BRIGHT&LEADING AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK MAGAZINE 01 / 2014
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A NETWORK OF MEETING PLACES
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VERONIQUE DE BRUIJN ICOS CAPITAL, PHOTANOL
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INTERVIEW WITH ROBBERT DIJKGRAAF “THE NETHERLANDS IS A VERY ATTRACTIVE COUNTRY ON THE GLOBAL MAP. WE WOULD DO WELL TO SPOTLIGHT THAT FACT MORE.”
SCIENCE MEETS BUSINESS 04 22
COLLABORATION BY DESIGN AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK, A VIBRANT MELTING POT
AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK PRODUCES ENTERPRISING SCIENTISTS FOUR TOP STUDENTS TALK ABOUT THEIR ENTHUSIASM FOR SCIENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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HOME BASE FOR ENTREPRENEURS FROM HERE, THEY ASTONISH THE WORLD WITH INNOVATION AND SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS
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| CONTENTS
CONTENTS 06 AMBITIOUS ENTREPRENEURS
08 ROBBERT DIJKGRAAF
08 VIDEO CALL WITH ROBBERT DIJKGRAAF
IS VISION OF H SCIENCE AND AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK
04 COLLABORATION BY DESIGN AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK, A VIBRANT MELTING POT
THE SUCCESS STORIES OF THREE SPIN-OFFS
10 NETWORK OF MEETING PLACES AN IMPRESSION OF THE INSPIRING AND INVITING MEETING PLACE THAT CONNECTS SCIENCE AND ART
11 HARD FACTS & FIGURES PARK 20 SCIENCE AND COLLABORATION HOW TOP RESEARCHERS COLLABORATED INTERNATIONALLY TO FIND THE HIGGS PARTICLE AND MORE SUCCESS STORIES
22 AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK PRODUCES ENTERPRISING SCIENTISTS FOUR TOP STUDENTS TALK ABOUT THEIR ENTHUSIASM FOR SCIENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
24 RUMOURS AROUND AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK 26 HOME BASE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
FROM HERE, THEY ASTONISH THE WORLD WITH INNOVATION AND SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS
11-18 HARD FACTS & FIGURES PARK
- LOCATION - FACTS & FIGURES - M AP AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK - SETTING UP A BUSINESS AT AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK
CREDITS Bright & leading is a publication of Amsterdam Science Park, 2014. info@amsterdamsciencepark.nl Concept, design and realisation: MASC Company Editors: Amsterdam Science Park, Jolien Alberdingk Thijm, NRI, MASC Company Translation: Heather Lane, Megan Roberts (page 4 collaboration by design) Photography: Remco Bohle, Pol Fotografie, Bram Belloni, High and low fotografie, Nikhef/Peter Ginter Circulation: 5000 No rights can be derived from this publication.
WWW.AMSTERDAMSCIENCEPARK.NL
INTRODUCTION |
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BRIGHT & LEADING A few years ago the Amsterdam Science Park was considered Amsterdam’s best kept secret, but now it has developed into a knowledge area of international allure, regarded by many – including the Mayor and Municipal Executive – with great admiration. The first fundamental research institutes, which as you will read in this issue now enjoy world fame, were established in this former polder in the nineteen-sixties. These ‘founding fathers’ still form the core of the Amsterdam Science Park: a campus which has developed around this nucleus of fundamental scientific research over the past twenty years and has almost 10,000 scientists, science students, entrepreneurs and employees. Not only is this environment where they deliver top performances; it is also a place of meeting and cooperation. Everything needed to facilitate this is in place at the Amsterdam Science Park and the foundation has been laid for a leading knowledge area in the fields of scientific research, valorisation and innovative entrepreneurship. I am proud of how the Amsterdam Science Park has developed. Amsterdam has a thriving creative industry, a strong financial business centre at the Zuidas, a unique historical centre, a clustering of the biggest media companies, two universities and leading art institutions. And the Amsterdam Science Park fits well in that row of pearls. It is also one of the biggest clusters of fundamental scientific research and education in Europe. The area inspires me and it inspires
THE AREA INSPIRES ME AND IT INSPIRES AMSTERDAM Amsterdam. Thousands of people work on innovations and technologies here which contribute to the resolution of challenges in the areas of energy, health and transport, for example. These solutions are brought to the market increasingly faster, thanks to the infrastructure available for start-ups and spin-offs. I often entertain foreign delegations and companies, which are always particu-
NOT ONLY IS THIS ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY DELIVER TOP PERFORMANCES; IT IS ALSO A PLACE OF MEETING AND COOPERATION larly impressed with the cooperation and level of international excellence here. An equally important aspect is that the Amsterdam Science Park and the city of Amsterdam work together to find solutions for and innovative ways of dealing with urban challenges. And that we, in turn, share that knowledge with other international cities. I am always heartened by a visit to the Amsterdam Science Park. I see passionate students attending lectures, scientists using small matter to think big, young entrepreneurs with a burning desire to take the market by storm with product innovations, cranes and construction workers building new developments for research institutes or businesses, and the coming together of people and minds from all over the world. You experience the future at the Amsterdam Science Park and the firm belief that we really can make a difference with knowledge and bold entrepreneurship. You will read about their stories in this first issue of ‘Bright and Leading’. They have inspired me. I hope they inspire you, too.
