49

• S TA R T U P •

In preparation for these projects, SolarDew is currently demonstrating its innovative technology in 3 locations. In order to accelerate the process of bringing this innovation to the market, SolarDew has joined the EIT InnoEnergy accelerator program. It has also established partnerships, such as with ImpactCity. Both are great matches given SolarDew’s sustainability and impact-driven approach. An important part of business for a startup like SolarDew is finding the necessary financial resources for the next phase. The support provided by ImpactCity’s “Make Impact! Get EU Funding” program provided an excellent opportunity. SolarDew was selected because of the innovativeness of their technology which includes:

• A proprietary membrane that is significantly lower in cost than comparable membranes • The simplicity of directly integrating the solar and water purification aspects which result in a simple and robust product.

• S TA R T U P •

in the North of Chile. Here, water is currently being delivered by trucks to people in a small community in the Atacama desert. The second project is in one of the Aboriginal communities in the Cape York region of Northern Australia, where they have been struggling ever since available water sources have turned brackish. Closer to home, in Europe, SolarDew is in contact with communities on some of the smaller Greek islands for whom expanding their water distribution network is too expensive, leaving people in smaller communities reliant on the supply of (bottled) drinking water by truck or boat.

• Advanced manufacturing processes from the packaging industry to ensure an affordable product. As part of the Make Impact! Get EU Funding program, ImpactCity provided an experienced consultant to help SolarDew prepare an application for the EIC Accelerator Pilot, one of the most competitive financing instruments for innovations under the Horizon 2020 Program from the European Commission. As funding from the European Commission requires a tough reviewing process, specialized help is very valuable for a startup like SolarDew. With dedication, hard work and support from the consultant and the team from Rijksdienst Voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), in November 2020, SolarDew managed to obtain the “Seal of Excellence” among 4223 applicants. This is a valuable recognition from the European Commission, especially in the current phase where SolarDew is seeking further investment ahead of the market introduction. Given this positive experience, SolarDew can recommend to all impact-driven entrepreneurs that have breakthrough innovations and existing traction to apply for this program. “We made significant progress thanks to the program and we will extend cooperation with the consultant under the new Horizon Europe program.”, says Alexander van der Kleij, the CEO of SolarDew. Although it is not always the easiest route to follow, he encourages entrepreneurs to take a proactive approach and exploit various EU funding opportunities as a way to further develop their business and make meaningful partnership that will facilitate international expansion.

‘Water is essential to all life and to our economies’ “Never give up” is the advice from Alexander and SolarDew’s team. Besides the Seal of Excellence, their persistence has brought SolarDew grant support from INNOWWIDE, another financing program under the EU Financing Framework. Namely, they managed to receive a grant for a demonstration project in Australia along with the development of business and internationalization strategy for the Australian Market. All these steps and experience gained also helped SolarDew compete in the Get in the Ring Netherlands – Impact Competition. Here they managed to grab one of the two tickets for Dutch impact startups for the European Impact Competition finals, which will take place during ImpactFest 2021. These experiences have helped SolarDew get one step closer to their goal: to provide an affordable

and reliable drinking water solution for households and communities in the most critical regions across the planet, whether in Latin America, the Pacific or closer to home in Europe. SolarDew believes the only way to create a long term impact is by developing a sustainable business together with their local partners. “Water is essential to all life and to our economies. Having access to clean drinking water empowers people and brings them together. If we can eliminate the uncertainty, and reduce the economic and environmental cost as well as the cost to people’s health, the future will look a little bit brighter.”

www.solardew.com

Humanity Hub

• ENTREPRENEURS •

SDG house In 2020, the Humanity Hub became an SDG House, with the aim of connecting and supporting collaboration among diverse actors working on international impact to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The role of SDG House reinforces the purpose of The Hague Humanity Hub: to support and strengthen the ecosystem of diverse actors working for a more peaceful and just world. Facilitating connections and collaboration between so many different organisations working on the many facets of peace and justice can be challenging. So we looked for the common thread. The 2030 Global Goals Agenda that was established by the United Nations – the 17 SDGs – is built on the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’, providing a common language and roadmap towards creating a better and more sustainable future for all.

The Humanity Hub is a not-for-profit foundation that supports and strengthens The Hague’s ecosystem for a more peaceful and just world. It facilitates collaboration and innovation by offering the necessary ingredients for chance encounters, inspirational collaborations, and the exchange of knowledge. The Hub is both an actively managed community and two beautifully designed spaces in The Hague, where professionals can connect and collaborate, work, and hold events.

Upinion Upinion focuses on contributing to: Reduced Inequalities

Upinion’s mission is to innovate the humanitarian and development sector by amplifying the voices of affected people. By gathering instant insights and stories from people in crisis situations, Upinion promotes the inclusiveness and effectiveness of humanitarian support. This contributes principally to SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities. Upinion’s methodology creates an inclusive approach whereby all refugees, regardless of gender, age or ethnicity, can safely have a voice in policies that affect them. Upinion’s aim is to address the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups anywhere in the world.

www.humanityhub.net

Upinion’s headquarters is at the Humanity Hub, closely connected to the ImpactCity network. Thanks to this location in The Hague, on a daily basis they are in touch with other NGOs, universities, research centres, and startups, which has resulted in a number of great collaborations. Gerben Kuipers – co-founder of Upinion ‘ImpactCity’s network has been imperative in providing a greater reach for our work.’ www.upinion.com

Driven by the motto ‘doing good & doing business’, more than 1600 impact-makers from around the world join forces during ImpactFest in The Hague. Since its initiation, ImpactFest demonstrates annually that social impact and economic success can go hand in hand. Find out more on: www.impacfest.nl

The most spectacular part of ImpactFest 2021 was without a doubt the European final of the Get in The Ring Impact Competition. Out of 322 applications, 20 startups were selected to come to the European finals in The Hague, with the 4 top finalist taking the stage to battle for the title. Discover more on page 88.

Meet Ups & Interactive Workshops The true value of ImpactCity is the giant partner network. During the meetup’s interactive work shops you can meet our partners and take a deep dive together. A few examples of meetups and interactive workshops we host: a reversed pitching session held by impact investors, B Corporation helps purpose driven corporations asses their impact, but also the annual event of the Dutch Coalition on Humanitarian Innovation takes place during ImpactFest. Euclid Network and the European Commission will host a special invite only meetup for high level public officials from all over Europe. Together they will be sharing best practices on social enterprise policy and identifying ways to improve the local ecosystem for social impact.