EBERHARD VAN DER LAAN Mayor of Amsterdam
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| CORPORATE STORY
UNTIL THE 17TH CENTURY, THE AREA WHERE AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK IS LOCATED WAS COMPLETELY SUBMERGED IN WATER. LYING MORE THAN FOUR METRES BELOW SEA LEVEL, IT TOOK REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT FOR THE LAND TO BE RECLAIMED IN 1629. APPROPRIATELY, TODAY AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK IS HOME TO ONE OF THE LARGEST CONCENTRATIONS OF BETA SCIENCES IN EUROPE. THIS UNIQUE JUNCTURE OF PRESTIGIOUS EDUCATION, HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE BUSINESS HAS BEEN CAREFULLY CULTIVATED TO STIMULATE INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION. WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM’S FACULTY OF SCIENCE, AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, DOZENS OF RENOWNED RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND SOME 120 COMPANIES – FROM START-UPS TO MULTINATIONALS – ALL WORKING IN THE FIELDS OF IT, LIFE SCIENCES, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY, AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK HAS BECOME A VIBRANT MELTING POT WHERE BUSINESS, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION MEET.
COLLABORATION BY DESIGN
CORPORATE STORY |
RESEARCH HUB Boasting the highest concentration of publicly funded research in the Netherlands, Amsterdam Science Park is currently home to eight University of Amsterdam research institutes and three institutes of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research: FOM Institute AMOLF, the Centre for Mathematics and Computer Sciences (CWI) and the National Institute for Subatomic Physics (Nikhef). Recently the Dutch institute for space research expertise, SRON, decided to relocate from Utrecht to Amsterdam Science Park. The new Advanced Research Centre for Nanolithography (ARCNL), a joint venture of ASML and the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM), will be operational from January 2014 and conduct fundamental and applied research in areas that are key to unlocking innovation in the global semiconductor industry. Among the hundreds of researchers working within these institutes are several winners of the Spinoza and Nobel Prize and European Research Grants. These individuals carry out pioneering and inspirational research in fields including multimedia, grid computing, visualisation, system biology, nano-photonics, cryptology, smart grids, particle physics and microscopy. And together, they provide international research support to businesses such as Michelin, Philips, AkzoNobel, Shell, Nikon, IBM and Microsoft. There are also numerous innovative spin-offs at the Park that bring together science and business.
DIGITAL DEVELOPMENTS As one of the most densely cabled locations in Europe, Amsterdam Science Park is presently home to more than 150 network hubs. It also houses internet exchanges such as AMS-IX, the largest data transport hub in the world, known for its superior quality and low costs, and NL-ix (Netherlands Internet Exchange), and is capable of reaching 80 percent of customers in Europe within 50 milliseconds.
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The Science Park’s computing and communications credentials date back many decades, thanks to the ground-breaking research of the Centre for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI). The CWI was the first organisation outside the United States to be active on the internet. Since then, it has developed important programming languages such as Python, which is used widely by Google and Amazon and other new media companies. A recent addition to the Science Park’s thriving IT community is the third Amsterdam-based data centre of US company Equinix. Peter Van Camp, Executive Chairman of Equinix, is a fifth generation Dutch-American and immensely proud not only of his Dutch roots, but also of the Dutch focus on innovation, which is reflected in Equinix’s flagship data center: AM3 Amsterdam Science Park, one of the most sustainable data centres worldwide. Explaining their choice of location, they cited the Science Park’s unparalleled combination of quality education, research and entrepreneurship.
EDUCATION Amsterdam Science Park is home to a valuable pool of highly qualified students. The UvA Faculty of Science with 4,000 students covers a wide range of research, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth and environmental science, informatics, logics, mathematics and physics. And since September 2012, the 900 students of the prestigious Amsterdam University College (AUC) have also called the Science Park their home.
BUSINESS The unique proximity of leading scientists and well-trained students and the availability of high quality technical facilities and state-of-the-art lab and office space, in several multi-tenant buildings, make Amsterdam Science Park an extremely attractive proposition for innovative businesses, from start-ups to multinational companies.
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| INTERVIEW
ENTREPRENEURSHIP THRIVES AT AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK THERE ARE 120 COMPANIES AT AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK, FORTY OF WHICH ARE THE PRODUCT OF A SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. MATRIX INNOVATION CENTER PROVIDES OFFICE SPACE AND LAB FACILITIES TO AT LEAST 100 OF THESE YOUNG, DYNAMIC AND INNOVATIVE SCIENCE COMPANIES IN SEVERAL MULTI-TENANT BUILDINGS. ACE VENTURE LAB AND THE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OFFICE ALSO ASSIST DIFFERENT RESEARCHERS AT AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK IN BRINGING THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO THE MARKET IN THE FORM OF COMPANIES AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, HELPING THEM FIND CUSTOMERS. BELOW ARE THE STORIES OF THREE SUCH SPIN-OFFS, ONE OF WHICH HAS ALREADY FOUND SUCCESS INTERNATIONALLY.
BLUE-GREEN ALGAE: THE FUEL OF THE FUTURE VERONIQUE DE BRUIJN - ICOS CAPITAL, PHOTANOL
It’s hard to imagine that cars will be driving on bacteria soon. But it’s going to happen. The Photanol principle was discovered by two professors at the University of Amsterdam: Klaas Hellingwerf and Joost Teixeira de Mattos. While studying the cyanobacteria, they discovered that it creates chemicals out of CO2 if it has the right genetic material. These are the same chemicals that are currently being derived from fossil fuels, such as ethanol, which is used to fuel cars, but also bulk chemicals for plastics and coatings or aroma and flavour additives for the food industry. The bacteria feed on sunlight and CO2, which results in a negative carbon footprint.” “This technology is suitable for hundreds of products,” Veronique de Bruijn from ICOS Capitol told us. But there’s a long way to go before it becomes interesting for the market. “The theoretical idea already existed, but we had to investigate whether the Photanol principle could be scaled up as well. To calculate the cost price, this process was modelled at TU Delft. We also had to optimise the trial factory, so that the cyanobacteria could perform even better.” The scalability of the Photanol Factory has been proven and the price has shown to be competitive in relation to the current market. “The financial potential is there, which is important for new investors. And these are needed. It could be ten years before we see the first car that runs on ethanol.”
The Photanol trial factory in the greenhouses of Amsterdam Science Park is an impressive sight. A network of pipes reaching up to the ceiling serves as the breeding ground for a green substance, the cyanobacteria, more commonly known as blue-green algae. This may well be the fuel of the future. Green cleantech investor ICOS Capitol was immediately convinced of the product’s potential and decided to invest last year, so that the technology could be implemented.
In the meantime, Photanol has grown into a company staffed by eight people. “The idea ties in well with the need to find an alternative for oil and other energy sources. I’m keeping my eyes open in the meantime, because there’s so much going on here at Amsterdam Science Park. The Technology Transfer office is doing that for us, too. They sift the wheat from the chaff and together we discuss commercial feasibility of scientific technologies. Besides finding accommodation and providing advice, the Ace Venture Lab helps entrepreneurs set up their businesses by bringing them into contact with investors like us.”
INTERVIEW |
QUEUING UP FOR THE SUPER-FAST DETECTOR
BDS: SAFEGUARDING FOOD SAFETY
ODILE BASEDOW - 1&12 VENTURES, OMICS2IMAGE
BRAM BROUWER - BIO DETECTION SYSTEMS (BDS)
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In 1994 toxicologist Bram Brouwer developed a method that detects harmful substances in food. And he hit the bullseye, because the need for research into food was growing and there were few effective food safety measurements systems. Bram set up his company Bio Detection Systems (BDS) in 2000, which screens food from across the world – in laboratories at Amsterdam Science Park.
A detector that unravels the protein molecules in the human body within half an hour – which is over 4000 times faster than current methods – is ready to take the world by storm. The technology behind this new detector has tens of other potential applications, so scientists are queuing up for the opportunity to work with this technological find. With the help of investor 1&12 Ventures, Omics2Image has been established and the detector is available commercially. The protein detector, the IonPix camera, is a real breakthrough in the world of mass spectrometry. The detector improves the analyses of tumours and therefore to tailor treatment accordingly. This is why it is so crucial that the technology becomes available; for example, for hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry. The technology was invented by Professor Ron Heeren, research leader of the Biomocular Imaging Mass Spectrometry Group at the AMOLF research institute. The focus of Professor Heeren’s work is on tracing proteins in the body, such as tumours. He discovered that a chip, developed by CERN for particle physics research, enables the detector to achieve an even higher resolution, greater speed and higher sensitivity than are currently available. The first IonPix camera has already been sold in Korea, which constitutes a major feat in Omics2Image’s first year of operations. “The invention is there, but now we need people who understand not only the technology, but also how to sell it,” Odile Basedow told us. Basedow worked at Omics2Image last year, after being recruited by 1&12 Ventures to give the spin-off company a kick-start. Together with Ron Heeren and physicist Chris Rétif, she took part in the NGI Venture Challenge and won the first prize of 25,000 euros. The Venture Challenge is an initiative of the National Genomics Initiative and challenges life-science researchers to turn inventions into a business plan. Basedow: “The prize money will be used to expand the business. However innovative a technology may be, it won’t sell itself.” “Innovation comes from the universities and research institutes,” Basedow added. “They discover the unknown, which makes them innovative. But that’s where their responsibility ends. If a new technology has potential applications outside academia, needed by the market, other people are required to develop that potential. This means essential knowledge is lost. 1&12 Ventures brings together the knowledge of academia and business expertise. I’ve returned to my course at the Faculty of Science (FNWI), so I’m no longer involved in Omics2Image. But I keep a close eye on the developments. It’s going to be an exciting year.”
Increasingly, we hear alarming stories about the discovery of potentially harmful substances our food, by which time the damage is done. Therefore BDS screens food before suspicions of toxicity arise. Bram developed a technique for this using cells that are similar to the body’s. Bram: “We developed them to behave like fireflies, which means that if dioxin, for instance, is detected they produce light.” “We receive many different products and screen not only for toxic substances, but also for potentially harmful hormones. These can be found in meat, but also in plastics, which can enter our food through packaging. The search for harmful substances is endless, which is why it’s so important for us to be in a university environment here at Amsterdam Science Park. Collaboration with other scientists can lead to new detection methods.” Despite the fact that the BDS method is used the world over, inspection services are reluctant. “Legislation determines which method is used to test food safety. The methods used at the moment test on the basis of certain categories and standards. Each substance is measured individually. The BDS method measures the effect of all the substances simultaneously and, moreover, it’s bio-based. Validation studies need to demonstrate that our method is reliable and produces the same results as the method used. But that requires a lot of time.”
ACE Venture Lab Amsterdam Ace Venture Lab Amsterdam actively supports researchers, PhD candidates, students, science-based start-ups and spin-offs to build successful high-growth businesses. They offer tailored programmes and facilities to support sciencebased start-ups at every stage. www.ace-amsterdam.org/nl/ venturelab-amsterdam
Technology Transfer Office The University of Amsterdam Technology Transfer Office provides expert supervision and advice on the successful transfer of knowledge for academics, the business community and society at large. www.tto.uva.nl/en
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| INTERVIEW
BREEDING GROUND FOR NEW INDUSTRY INTERVIEW WITH ROBBERT DIJKGRAAF BY JOLIEN ALBERDINGK THIJM
SINCE JULY 2012, PROFESSOR ROBBERT DIJKGRAAF HAS BEEN DIRECTOR AND LEON LEVY PROFESSOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY (IAS) IN PRINCETON, USA. HE IS ALSO AFFILIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM IN THE CAPACITY OF DISTINGUISHED UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR. HE DOESN’T VISIT THE NETHERLANDS OFTEN, BUT WE MANAGED TO SPEAK TO HIM FACE TO FACE VIA A LARGE-SCREEN VIDEO CALL. CAN THE NETHERLANDS MATCH THE HIGH-QUALITY SCIENCE CLIMATE IN AMERICA? “THERE ARE VERY FEW PLACES IN THE WORLD THAT BRING TOGETHER TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW, CREATIVITY AND EXCELLENT GLOBAL ACCESS. AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK IS ONE OF THEM.”