Roundabouts The main purpose of a Roundabout is to engage in an in-depth discussion on specific topics within the table hosts’ expertise. You can consider these Roundabout sessions as intimate and interactive small scale workshops in which participants not only learn from the host, but from all participants at the table. We take a deep dive with 4-7 guests into the expertise of the session host. Participants can indicate which areas are most relevant for them in their daily practices. We host roundabouts the whole day, so there is ample choice.

ImpactFest is an official ESER event as part of the European Social Economic Regions by the European Commission.

European Finals Get in the Ring - Impact

• EVENT •

ImpactFest is the annual event where purpose-driven organizations have a platform to present their solutions, pitch to investors and exchange experiences to scale together. ImpactFest is an initiative of the municipality of The Hague, together with a close group of impact partners. Since its initiation in 2015, ImpactFest has become the biggest international impact meetup in Europe. After a successful online edition in 2020, ImpactFest was back in physical form in 2021 with another sold out edition.

Fokker Terminal The Fokker Terminal is a full-service conference venue close to the city centre of The Hague. The venue spans 2,200 square metres of space in a former aircraft hangar and has 17 breakout rooms. With its striking combination of concrete floors, steel and glass, the Fokker Terminal has an imposing industrial atmosphere. The original steel doors, which are seven meters high and 26 meters wide, are still in place. Thanks to its 600 solar panels, installed in cooperation with Klimaatfonds Den Haag (The Hague Climate Fund) and Made Blue, the Fokker Terminal is climate neutral. In addition to the growth of national conferences and business events, international organisers are increasingly opting for the Fokker Terminal. The location thus generates an important economic spin-off for the city of The Hague, and increases the city’s reputation as a conference destination, in combination with the many hotels and the options for a city trip.

www.fokkerterminal.nl

• M E E T T H E D R A P E R R I C H A R D S K A P L A N F O U N D AT I O N •

In 2020, the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK) established a European base by opening an office The Hague. ‘We are enjoying actively taking part in the ImpactCity ecosystem and sharing our knowledge and experience. Both with startups one-to-one as well as at events like ImpactFest.’

• PA RT N E R •

Since 2002, DRK has been funding and supporting social entrepreneurs that have the potential to make a difference. ‘Draper Richards Kaplan has worked from the United States so far, and has offices in India and Africa. Starting this year, we are officially entering the European market,’ says managing director Lisa Jordan.

‘ THE IMPACT ECONOMY IS WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS RIGHT NOW ’ Lisa Jordan • Managing Director Europe

‘Over the past ten years, a new generation of energetic, innovative entrepreneurs has come to the fore,’ Lisa says. ‘They look at social challenges in entirely new ways. We believe that they should get the support they deserve. That’s why we offer them early-stage funding so they can build solid enterprises and scale up.’

Impact first This makes DRK’s way of working is unique. ‘We offer non-earmarked funding and take a seat within the enterprise’s management for three years,’ Lisa explains. ‘We apply all of the means at our disposal, including our network, to the benefit of the organisation. We open our doors, strengthen enterprises’ organisational structure, and help develop their growth strategies side by side.’ ‘At DRK, impact always comes first. Profit’s nice, but we view impact as our most important task. Their success is our success. We measure impact by looking at the number of lives that have been touched by an enterprise. Worldwide, the number amounts to over 150 million to date.’ Profit ‘From The Hague, we want to support European entrepreneurs that focus on complex challenges, both here and in the rest of the world. It’s obvious that our current economy isn’t tenable. It encourages inequality and doesn’t spark employment. The Covid-19 pandemic has strengthened this impression. That’s why The Hague’s focus on fostering an impact economy is the way forward.

is nice, but we consider making an impact to be our most important task.’ 57

• PA RT N E R •

Attention for people, planet and profit is only viable if commercial entrepreneurship is combined with the mission to impact lives.’

Towards the future

• PA RT N E R •

Attention for people, planet and profit is only viable if commercial entrepreneurship is combined with the mission to impact lives

‘I’m very proud of DRK and the entrepreneurs we work with,’ Lisa says. ‘DRK has given itself permission to truly look towards the future. With my 30 years of professional experience in philanthropy, I can confidently say that the current generation of entrepreneurs is truly looking for solutions within the market. Every day, they’re taking risks to the benefit of society at large.’ ‘We’ve developed a new fund that consists of 80 million US Dollar in capital to support even more entrepreneurs. Over the next five years, 105 organisations will be able to profit from it.’

An open mind DRK thoroughly researched different locations as options for its European base. ‘Ultimately, the Netherlands proved to be the best fit with our vision and mission,’ Lisa says. ‘Within the Netherlands, the openness of the city of The Hague clearly fits us very well.’ ‘What’s more, The Hague is home to a multitude of government institutions, organisations, financial institutions, enterprises and knowledge institutions,’ she adds. ‘The Hague offers the perfect environment for innovative enterprises. An active and impact-focused ecosystem is in place that continues to grow. This ecosystem isn’t exclusively economically focused, but emphasises societal impact. That’s very important to our work and to the world.’ ‘In The Hague, on a daily basis, over 40,000 people are working to achieve the same goal: a just and peaceful world. Knowledge and expertise about social entrepreneurship comes together here, as well as the relevant networks. We are proud to adding our entrepreneurs and network to the mix.’ www.drkfoundation.nl

• S TA R T U P •

n fields ranging from sustainability to low literacy, health care or food waste, startups can help policy officers with innovative solutions to their challenges via the Startup in Residence (SIR) programme. Through the SIR programme, the Municipality of The Hague seeks and invests in startups with innovative ideas that tackle challenges in the city. The programme supports startups in co-creating and developing their prototypes and business models in conjunction with the municipality.

was established to offer startups an integrated Startup in Residence InterGov programme with better access to three layers of government. This collaboration will expand the impact the program has and collectively tackle challenges society is facing.

www.startupinresidence.com/intergov

Startups from which the municipality has procured goods or services via the SIR programme include MyCleanCity, Driven to Impact, Avenieuw, ScoopExpert, Envision Technologies, WorkForcio and Coder’s Co.

The Startup in Residence programme successfully brings the government and entrepreneurs together to solve local challenges. Every year, the city sets challenges addressing local issues such as waste management, access to information or political engagement, for which startups can create and submit innovative solutions.

Various ministries and the province of South Holland have adopted the SIR programme. In 2019 a partnership between the Municipality of The Hague, the Province of South Holland, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture

Once a solution has been selected, the Municipality of The Hague adopts the role of the customer and helps to bring the idea to life. The Startup in Residence concept, which is also used in other cities, including San Francisco, has proven to be very successful in fostering collaboration and understanding between government and citizens/startups.

• S TA R T U P •

Startup in Residence. The role of government is changing. Major disruptive innovations and digitisation call for a new balance between government and society.