“THE NETHERLANDS IS A VERY ATTRACTIVE COUNTRY ON THE GLOBAL MAP. WE WOULD DO WELL TO SPOTLIGHT THAT FACT MORE.”
INTERVIEW |
WHAT DO YOU TELL YOUR COLLEAGUES IN AMERICA ABOUT SCIENCE IN THE NETHERLANDS? “I don’t need to tell them anything; the Netherlands is a relatively big ‘science country’ and Dutch institutions are well known. All of my colleagues here in the States work with colleagues in the Netherlands, or have visited them. The Netherlands is the world’s ninth most prominent country in terms of science, which I find impressive, because we don’t have a very large economy and only account for a small part of the world population. A lot of the talent in Europe is concentrated in the Netherlands and almost every Dutch university is ranked among the world’s top 200. Productivity is high and the quantity and impact of scientific articles published are significant. Globally, this means that many scientific articles refer to Dutch research. The Netherlands was recently rated number one in the world in terms of ‘impact per physicist’. I think that’s extraordinary.”
WE HAVE A HIGH OPINION OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES IN THE NETHERLANDS “People in the Netherlands often think that we’re not up to speed, but I’d like to correct that image. The top universities in the United States are private institutions and therefore have very little government intervention. Private institutions such as IAS in Princeton depend on the government for only 10% of their funding, whereas in the Netherlands the government is responsible for 90% of university funding. To create a basis for research, they need support from different parties, which requires creativity and diversity. The major American universities receive private funding from parties that see potential in their research. While these include many small amounts, they represent a total value of 17 billion dollars. That’s enormous.” “We have a different type of society in the Netherlands, which requires its own, more extrovert system. We collaborate with many scientists from other countries. In addition to the university and business community, there is a third key player: the government. It’s this triangle that is often regarded with jealousy by American colleagues. Sometimes it’s nice to have things arranged from above. The American system doesn’t involve government intervention, so the institutions have no mainstay as such. The United States is a bottom-up country, where you have to create everything yourself. You always have to be enterprising and ensure that things get done.”
WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL OF AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK? “There are very few places in the world that bring together technical know-how, creativity and good access to the rest of the world. Amsterdam Science Park is one of them, but it needs to do more to attract highly qualified people with a technical background. Amsterdam has the potential to be the breeding ground for businesses and new industry in Europe. But we still have a way to go, as we don’t have such a long tradition yet.”
“THERE ARE VERY FEW PLACES IN THE WORLD THAT BRING TOGETHER TECHNICAL KNOWHOW, CREATIVITY AND EXCELLENT GLOBAL ACCESS. AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK IS ONE OF THEM.”
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SURFSARA Robbert Dijkgraaf was interviewed via livestream at the Collaboratorium. SURFsara is the home to the superfast and super sustainable new national supercomputer, Cartesius. SURFsara provides an integrated ICT research infrastructure for science and the knowledge economy, with the Collaboratorium being a new visualization and presentation space for science and industry, used by researchers who are investigating how to deal with the exponential growth and complexity of data (Big Data) from observations, experiments and simulations. The Collaboratorium is a joint initiative of SURFsara and the Netherlands eScience Center. With a processing speed that enables it to carry out over a quadrillion calculations per second, Cartesius helps researchers with clean energy, climate research, water management, product and process optimisation, minimising noise pollution and improving medical treatment; not to mention contributing to data analysis from the LHC.
HOW CAN AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK BECOME THE BREEDING GROUND FOR NEW INDUSTRY? “Amsterdam is the only city in the Netherlands with two universities that work closely together. The headquarters of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), as well as that of major international companies, are located in the capital. Amsterdam Science Park is also home to the national laboratories of the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). Amsterdam attracts a lot of international business and the city is well respected, as we collaborate in many international scientific studies. But, even though there’s no technical university, the institutions in Amsterdam need to put much more emphasis on the technical component. You can see how this will present golden opportunities for businesses in the future. And what the United States excels is attracting talent from across the globe; not only from Europe, but also from the emerging Asian economies. At Princeton, I often bump into high school students from China, who come here to sample university life in the USA. You don’t see that in Amsterdam yet.”
AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO SEE IN AMSTERDAM IN 25 YEARS? “I hope that the Amsterdam region will be synonymous with science, research and creativity. Amsterdam Science Park has a wide profile, which could be further enhanced by establishing a number of distinctive businesses, which would give even more substance to the campus. The Netherlands is a very attractive country on the global map and we would do well to spotlight that fact more.”
Who is Robbert Dijkgraaf? Robbert Dijkgraaf was President of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). Until 1992 he was affiliated with Princeton University and in 2005 he was appointed Distinguished University Professor in Mathematical Physics at the University of Amsterdam. He studied physics and mathematics at Utrecht University and graduated cum laude in 1989 under Nobel Prize winner Gerard ‘t Hooft. In 2003 he received the Spinoza Prize and in 2013 an honorary doctorate from Radboud University Nijmegen. He makes scientific research accessible to non-academics via TV programmes such as his live TV lectures and the Proefjes.nl website.
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| REPORT
NETWORK OF MEETING PLACES A LOT OF THOUGHT WENT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK. ITS DESIGN IS A NETWORK OF MEETING PLACES WITH VARIOUS RESTAURANT AND SPORTS FACILITIES FOR THE 10,000 STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS, EMPLOYEES AND BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO MAKE USE OF THE PARK EVERY DAY. THE BUILDINGS, LANDSCAPE AND PUBLIC SPACE ARE INTERCONNECTED AND STRONGLY INTERTWINED. THE OFTEN STRIKING ARCHITECTURE PLAYS A PROMINENT ROLE. THE ARTWORKS DOTTED AROUND THE PARK MAKE FOR INSPIRING AND INVITING MEETING PLACES THAT CONNECT SCIENCE TO ART. Amsterdam University College - Winner Gouden A.A.P. 2013
De Wortels (roots) Barbara Recourt & Fons Broess
Milos Winner Zuiderkerkprijs 2008 for the best housing project in the city and nominated for the Gouden A.A.P. 2009
Faculty of Science University of Amsterdam - Nominated for the Gouden A.A.P. 2010
REPORT |
Open day
CafĂŠ Restaurant Polder
Liander nominated for the Gouden A.A.P. 2009
Steps of Science 48 tiles of organised knowledge Nienke Korthof
Meet&eat in Matrix VI FOM Institute AMOLF Nominated for the Gouden A.A.P. 2010
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University Sports Centre - Nominated for the Gouden A.A.P. 2011
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| INTERVIEW
SCIENCE AND COLLABORATION YOU NEVER WORK ALONE IN THE FIELD OF SCIENCE, WHICH IS WHY RESEARCH INSTITUTES AT AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK AND BEYOND ARE JOINING FORCES AND MAKING DISCOVERIES THAT ARE RECEIVING WORLDWIDE ATTENTION. “WITHOUT THE CERN PARTICLE ACCELERATOR AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF NIKHEF, WE WOULD NEVER HAVE FOUND THE HIGGS PARTICLE.”
SEARCHING IN THE DARK
THE ART EXPERT COMPUTER
PAUL DE JONG - NIKHEF
LYNDA HARDMAN - CENTRE FOR MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE (CWI)
After years of preparation and billions of collisions in the particle accelerator, the Higgs particle was finally discovered in the summer of 2012. “That’s right, scientists had been looking for it for years,” said Paul de Jong, researcher at Nikhef and professor at the University of Amsterdam. “Now I want to know whether other types of particles exist that are completely unrelated to the current Higgs mechanism theory, such as dark matter.” Nikhef is the Dutch centre for subatomic physics and one of the first research institutes at Amsterdam Science Park. Top researchers from the University of Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, Utrecht University, the University of Groningen and Radboud University Nijmegen collaborate at Nikhef to study particles that are smaller than an atom. Nikhef’s research is concentrated on astroparticle physics and experiments with the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the CERN research institute in Geneva. Researchers cause protons to collide with each other in this particle accelerator, in the hope that new particles will be created from the debris. De Jong: “One of these experiments is the ATLAS experiment. We helped build the ATLAS detector at Nikhef, which measures what happens during proton collisions in the LHC. These collisions result in a huge amount of data - data which we analyse in the hope of discovering new particles of matter.” “The ATLAS experiment involves 170 different university groups from 35 countries around the world. The Higgs particle was discovered within this collaboration, after more than a hundred billion collisions. Nikhef is a sought-after partner for such experiments. Not only are we helping to build the detector, we’re also a specialist in measuring collisions. The collisions take place at CERN in Geneva, but we study the resulting data here at Nikhef, at Amsterdam Science Park. SURFsara is next door to us and they store and analyse all the data from the LHC. The AMS-IX has the best network connections across the world. They’re a key partners for us.” “We create a billion collisions a million times in the LHC, most of which [do not result in] Higgs particles. We’re not looking specifically for those anyway; we’re looking for new, unknown particles, such as dark matter, supersymmetric quarks and extra space-time dimensions. Our search is never-ending.”
Dealing with big data is one of the greatest challenges faced by today’s computer scientists. Lynda Hardman, researcher at the Centre for Mathematics and Computer Science, is studying the interface of big data, in other words how to make the information usable. “My field of research is the interaction between people and information; understanding which information the user wants and supporting this with technology.” Lynda is carrying out various studies aimed at connecting people and technology. “In the Pacific Ocean near Thailand, we’re trying to teach computers to count fish using video images. This will enable marine ecologists to follow fish populations. We’re not quite there yet, but the computer is already able to recognise a fish.’ Closer to home, she’s trying to teach computers to understand art. This study has been commissioned by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. “The Rijksmuseum has a catalogue containing more than a hundred thousand paintings and works of art. The problem is that the catalogue has around eight databases and each of these has different categories and uses different terminology. Try finding the information you need, then!” Lynda’s research focuses on the development of technology that can bridge all those underlying factors and make them understandable for people. “The aim is to make all information from the different databases accessible for the Rijksmuseum’s catalogue, so that the catalogue recognises the different terms and databases. We call these ‘semantic links’ between terms. We’ve built a google-type interface for the users, which in this case are the art experts. They can add descriptions of works and choose from the terminology that the computer recognises.” The catalogue also makes it possible to compare styles, such as styles that artists use for self-portraits. “Self-portrait is one of the terms that the system should understand. To build an interface that understands which information users want, you need to study the terminology they use. Personal interviews with users also help us gain a better understanding of this. Yes, that takes a while; often hours. If it takes us such a long time to understand each other, imagine how long it would take to turn this data into technology.”