Envision

nvision was one of the participants of Startup in Residence The Hague 2018. This startup applied for the challenge ‘increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities’. Envision’s app helps visually impaired people ‘see’ the information around them. The tool uses artificial intelligence to make visual information accessible and understandable to visually impaired people who wouldn’t be able to access it independently. With the help of the programme, Envision was able to collaborate with the Municipality of The Hague to get their product into the hands of people that need it. They set up a pilot to test whether the app could improve employment opportunities for visually impaired people. A test group of 11 people were offered to use the app for six months. Later on, they also received the smart glasses Envision has created in collaboration with Google for the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 and officially launched in November 2020. ‘If you approach the municipality by yourself it’s really hard to find a way to work with them.’ says Envision’s founder Karthik Mahadevan. ‘If you

want something to be approved, you need a champion on the inside that can make the push for you. Startup in Residence put us in touch with a great public servant. He believed we were doing something important and wanted to fight for us to ensure that what we wanted to do actually got done. This was invaluable. Without this, none of this would have been possible.’ Since then, Envision has won the Google Play award 2019, has been named one of the Top 100 Most Innovative companies by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce and has received €250K seed-funding by the Hague-based impact fund 4impact.

www.letsenvision.com

Envision focuses on contributing to: Reduced Inequalities

Founders Karthik & Karthik Photo: Maurits Giesen

• HUBS •

Geothermal energy can play a substantial role in the energy transition. As a source of sustainable heat, it can be used to heat houses and buildings sustainably. Geothermal heat is expected to meet a quarter of the Netherlands’ heat demand by 2050.

• HUBS •

Rijswijk Centre for geothermal energy

From lab to practice The RCSG was officially opened on 5 March 2020 and offers companies active in the field of geothermal energy the opportunity to make use of the advanced laboratory. The centre has 20 installations covering the entire spectrum of underground drilling. All facilities are present to test and experiment with new drilling techniques and materials under high pressure and temperature conditions comparable to those in the Dutch subsurface. In fact, almost all the conditions in the Dutch subsurface can be simulated.

Working alongside like-minded impact-driven innovators is inspiring and motivating. That is why The Hague makes room for, and connects with hubs in and around the city. This way, we build the best possible infrastructure for startups to grow and scale their business and impact.

Unique in the world There are only a few such centres in the world. The RCSG offers companies access to modern facilities that they would otherwise not be able to use or would have difficulty using due to the high investments involved in this type of research. The RCSG enables companies and knowledge institutes to work closely together to develop new technology and take major steps in the transition to a sustaina-

ble energy system. The RCSG is managed under TNO and is established om collaboration with The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Change, Energie Beheer Nederland, the Province of South Holland and the Municipality of Rijswijk to accelerate the development of geothermal heat.

www.tno.nl

Together we can work, share our knowledge, and accelerate new ideas so they become a reality.

Technology Park Ypenburg

Providing a focal point for national and international businesses to collaborate, TPY is a value-adding partner to innovative companies and the ecosystem peers involved in High Tech Manufacturing research, development, and production.

• Lightweight Materials & Solutions for Aerospace and Space, “The place for the High Tech Materials industry.” • Electronics and Sub-systems • Automation & Software solutions

Uniquely located to outstanding universities and educational institutes in an area with a proud history in aviation, TPY is the leading area for:

www.technologyparkypenburg.nl

• HUBS •

The Hague Security Delta (HSD) is a network of businesses, government bodies, universities and research institutes from across the country who work together on innovative security solutions and knowledge development. In this network, security issues are discussed, knowledge is shared, and products and services are developed in the fields of cyber security, national and urban security, protection of critical infrastructures, and forensics. The HSD partners have a common goal: a more secure

The Hague Tech world, more business activity and more jobs. The security cluster comes together at the HSD Campus in The Hague. This is the national innovation centre of the Dutch security cluster, with living labs, education and training facilities, flexible office space and meeting rooms.

www.securitydelta.nl www.hsdcampus.nl

• ENTREPRENEUR •

www.thehaguetech.com

Tykn

World Horti Center (WHC) is the know ledge and innovation center for international greenhouse horticulture. A leading platform where business, education, research and government jointly innovate, connect, inspire and share knowledge.

In order to continue to innovate and maintain its lead as an international sector, World Horti Center has a state-ofthe-art research center with 38 greenhouse

is a global entrepreneurship platform supporting impact-driven startups and intrapreneurs from idea to scale-up. WorldStartup invests in meaningful innovation for the common good – tech for good – with respect for all human beings and planetary boundaries in their support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

Digital records to empower the world’s poor

World Horti Centre

Every year, World Horti Center is visited by 25,000 international professionals, who are looking for connections, knowledge and innovations in horticulture. WHC connects parties who want to contribute in to a sustainable food supply and make the world greener. Leading horticultural companies and innovations are represented at the year-round trade fair. Here is a complete reflection of technology, supply, floriculture and food horticulture.

The Hague Tech is the community for entrepreneurs, freelancers, startups, scaleups, corporations, and local governments striving for technological innovations. The Hague Tech offers a co-working environment. It is also home to several diverse and engaging labs created by its members and facilitated by The Hague Tech that focus on blockchain, artificial intelligence and smart building tech. Impact accelerator WorldStartup is one of the residents of The Hague Tech. This

departments where researchers, entrepreneurs and various education institutions jointly conduct research. In addition, World Horti Center offers a learning environment for global talent and works together with leading (green) universities. As such, the World Horti Center is a unique collaboration between education, research, entrepreneurs and the government with an international focus. World Horti Centre is part of Greenport West-Holland, partner of ImpactCity.

www.worldhorticenter.nl

Tykn has developed an identity and access management system that allows public and private institutions to issue and verify digital identity credentials. This is an innovative way to share and request personal data proofs. Users are provided with an app, a digital identity wallet, that works on any mobile device and allows them to digitally access services from institutions privately and securely. Tykn received an investment of 1.2 million euros in May 2019. www.tykn.tech

• HUBS •

Security Delta

Tykn focuses on contributing to: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Micreos Micreos develops the world’s first targeted antibacterial products, which are set to replace antibiotics. The company is viewed as a global leader spearheading this exciting new field. Micreos endolysin technology makes it possible for the first time to kill only unwanted bacteria – including antibiotic-resistant strains – while preserving beneficial bacteria that are essential for our health.

Moreover, scientists don’t expect to see the emergence of resistance against endolysins in view of their working mechanism. Micreos focuses on contributing to: Industry, innovation and infrastructure www.micreos.com

65 65

• INTERVIEW •

ImpactCity and the DOEN Foundation have intensified their collaboration as of 2020 to jointly strengthen the ecosystem for impact entrepreneurs. The collaboration focuses on making it easier for starting and scaling enterprises to access capital. We checked in with director Idriss Nor.