INTERVIEW |
THE SUPERCONDUCTOR RIDDLE MARK GOLDEN - FACULTY OF SCIENCE INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS Professor Mark Golden is in full experiment mode with his group from the Institute of Physics, in search of new superconducting material. These materials, in combination with topological insulators, should bring the quantum computer one step closer. “Figuring out high temperature superconductors is one of the biggest riddles in physics.” This kind of research is sensational for scientists. Superconductors are able to conduct current without resistance and to date, some have withstood all efforts to have their secrets uncovered by theoretical explanations. Topological insulators behave as insulators in their interior but their surface contains conducting states. This is called ‘quantum electron matter’ and is Golden’s field of research. He wants to discover, manipulate and understand materials with new electronic and magnetic properties. “With the advent of a quantum computer, important calculations, for example to simulate new material, calculate climate models or predict what effect new medication will have, will be thousands of times faster,” says Golden. “But we’re nowhere near that point yet – for that we first need to learn how to control topological insulators.”
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“In material physics, unexpected things crop up. By experimenting, different phenomena and certain particle types can appear of which we have no knowledge or for which we have no theoretical predictions. High temperature conductors are a good example of such enormous riddles. The behaviour of topological conductors does fit with current computer models. In this field, the theory is miles ahead, but the practice is more stubborn.” The experiments at Golden’s lab take place in the freezing cold, to put it mildly. The maximum temperature at which superconducting takes place is 150 Kelvin, which is about -123 degrees Celsius. “A room temperature superconductor is one of our biggest dreams. That would make it possible to transport solar energy, for example, from South America to Europe.” Golden and his research team work closely with researchers from other European countries. “Each country contributes to this research. We’re conducting research with light sources with 30 groups in Germany and Switzerland at the same time. We use powerful x-ray bundles, which emit ultrafast electrons in the bend. In Nijmegen they’ve got a facility for strong magnetic fields, so the whole of Europe is actually a virtual lab in which the best researchers carry out experiments.” “Amsterdam Science Park contributes hugely to this research, sometimes even more so than we’re aware of. When I was in Stanford recently, it turned out that the detector for the x-ray experiments had been made by Amsterdam Scientific Instruments, which is a spin-off of Nikhef. These guys are just across the road from us. It was a really lovely discovery. We’re also conducting the research into topological insulators with quantum computing experts from the Centre for Mathematics and Information Science here at Amsterdam Science Park.”
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| INTERVIEW
AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK PRODUCES ENTERPRISING SCIENTISTS
LIZZY BAKKER
MARTIN VERLICHKOV
MARIEKE KRAL
ARAM ZEGERIUS
AGE 22 IS FROM Rijswijk
AGE 19 IS FROM Sofia, Bulgaria
AGE 19 IS FROM Almelo
AGE 20 IS FROM Haarlem
Bachelors in Biology, second year Master’s in Biological Science at the University of Amsterdam, Major: Science Communication
First year Biomedical Science and Chemistry at Amsterdam University College
Second year Physics and third year Law at the University of Amsterdam
Second year at Amsterdam University College, Minor: Economics, Modern Political Science
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THE RESEARCH INSTITUTES AT AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK STUDY THE VERY SMALLEST PARTICLES OF MATTER. IT IS A MECCA FOR PROSPECTIVE BETA SCIENTISTS AND THE NEW KNOWLEDGE THEY GAIN EVENTUALLY FINDS A WAY TO THE MARKET VIA SPIN-OFF COMPANIES AT AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK. FOUR TOP STUDENTS TALK ABOUT THEIR ENTHUSIASM FOR SCIENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. ARAM AND MARTIN ARE STUDYING AT AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE (AUC) AND LIZZY AND MARIEKE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM (UVA).
Marieke: “I wanted to come to Amsterdam and specifically chose the UvA because here you can study the small particles in physics. Our lecturers are researchers from Nikhef and I find the lectures they give about their own research the most inspiring.”
Council enables me to play an active role in that. It’s an intensive programme. Your social life and academic life are closely linked, which intensifies relationships with fellow students and the programme itself.’
Lizzy: “I didn’t get through the audition for the Conservatorium, so I had to look elsewhere. What I was told about the biology programme during the open days really appealed to me. I realised that I didn’t want to be a researcher while doing my Masters research. Now I’m majoring in science communication, because I find the link between science and society and how science is communicated more interesting.”
Marieke: “I’ve always lived in student houses outside the Science Park campus. I like having a bit of distance from the university and being able to step out of the cocoon of studying.”
PERFORM Martin: “I went to a German high school in Bulgaria. I wanted to study in western Europe because of the higher level of education. I found AUC on the internet. You can select different social and scientific modules, which means that you don’t have to specialise straightaway. I get a full scholarship now, but that’s not something you get by twiddling your thumbs. None of my marks can be lower than an 8, which brings a certain amount of pressure to perform.”
“I WANTED TO COME TO THE SCIENCE PARK BECAUSE HERE YOU CAN STUDY THE SMALLEST PARTICLES IN PHYSICS.” – MARIEKE Aram: “I, too, feel the same pressure as an AUC student. After failing to gain a place on the medicine programme through the academic lottery system, I thought that AUC would be the best option to find out what I wanted to do. I’m very happy with my choice and I feel very involved in AUC, which is why I joined the AUC Student Council. The programme is new and still being developed and the Student
RICH SOCIAL LIFE Martin: “I actually see living and studying here as an advantage; you don’t have to travel to the university and it’s just ten minutes by bike or public transport into town. I share a 40m2 room, where sometimes 18 of us get together to eat. We even give parties for a hundred people, which inevitably the police bring to an end. I’ve never had such a busy social life and because we’re all studying at AUC, we experience the same pressure to perform and therefore support each other.” Aram: “AUC is a lifestyle. Besides following lectures, studying takes all your time. It’s difficult to fit in anything else. Everyone does a minimum of four and maximum of six courses per semester and that’s intense.” Marieke: “Many people are shocked by the amount of work involved in the physics programme. The days are long and we have a lot of lectures. It took me a while to get used to that and to find the right balance. There’s a huge amount of material to get through and it’s difficult. We do at least two courses every eight weeks and it’s easy to fall behind if there are elements you don’t understand.”
UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM The Science Park has been home to the University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science since 2009. The faculty occupies a prominent place in its respective fields of research and participates in a number of international partnerships with both universities and the business community. The faculty has around 4,000 students and 1,500 staff and covers a wide range of research, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth and environmental science, informatics, logics, mathematics and physics. .................................................................. AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE Excellent students want to go to top institutes, which is why four years ago VU University Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam set up Amsterdam University College (AUC). AUC is the only Liberal Arts & Science College in the Netherlands, which means that students get to design their own programme by combining scientific and social subjects. AUC employs a strict enrolment system and students who fail exams are placed on academic probation. The language of communication is English and the students have to live in the student accommodation at the Science Park for three years. AUC strives to ensure diversity, excellence and social involvement; not only in the Netherlands, but also worldwide.
RESEARCH Lizzy: “You do a lot of field work in biology, so you’re often out and about in groups. We, too, have one or two courses every eight weeks. I think Amsterdam Science Park is a great place to study, with good study areas and the fastest computers. It’s also an ideal location for research; there are so many different biology groups doing research. And the environment is rich in nature and open. Have you spotted those rabbits yet?” Marieke: “And you can do all kinds of sports at the Universum. We can often be found in CaféRestaurant Polder, which is the hotspot here at the Park. You’re surrounded by the Netherlands’ key research institutes here, which is very inspiring.”
“AUC IS A LIFESTYLE. WHEN YOU’RE NOT AT LECTURES, YOU’RE STUDYING.” – ARAM
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| NEWS
NEWS AMSTERDAM ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING INTERNET CITY 2013
UBM’s Future Cities, a global community for digital issues and analysis, has named Amsterdam one of the world’s 10 greatest internet cities in terms of digital connectedness and connectivity. 60% of the listed Forbes 2000 ICT companies have an office in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. www.ubmfuturecities.com
AMSTERDAM: EUROPE’S HOTTEST SPOT FOR TECH START-UPS IN 2013 Wired magazine has named Amsterdam one of the most buzz-worthy start-up hubs in the world, and a hotspot in Europe for tech start-ups. The November 2013 issue reported on several European startup hubs and revealed that Amsterdam’s start-up scene is one of the most vibrant. Entrepreneur and Silicon Valley Veteran Dan Harple described the start-up scene in Amsterdam as “cutting edge” and “state of the art”, even going so far as to say that compared to Berlin and London, Amsterdam “rocks”. www.wired.co.uk
ROYAL VISIT TO AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK Shortly before his coronation as King of the Netherlands, His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange paid a visit to Amsterdam Science Park to learn about the latest developments. He visited the AMS-IX and the Colloboratorium of SURFsara, where he was brought up to speed on data visualization. The Collaboratorium is a new visualization and presentation space for science and industry. The facility is of great use for researchers who are investigating how to deal with the exponential growth and complexity of data from observations, experiments and simulations. www.surfsara.nl – www.amsix.net
NEW MATERIAL GIVES VISIBLE LIGHT AN INFINITE WAVELENGTH Researchers from the FOM Institute AMOLF and the University of Pennsylvania have created a material that gives visible light a nearly infinite wavelength. This new metamaterial is made by stacking silver and silicon nitride nanolayers, and could be used in novel optical components or circuits and to design more efficient LEDs. The work was published on the 13th of October in Nature Photonics. www.amolf.nl
QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS: UVA BEST DUTCH UNIVERSITY
IN THE 2013-14 QS RANKINGS, THE UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM (UVA) HAS BEEN RANKED 58TH OVERALL. For the fourth year in a row the UvA is the highestranked Dutch university on the list. The QS World University Rankings is a list of the world’s top 700 universities and is based on scores for research quality (citations and peer review), student-to-faculty ratio, the proportion of international students and faculty, and the reputation of institutions among employers. Source: www.topuniversities.com
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ASML CHOOSES AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK
“I HOPE OTHER PARTIES LOOK AT US AND SEE HOW COLLABORATION BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND THE ACADEMIC WORLD CAN LEAD TO BREAKTHROUGHS.” AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK WELCOMES MATRIX VI The modern, sustainable Matrix VI building is the most recent development of Matrix Innovation Center, which with 5 multi-tenant buildings, accommodates no fewer than 100 businesses at Amsterdam Science Park and offers both flexible office space and high quality, freely lettable lab space. The building was opened on 30 October 2013 by Alderman of Amsterdam Carolien Gehrels and Vice President of the University of Amsterdam’s Executive Board, Paul Doop. Matrix VI is already home to 12 companies operating in the areas of technology, life sciences and chemistry. The opening of Matrix VI also marked the arrival of the new Innovation Lab Chemistry Amsterdam (ILCA) in Matrix VI. ILCA is the Netherlands’ second (Nijmegen was the first) Innovation Lab Chemistry and offers a wide range of innovative services for start-ups in sustainable chemistry. Start-ups in Matrix VI form part of the ILCA network from the outset, as this ensures the best conditions for growth.
High tech company ASML is opening a new research centre for nanolithography at Amsterdam Science Park. The Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography (ARCNL) is a collaboration between ASML, FOM Institute AMOLF, the University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam. ASML is worldwide supplier of machines for the semiconductor industry, which are used to make chips. “This consortium conducts fundamental research that is essential for innovation in the semiconductor industry,” says Bart Noordam, vice-president of research at ASML. Joost Frenken, Professor of Physics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Leiden University, has been appointed director and will be setting the centre’s scientific course from 1 January 2014. “He has complete academic freedom. The exact details of what you’re going to do and the value this will hold are unknown in fundamental research. A university environment is important for us, because the various institutes and universities can strengthen our research. This collaboration improves the interaction between industry and academia. I hope other parties look at us and see how collaboration between industry and the academic world can lead to breakthroughs. The idea to build this ASML research centre was born at the beginning of 2013. It’s amazing that we’ve made it happen so quickly.”