‘The ImpactCity ecosystem in The Hague is perfect proof that impact investing has come of age’

‘ENTREPRENEURS ARE THE TRUE HEROES’ Idriss Nor - Executive director impact investments DOEN Foundation

• PA RT N E R •

At the very beginning of Stichting DOEN’s journey, 30 years ago, the foundation observed how entrepreneurship is often essential in advancing societal well-being. Entrepreneurship is at the core of doing good. This insight was a key reason that Stichting DOEN was founded, and it has informed the course of its impact investment from the start. At a time when subsidies rather than investments were the norm, this was an entirely new school of thought. ‘DOEN was founded by the Nationale Postcode Loterij to make sure that small, innovative initiatives could apply for contributions from the lottery,’ Idriss says. ‘From the start, the founders wondered why entrepreneurship and societal progress were considered to be separate realms. It’s part of our DNA, it defines who we are.’

Entrepreneurs that are working on innovative solutions for a better future can always knock on DOEN’s door. ‘We love to subsidise or give out loans, but when possible, we opt for investment. Together with our partners, we aim for impact. To make it work, we follow societal developments carefully,’ says Idriss.

Courageous frontrunners DOEN supports green, social and creative initiatives, thus catalysing frontrunners. They’re the ones courageous enough to take risks, and thus unlock new perspectives, Idriss says. ‘We just provide the finance. The entrepreneurs are the true heroes. They’re the ones creating the change and really setting an example.’ By supporting a multitude of small, innovative and impactful initiatives, DOEN contributes to societal transitions. At the core is the transition towards a circular economy that respects planetary boundaries and advances a social and inclusive society in which anyone can belong.

• PA RT N E R •

Critical mass ‘We support the frontrunners, but our work is also about making them visible,’ Idriss says. ‘The higher the visibility of the people who are approaching things differently, the more we will move towards the critical mass that’s needed to bring about a ‘new normal’ based on respect for the planet and each other.

• PA RT N E R •

‘The Hague is a shining example of how a city can offer its impact entrepreneurs a stage by honouring and facilitating them. It has an accelerating effect that helps take societal transitions to the next level’

‘If you want to change the world, you can’t do it alone. As a relatively small player, we aim to present orchestrated, convincing proof that a transition is taking place in society. Impact investment isn’t a playground, it’s become a serious industry. To scale and organise, we need partnerships. That’s why we’re always on the look-out for co-investors and meaningful coalitions.’

Shining light ‘In this respect, ImpactCity The Hague is a perfect match for us. The existing ecosystem in The Hague, and the careful and proactive way in which it’s being built, is highly relevant to us at DOEN. The accessibility and clarity of ImpactCity’s support for entrepreneurs through policy, stimuli and facilities is inspiring. DOEN simply belongs here.

‘The ImpactCity ecosystem in The Hague is perfect proof that impact investing has come of age. It’s a shining example of how a city can offer its impact entrepreneurs a stage by honouring and facilitating them. It has an accelerating effect that helps take societal transitions to the next level.’ www.doen.nl

Campus@Sea

• HUBS •

In 2020, the brand-new innovation hub Campus@Sea was introduced to the city of The Hague. It focuses on ocean-related innovation. The campus was brought to life by the Municipality of The Hague and the Province of Zuid-Holland. Together, they observe the opportunities the ocean has to offer to contribute to facing today’s societal questions, such as the need for sustainable energy and food security.

“The Hague, and the surrounding coastal area, has the potential to grow into a national hotspot for innovation in and around the sea. Access to a space in which entrepreneurs and researchers can come together and experiment is a precondition for success. Campus@Sea catalyzes this process,” says Adri Bom-Lemstra, Deputy of the Province of Zuid-Holland. In the framework of Campus@Sea, the Municipality of The Hague and the Province of Zuid-Holland bring together networks that are working on innovations in the ocean and its surrounding coastal area. Campus@ Sea is not just a physical space; more so, it represents a network of networks that boosts sustainable innovation in and around the ocean. What’s more, it offers space for much needed practical experimentation. While climate adaptation, energy transition and the conservation of biodiversity receive ever more attention, the ocean is increasingly looked at as a way to face these societal challenges. “The ocean is increasingly becoming part of the puzzle in the societal transitions that are required of us. Think of wind parks, but much more is possible. At the same time, there is an increased need to protect the ocean. In the Province of Zuid-Holland, with its extended coastline, it’s only logical to look at the opportunities the ocean offers and think of ways to use them in our best interest,” according to Bom-Lemstra.

At Campus@Sea, the conditions are created to facilitate innovative parties in the business, research and educational realms to focus on ocean-related innovation for a better world.

The Netherlands sports no less than sixteen seaports. The Scheveningen port is one of the smaller ones, which appears to be of added value in the context of innovative experimentation. It is unable to house largescale logistical operations, but offers the ideal size for knowledge intensive activities.

• HUBS •

“The ocean right by The Hague offers two test areas. One of them has been entirely closed off for shipping traffic in order to protect vulnerable experimentation, for example related to seaweed cultivation. The second test area is used to collect data. Both test areas are located right in front of the city and can be reached by boat in 75 minutes,” emphasizes Bruines. Also, The Hague’s position vis-à-vis the overall ecosystem is of much added value. The Hague is close to the city of Delft and its renowned technical university, TNO, and other relevant knowledge institutes. Also, the presence of the central government makes for much dynamism. “The region offers everything needed. It allows for relevant parties to locate each other at an early stage. Due to physical proximity, policy makers and entrepreneurs are able to connect easily. As our multiple use of the ocean increases over time, governmental direction at sea will have to increase alongside. All responsible parties are available within short distance,” Bom-Lemstra says.

Sid Vollebregt, founder / managing director

Elemental Water Makers Elemental Water Makers focuses on contributing to: Clean water and sanitation: avoiding wasting water.

Four billion people are already facing a shortage of water, and this number is rapidly increasing. Because 97 per cent of the world’s water is salty, the key to increasing our water resources is to be able to access water from the sea. Traditional desalination technology is expensive, fossil fuel intensive and complex. This makes desalination unsustainable and unavailable to many people. Elemental Water Makers solves freshwater scarcity using the unlimited resources of the sea and sun. Elemental Water Makers have developed an innovative, easy-to-use, solar-powered desalination technology to overcome water scarcity. Seawater is turned into drinking water by efficient reverse osmosis, powered by solar energy. The company’s solutions are being deployed globally in over a dozen countries for resorts, communities, industry, private properties and municipalities. They provide a safe and affordable off-grid water supply for coastal areas.

• ENTREPRENEUR •

The ocean imposes entirely different requirements. That’s why technologies that are functional on land need intensive review to make them suitable for use in the ocean. What’s more, the ocean offers entirely different opportunities, such as water-based energy generation by making use of waves, tides, and water flow. “The Scheveningen port offers the perfect starting point. It is big enough for proper research and experimentation. Also, it offers an open connection to the sea, without locks in between, which makes it easy and quick to enter open sea for experimentation,” says Saskia Bruines, Alderman at the City of The Hague.

‘By working from our coastal office at The Hague Beach, we remain at the core of our business and can showcase our unique technology in action for international delegations.’

www.elementalwatermakers.com

“The ocean will play an important part in the energy, climate, and food transitions that are required of us,” Bruines concludes. “There is no other city in The Netherlands that offers the opportunities, connections and facilities that we can here.”

www.campusatsea.nl 72

• A C C E L E R AT O R •

A startup accelerator is a short-term growth program that promotes a few years of growth in the span of a few months. Think of them as a boot camp in investment development.

EM ST Y OS EC

www.impactcity.nl

©Unknown Group, 2021 www.unknowngroup.com For enquiries or suggestions

tion s

ion rat

peti

lla

Com

rat

MSc

Ventur

e Build

t en

cers

cy in

flue n

ver

SUPPORT

hin

BSc

ers e Build Ventur

nce flue

Go ver nm

cy in

Poli

ors

rs bato

rat ele

Incu

Growth

Insights

Acc

MSc

Poli

ors

rat

bato

ele

Incu

ty ui s eq rm e fi at C iv V Pr &

hin

Acc

Stu Entrdent epre neurs hip

Growth

ons

dati

Stu Entrdent epre neurs hip

Centres of Entrepreneurship

Insights

TAL PTI CA

ty ui s eq rm e fi at C iv & V r P

EDUCAT IO N

s Ange

Events

ion

Com EXp etiti

Centres of Entrepreneurship

BSc

nd Fou

Yes!Delft

ons

ns atio

ers

ng ki or w es t Co ac oin p S lP ca y Lo Entr f edia o pM rtu Sta

NET W O

ISE ls

ge RsTAn BusinEes

Presee

Busines

lla

www.worldstartup.co

n Fou

Presee

EDUCAT IO N

rks

’s

ng ki or w es t Co ac oin Sp lP ca y Lo Entr edia of pM rtu Sta

NET W O

ISE RT PE

rks

& KTO

Alternative Finance

ien

’s

TTO’s

Alternative Finance

The people at YES!Delft help make a positive impact on the world through entrepreneurship and its extensive startup ecosystem. The team is proactively engaged in startups’ journey from inception to exit to empower and enable founders to contribute to a better world. To reach the set goals, collaboration is fostered, success and failures are shared, and an inspiring culture driven by unlimited ambition is nurtured.

& KTO

Events

TTO’s

ien

y str nt du e In pm lo ve

WorldStartup was incepted in The Netherlands in 2015 with a first accelerator program for impact startups in the city of The Hague. Since then, they have supported hundreds of startups from across the world with a growing global community of changemakers.

WorldStartup supports purpose-driven innovators creating long-standing impactful ventures. With a focus on building inspiring conditions for innovators and their partners, WorldStartup is able to contribute to the acceleration of innovations that help with the global transition to sustainable and equitable societies through entrepreneurship. It is a growing global network of innovation and entrepreneur support organizations.

Events

WorldStartup

TAL PTI CA

For enquiries or suggestions email info@impactcity.nl

CT A P M

SUPPORT

Events

THE NE TH ER LA N THE DS NE TH I ER LA ND S

www.impactcity.nlemail info@impactcity.nl

CT A M P M YSTE S O EC

4impact.vc

www.yesdelft.com www.impactcity.nl/impact-diagram

• HUBS •

The rapid advance of digital technology in society makes it a crucial topic for cities to investigate and regulate. In line with its slogan ‘doing good & doing business’, the Municipality of The Hague deploys digital innovations to tackle urban challenges with creative solutions.

At LLS, the Municipality of The Hague investigates how smart technology and innovations can contribute to solutions for urban challenges, such as liveability, mobility, sustainability, safety and security. LivingLab Scheveningen is the category winner for Energy & Environment of the international World Smart City Award 2021. This prestigious award is given annually to cities that make the world a more liveable and sustainable place. www.impactcity.nl/bedrijf/living-lab-scheveningen

DMEC is an accelerator for marine energy solutions. They believe that the enormous amount of energy stored in our oceans, seas and rivers will be a crucial driver to realize our global energy transition and foster sustainable growth. By advancing innovation, mobilizing capital and shaping policies, multipurpose energy solutions are created for a wide variety of markets. Britta Schaffmeister, CEO DMEC: “As the Hague is transforming rapidly to a hub for energy transition in the Netherlands, we are more than happy to add renewable marine energy solutions to the

Oceans of Energy Oceans of Energy is the first company in the world to install and operate an offshore solar farm system in high wave conditions. It is located in the North Sea, where it has survived many storms including four named storms/ extratropical cyclones Ciara, Dennis, Bella, Evert since its deployment in 2019.

energy opportunities supported by the city of The Hague. With our offices right next to the North Sea at the Campus @Sea hub, we have the best access to all players involved in making this region a global showcase for clean energy solutions and impact innovation. As a partner of ImpactCity we join forces with other key players in the new energy sector, impact innovators and investors, and broaden our national and international network in the community.”

www.dutchmarineenergy.com

• ENTREPRENEURS •

With 3.5 kilometres of smart city infrastructure tucked away in the street furniture along the seafront in Scheveningen, Living Lab Scheveningen (LLS) is a real-time field lab and learning environment in a public space. This infrastructure comprises: • cables and pipes under the ground for power and connectivity; • objects above the ground such as lamp posts and kiosks, which are connected to this infrastructure (so-called hubs); • equipment that can be installed in the hubs, such as sensors and cameras.

Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC)

• A C C E L E R AT O R •

Living Lab Scheveningen

Thanks to the large-scale European funding under the REACT EU program, a new test site will be set up in front of the coast of The Hague. With this, an internationally unique project will see the light, thanks to the size of the new offshore solar farm. In due time, the solar park can be scaled to a capacity of 1,000 megawatts. This equals the energy supply of 300,000 households. Oceans of Energy has always closely monitored the effects of its solar farms on sea life and has made synergies with aquaculture part of its vision to offer the world a clean energy solution. www.oceansofenergy.blue

• PA RT N E R •

Euclid Network CEO Suzanne Wisse-Huiskes and ImpactCity account manager Irene Samwel signing the official partner agreement.

Euclid Network ImpactCity is proud to be the frontrunner on an international scale when it comes down to joining forces with powerful partners for economic and social impact. Together we have the power to make voices heard, scale the reach of innovation and make knowledge accessible.

uclid Network (EN) is the European Social Enterprise Network. Founded in 2007, EN has been a frontrunner in shaping the European impact ecosystem in the past decade. Over the coming decade, more than ever, collaboration and knowledge-sharing will be key in achieving true results. The global community of changemakers is growing and so is the EN network: its members represent over 100,000 organisations in 21 countries throughout Europe and beyond. Together with its members, EN strives towards an economy that works for people and the planet in support of all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, making impact its daily business. Euclid Networks’s vision is to see social entrepreneurship and social innovation pave the way for a new green and just economy. Collaboration among members and partners enables EN to: ∙ Create connections between leaders in the impact and social enterprise ecosystem ∙ Share and produce leadership, professional and entrepreneurial knowhow

∙ I nfluence European policy and funding and strengthen members’ and network participants’ EU engagement ∙ Raise the visibility and understanding of social enterprise in business, academia, government and wider society EN is a strategic partner of the European Commission, a member of the WEF COVID Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs and an observer to the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy.

‘Euclid Network calls ImpactCity home, not only because we have our business office located at the Apollo 14 impact hotspot in The Hague, but also because we share many core values in our mutual support and empowerment of the social enterprise ecosystem. We are proud to be part of a community that passionately cultivates opportunities for entrepreneurs so they can make invaluable contributions to society.’ Suzanne Wisse – Huiskes, CEO Euclid Network

• PA RT N E R •

The Hague Business Agency (THBA) The Hague Business Agency (THBA) focuses on helping innovative business pioneers to establish, expand or relocate their national or international business operations strategically within the Greater Hague region. The agency’s services are free and confidential. They include expert guidance on tax, labour, logistics, VAT and customs, as well as help with site selection. THBA guarantees a warm introduction to relevant business and government networks at local and national level. www.businessagency.thehague.com

InnovationQuarter InnovationQuarter is the regional economic development agency for the greater Rotterdam-The Hague area. The agency finances innovative and fast-growing companies, assists international companies in establishing their businesses in this region, and facilitates national and international collaboration between innovative entrepreneurs, academic institutions and government. In cooperation with the business community, InnovationQuarter thus supports the development of the greater Rotterdam-The Hague area to become one of the most innovative regions in Europe. As a lifecycle financier, InnovationQuarter offers companies financing at various stages of growth and invests from three funds: IQ Capital, UNIIQ and ENERGIIQ. www.innovationquarter.nl

European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) The European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) is a lively community of organisations sharing the same vision and a common goal: creating positive societal impact through venture philanthropy. EVPA helps investors and grant makers connect and learn from each other in their pursuit of deeper societal impact.

VPA brings together a diverse community with a common interest in venture philanthropy and social investment and enables investors for impact to maximize social impact through increased resources, collaboration and expertise. For the 15th anniversary, EVPA joined forces with ImpactCity during the ImpactFest 2019 in The Hague. This created an unique opportunity to connect a large international group of social investors to entrepreneurs out of the ImpactCity network. In-depth knowledge was shared and valuable connections were made for both the EVPA and ImpactCity ecosystems. From this, a more intense collaboration has been launched. Through this investors from EVPA’s network and entrepreneurs out of ImpactCity are actively brought together through deal sharing days and other events.

www.evpa.eu.com

• PA RT N E R •

MKB Den Haag, part of MKB Nederland, is the largest advocate for small and medium-sized enterprises in The Hague. The aim of MKB Den Haag is to create a favourable and promising business climate within which it distinguishes itself as a discussion partner within The Hague in relation to important themes for business.

Netherlands Advisory Board on impact investing The Netherlands Advisory Board on impact investing (NAB) focuses on scaling up investments in impact and increasing cooperation in the Dutch impact investing sector. Launched in 2019 by a variety of Dutch financial sector players, social investors and impact fund managers, the NAB is part of a global network of similar National Advisory Boards, the Global Steering Group for impact investment (GSG).

MKB Den Haag and ImpactCity have joined forces to stimulate innovation in The Hague region. This involves the facilitation of knowledge sharing and meetings between startups, scaleups and SMEs. Startups can learn from the experience of SME entrepreneurs and on the other hand, startups and scaleups can inspire SMEs because they often take

a different approach to issues such as digitisation, the use of talent, sustainability and energy transition. While this is often self-evident to startups and scaleups, many SME entrepreneurs are not yet looking for ways to embrace these themes and integrate them into their business. By connecting the worlds, MKB Den Haag and ImpactCity hope to stimulate innovation in the region.

• PA RT N E R •

MKB Den Haag

www.mkbdenhaag.nl

he GSG was established in 2015 and is an independent global steering group catalysing impact investment and entrepreneurship to benefit people and the planet. In a healthy impact investment ecosystem, investments and savings help in solving social and environmental challenges, as well as seeking a financial return. The NAB’s mission is to increase the effectiveness of the Dutch impact investment ecosystem, with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, in order to contribute to developing new impact investment sub-sectors and scaling existing ones to achieve the SDGs. Connected through the GSG, the National Advisory Boards have the opportunity to interact and share lessons learned.

www.nabimpactinvesting.nl

• INTERVIEW •

Unknown Group is a fast-growing early-stage venture capital and business development firm, supporting founders and industry leaders to successfully bring innovations to the market. They work with over 200 leading corporate and governmental organizations on open innovation and corporate venturing activities to generate new options for growth, by scouting startups, scaleups and new technologies to establish powerful collaborations that can outcompete the market.

‘WE WANT TO BRING AS MANY STARTUPS AS POSSIBLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD HERE TO THE HAGUE’ Hendrik Halbe • Partner & CEO at Unknown Group

• PA RT N E R •

68 84

In 2020, Unknown Group merged with The Haguebased VC, VenturesOne, whose investment expertise strengthens Unknown’s ambition to increase the success rate of innovations that address pressing global and local challenges. Part of Unknown Group is the most global startup competition, Get in the Ring, the entrepreneurship university, Global School for Entrepreneurship and the upcoming Tech Campus for SMEs, CupolaXS. Hendrik Halbe, founder and CEO of Unknown Group and Get in the Ring, tells their story and explains the plans for the future.

What motivates you to commit yourself to impact entrepreneurs and innovation?

→ Over the past 16 years I have met thousands

of entrepreneurs from all over the world. I have seen the most fantastic solutions, but many were left untapped to my great surprise and sometimes even frustration. Why? The entrepreneurs were not given the opportunity to put their unconventional solution into practice because public and private partners ultimately opted for the existing, known, but often inferior solutions. This is a huge waste of potential which I believe we should really make better use of. After all, these entrepreneurs are the ones who have the flexibility and creative power to come up with solutions. I am therefore personally committed to finding entrepreneurs with the best solutions and connecting them to the social and industrial challenges of our partners.

• PA RT N E R •

→ Getting the chance to test their solutions for the first time or on a larger scale. Because without hard evidence from pilots it is difficult to convince investors and the industry to embrace a relevant solution. The Hague is tackling this through its ImpactCity programme and really stands for active cooperation. They are not afraid to act as an early adapter.

• PA RT N E R •

Where do you see the biggest challenge for impact entrepreneurs from Get in the Ring’s perspective?

www.unknowngroup.com www.getinthering.co

Can you tell more about Get in the Ring, its link with ImpactCity and the motivation to open an office at the Apollo 14 impact hotspot?

→ We believe that cities can make an enormous

contribution to the testing and scaling of startup solutions. A city can offer the ultimate test environment in a local context. We see that The Hague has developed the required infrastructure and ecosystem to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to put their unconventional solutions for a better world into practice in a local environment and, if successful, enable international scaling, from local to global. It is therefore our ambition to work with ImpactCity The Hague to bring as many of these impact startups from all over the world to this city. This collaboration will provide a huge accelerator and greater chance of success, as we will combine GitR’s network in more than 100 countries with the power of The Hague. The new Get in the Ring Impact Competition which takes place in 6 countries across Europe, will definitely help with this.

• EVENT •

founders of

• I M PAC T CO M P E T I T I O N • ImpactCity The Hague and Unknown Group are hosting a Get in the Ring Impact Competition in cities across Europe. The competition is focused on impact innovations and provides an incredible opportunity for impact entrepreneurs to compete for a convertible loan of up to €500,000. For participants, it’s a chance to test their solution with partners through the vast network of ImpactCity and Get in the Ring and to be recognised as a leading impact startup or scaleup on an international stage. For more information see: www.getinthering.co/impact

ompetitors had to convince an international panel of judges that their innovation will contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals – specifically, those relating to food, health, water, energy, responsible production and consumption, climate and humanitarian need. Driving innovations for a better world and providing entrepreneurs with opportunities to reach a bigger audience, access funding and scale their business is part of ImpactCity’s mission. Together with partner Unknown Group and other front-running innovative cities across the globe, ‘doing good & doing business’ has been taken to a new level. Preliminary rounds and country finales kicked off in The Hague (NL) during the 5th edition of ImpactFest, followed by Geneva (CH), Oslo (NO), Lisbon (PT), Berlin (DE) and Copenhagen (DK). Together with these cities, ImpactCity continues to build a thriving impact ecosystem that goes beyond borders. The winners of each of these rounds were invited to the European Impact Finals, which were part of ImpactFest on November 4th, 2021.

Jurgen Nieuwenhuijsen, director Get in the Ring (part of Unknown Group): ‘We live in challenging times, and challenging times call for unconventional solutions. With our competition, we want to support impact startups that have these unconventional solutions so they can grow and scale internationally, help them to think beyond borders and connect them to relevant partners to test and prove their solutions.’ ‘The Hague is a great example of a city that is dedicated to supporting impact startups with the facilities, network and clients they need in order to scale. We are very pleased to expand this infrastructure of ImpactCity to an international level with the Impact Competition.’ Saskia Bruines, Deputy Mayor, The Hague ‘With the Get in the Ring Impact Competition, impact startups and scaleups are provided with an incredible opportunity to take the next step. Get in the Ring provides them with the right network of investors, corporates and other partners to scale successfully. And I believe that’s how we should put “doing good & doing business” into practice.’

• DEEP DIVE •

Humanitarian Innovation The Hague has a long history in the field of humanitarian innovation and standing up for peace and justice. Many believe that humanitarian aid and business don’t go together in a healthy way. In The Hague, entrepreneurs have proven the business case for civic and humanitarian innovation.

hey build scrappy teams. They run on lean resources. They’re nimble and pivot as business circumstances demand.

Public sector organizations, meanwhile, have the reputation of having few, if any, of those characteristics. “Governments and NGOs are, by nature, more skeptical and slower in adopting new innovations and technologies,” says Bobby Bahov. “But, I’ve been positively surprised. Some take a very proactive approach.” Bahov is the founder AI Lab One, a network of artificial intelligence experts and enthusiasts, and part of a growing civic and humanitarian tech scene in The Hague. In a city that serves as the Netherlands’ seat of government and the international center for peace and justice, tech innovators like Bahov are finding a willing and enthusiastic base of customers in the public sector. AI Lab, for example, is consulting on several government-led initiatives exploring ways to build and

integrate high tech solutions in support of the clean energy transition, sustainable waste management, and natural biodiversity. “Many people in the government are curious to explore the possibilities and are even organizing events to get people to pitch and share ideas,” Bahov says. And innovators are responding. Across The Hague, a raft of events, hackathons, startup hubs and pitch competitions are elevating innovation and entrepreneurship in fields like humanitarian aid and social services, long seen as the domain of governments and NGOs.

A small circle Being a startup founder is a tough job in the best of circumstances. But being a civic or humanitarian tech entrepreneur comes with a special set of challenges, which could explain why there are relatively few startups in these sectors. “I can understand why people shy away. It’s seen as riskier and more difficult, because you’re solving a tech problem and a business problem with this extra dimension of solving a social problem,” says

• DEEP DIVE •

Jimmy Snoek, co-founder of Tykn, a blockchain startup supporting humanitarian aid organizations. Tykn, for instance, was launched as a birth registration platform to address a major global identity problem: that an estimated 25 percent of children worldwide have unregistered births. Not having a birth certificate cripples individuals’ opportunities throughout their lives—as it did for years for Tykn’s founder, Tey Al-Rjula. But in Tykn’s early years, it became clear to the founders that it would be difficult to build a viable business case around digital birth certificates, largely because of the policy environment. “It was clear from a business perspective that it wasn’t going to happen at the time,” says Snoek. “So we pivoted on the technology a couple of times.” (Snoek says the policy environment has since improved.) Now the company works with aid organizations and government agencies to manage and log the flow of data and funding to various humanitarian initiatives. For example, since 2018, Tykn has been supporting The Netherlands Red Cross as a tech partner in its disaster response and relief for hurricane victims in St. Maarten. It is also working with aid organization Dorcas on its cash-based aid programs in Malawi. “Long-term, we have a strong proposition,” Snoek notes, “but we’ve grappled with the business model.”

Leaning into change Business pivots are commonplace in the startup world, and civic and humanitarian tech companies must be no less nimble and adaptable than peers in other sectors. But making corrections can be difficult to navigate where natural market forces are obscured. Christina Moreno started She Matters to help refugee women in the Netherlands secure job training and employment opportunities. Currently, only 11% of the Netherlands 51,000 female asylum seekers are employed. That’s not for lack of skills, says Moreno. “Women who come to us, they’re engineers looking for jobs driving taxis and cleaning kitchens because they don’t want to be on social benefits. In the Netherlands, there’s a shortage of engineers— engineers are needed,” she explains. She Matters was established as a hybrid non-profit/ for-profit social enterprise model, providing skills training and workforce integration services and taking a fee from recruiters as the women it supports accept job offers. But the organization has perpetually struggled against social stigmas and stereotypes, which prevent the refugee population from securing employment opportunities and ultimately rebuilding their lives. In response, She Matters is shifting gears by leaning into new technology that will help it drive the recruiter services side of its model. “We’re leveraging software that can analyze a job candidate’s capabilities and offer employers a data-based skills assessment,” Moreno explains.

Making the case In spite of the challenges, starting up in a city like The Hague has benefitted companies like Tykn and She Matters because of the proximity to public agencies and organizations working on the frontlines of social and humanitarian issues. These startup founders are also increasingly supported

Conversations are where it has to start

• DEEP DIVE •

Being a civic or humanitarian tech entrepreneur comes with a special set of challenges

by an expanding ecosystem of networks, investors and services, driven from the top down, like the government of The Hague’s ImpactCity; from the bottom up, like AI Lab; and from the general momentum of tech for good. “In the last 10 years or so, I would definitely say there’s been a shift,” observes Tim van Deursen of The Hague-based software agency Q42. “We have all of these global challenges. People are starting to feel they’re getting serious and are coming in for action. And tech is something that naturally resonates as a way to do that because people use it everyday.” Continuing to pull in creative minds and problem solvers will be critical to the success of humanitarian and civic-minded startups, as most enterprise models are still young and unproven. Van Deursen, who launched the purpose-driven initiative at Q42, cites his own challenges in making a business case for the projects Q42 takes on, like building surveillance drones for Greenpeace. “When we started, there was no question about whether we should do this or not, it was just about how, [financially],” he explains. “It’s difficult. It’s something we’re still figuring out.” “Conversations are where it has to start,” says Snoek, speaking from his experience building Tykn. “Everyone has to understand what the needs are, and once that happens, it becomes a lot easier to do this work. And those conversations are happening.”

• MEET SEEPJE •

‘We think it’s very cool that the City of The Hague is impact-focused by way of its international identity as ImpactCity,’ says Jasper Gabrielse, co-founder of Seepje, a company well on its way to sustainably reforming the cleaning products and detergents of the future. We checked in with him to hear more about the company’s journey and the added value of being Hague-based.

‘S

eepje produces detergents and cleaning products for a cleaner and brighter world,’ Jasper says. ‘We use the best natural ingredients in a range of cleaning products. Our end result is the sum of goals that we achieve. They’re both social and green. That’s how we generate as much impact as possible in our environments, whilst making the world a little more beautiful.’

‘WE KICKED OFF OUR ADVENTURE RIGHT HERE IN THE HAGUE’ Jasper Gabrielse • Co-founder Seepje

It all started off with the natural fruit shells of the Sapindus tree that is native to the Himalayas. The shells contain a natural form of soap, called saponine. Jasper and his co-founder Melvin Loggies wondered why they were using all sorts of synthetic products ‘Our goal is when a natural alterto be 100 native was apparently available. per cent

renewable’

That’s how their journey started. Back in 2013, they used their combined student loans to kickstart the company. In 2014, the first batch of their products found their way into stores. At present, 16 different Seepje products are available in the market, with over a million units a year selling in 2,100 stores across the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

• ENTREPRENEURS •

entirely free from exhaustible raw materials, like crude oil. We want to make sure that they’re no longer needed.’ What’s more, they pay attention to everyone affected by their products: their consumers, the labourers in Nepal and India whose living and working conditions they aim to improve, as well as the people in the Dutch sheltered workshops that handle their products. ‘We all know that a smile on a face is worth a lot,’ Jasper says.

Bonded with the city ‘The Hague is important to us,’ Jasper says ‘It’s the place where we started our adventure. Also, we’ve received a lot of support from the municipality here. Back in 2015, we won the first edition of the The Hague Innovators competition. A nice financial boost ensued, which helped us move forward substantially and scale up our operations.’ Additionally, the company profits from connections to the many social entrepreneurs that work from the city. ‘We can share about the hiccups we’ve experienced on our path,’ Jasper says. ‘Even if some of the companies are very different in focus, the challenges we face are often very similar. This strengthens the connection we have with each other and the city of The Hague.’

All-round impact ‘Our goal is to be 100 per cent renewable,’ Jasper says. ‘Ultimately, we want our products to be

www.seepje.nl

• HUBS •

Apollo 14 Saturnusstraat 14 2516 AH Den Haag

De Titaan Saturnusstraat 95 2516 AG Den Haag

The Hague Security Delta / HSD Campus Wilhelmina van Pruisenweg 104 2595 AN Den Haag

The Hague Tech Anna van Hanoverstraat 4 2595 BJ ’s-Gravenhage

The New Farm Televisiestraat 2-4 - Unit 200 2525 KD Den Haag

The Hague Humanity Hub Fluwelen Burgwal 58 2511 CJ The Hague

Campus@Sea Hellingweg 9C 2583 DZ Den Haag

Living Lab Scheveningen Noord boulevard Scheveningen

Yes!Delft The Hague Wilhelmina van Pruisenweg 104 2595 AN Den Haag

World Horti Center Europa 1 2672 ZX Naaldwijk, Westland

Technology Park Ypenburg Laan van Ypenburg 108 2497 GA Den Haag

Rijswijk Centre for Sustainable Geo-Energy Kessler Park Lange Kleiweg 1D 2288 GH Rijswijk

Binckhaven

9 3

6 1

11 12

• HUBS •

• FAC T S & F I G U R E S •

Capital invested in top The Hague impact startups:

The city of The Hague commits to impact innovations and entrepreneurs as part of the city’s focus, until at least 2030.

Access to impact investment capital in The Hague:

44+ million

1 billion +

Innovation hubs:

• FAC T S & F I G U R E S •

ImpactCity founded in 2015.

100+

Humanity hub

The New Farm

The Hague Tech

The Hague Security Delta

Apollo 14

Titaan

Yes!Delft The Hague

Campus@ Sea

Technolgy park Ypenburg

World Horti Centre

Rijswijk Centre for Geothermal

Living Lab Scheveningen

ImpactFest sold out 4 years in a row.

impact companies

Number of people working on a more innovative, peaceful and just world from The Hague:

40.000+

100