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| INTERVIEW
INCREASINGLY MORE LIFE SCIENCE AND HIGH TECH COMPANIES ARE CHOOSING AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK AS THEIR HOME BASE. THE TALLY CURRENTLY STANDS AT 120; COMPANIES WHICH WERE ATTRACTED BY THE BUSINESS AND LAB SPACE OFFERED BY MATRIX INNOVATION CENTER. FROM HERE, THEY ASTONISH THE WORLD WITH INNOVATION AND SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS. THREE SUCH HIGHFLIERS TELL US ABOUT THE SUCCESSES THEY’VE CELEBRATED AT AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK.
TAKING OFF FROM AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK EQUINIX UP THERE ALONGSIDE SILICON VALLEY, CHICAGO AND NEW YORK You could call Equinix the patron of data. Banks, companies, stock exchange brokers and government bodies all entrust their data to this data centre. Equinix’s data centres are located at the most important internet exchange points in the world, one of which is without a doubt Amsterdam Science Park. “I’ve always wanted to end up at the Science Park; it’s world famous,” says Michiel Eielts, director of Equinix Nederland. “This is where the AMS-IX network originated and where the first IP address was published. Amsterdam Science Park’s connectivity is world famous. Companies such as SURFsara with its supercomputer and research institute, Nikhef, came to take advantage of this, but after that things stagnated somewhat. Thanks to two universities, research institutes and companies, the Science Park has grown - so we didn’t want to miss our chance. Our third data centre is located here; the other two are in Amsterdam Zuidoost.” Surrounded by a real moat, the unusual architecture and modern, clean lines of the Equinix building make it a real eye-catcher. “Cars aren’t able to drive up to or into the building, plus a moat has something very Dutch about it, which makes it kind of comical; but in reality it’s for security reasons.” Equinix’s first data centre was set up in Silicon Valley in 1998. Shortly thereafter, data centres were built at other important internet exchange points such as Ashburn, New York and Chicago to connect companies to one another. The need for worldwide connections quickly grew. After Asia in 2004, it was Europe’s turn in 2007. Equinix built its first data centre in Amsterdam in 2008. With the coming of Equinix, the international interest of big business in establishing themselves at Amsterdam Science Park is increasing. “The largest social
MICHIEL EIELTS media network in the world is here, but we can also help smaller companies that want to set up operations abroad. Our clients bring innovation and we facilitate solutions that make that possible. This could mean, for example, making data accessible in order to communicate with clients, or indeed making sure that that data is only visible to you in the private cloud. Requests are becoming increasingly complex and our aim in this is to offer an innovative solution.”
INTERVIEW |
WIM SLOETJES
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VISUAL SONICS AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK AS THE CENTRE OF EUROPE When Visual Sonics wanted to set up operations in Europe, Amsterdam came highly recommended. “Amsterdam is multicultural and everyone speaks English, which makes it an attractive business location for foreign companies,” says Moktar Boukerma, European Finance Director of Visual Sonics. “Thanks to the Matrix Innovation Center, we were able to get our operations in the Netherlands off the ground quickly. Office and lab space were available immediately at Amsterdam Science Park.”
FOKKER AEROSTRUCTURES E-LIGHTER JOINED THE MISSION We know Fokker as a producer of airplane components, but this is a far cry from Fokker’s activities at Amsterdam Science Park. Here, they are developing the E-Lighter, an energy source developed especially for the Ministry of Defence. The E-Lighter uses diesel and is lighter and more efficient than the battery cells soldiers use now, making it extremely suitable for military missions. “In a year and a half, the E-Lighter will be ready mission-ready,” says Wim Sloetjes, project manager at Fokker Aerostructures.
Visual Sonics develops real-time high resolution ultrasound equipment for preclinical research at hospitals, universities and bio-technical and pharmaceutical companies. The technology makes an important contribution to genetic and phenotypic research. In the pre-clinical phase, the ultrasound equipment is only used on mice, giving scientific insight into cardiovascular abnormalities. “We are a service centre here in Amsterdam that caters to clients across European. Still, we can’t function without a laboratory. That’s where we can demonstrate our equipment to researchers, scientists and doctors. We are also the contact point for our European sellers and dealers.” Visual Sonics is a subsidiary of the Japanese company Fujifilm, operating in 30 countries. The headquarters are in Canada. “Our employees come from all over Europe and they are keen to work in Amsterdam. The quality of life is high here. I live in France, so I spend a lot of time commuting, but with Amsterdam Science Park’s good accessibility, that isn’t a problem at all.”
The E-Lighter being developed at Amsterdam Science Park will significantly simplify the power supply issue for soldiers on missions. The electricity required to power, for example, GPS equipment now comes from batteries that accompany patrols in the form of luggage. The E-Lighter is a welcome load-lightener that makes it easier to deploy military power in the field. It’s fuelled by diesel, “which is always available in the military. Jeeps run on it – it’s what drives Defence.” All of the components for the E-Lighter had to be especially designed to enable the conversion of diesel into electricity. “Diesel has a lot of energy, relatively speaking, but the conversion process is complex. That’s why we had to develop every component ourselves. No, I’m not going to tell you which components I’m talking about. That’s strictly confidential.” Fokker has been established at Matrix VI, the newest building of Matrix Innovation Center at Amsterdam Science Park, since May. “We needed to find a new work space, but office space alone doesn’t fulfil our research needs. The E-Lighter runs on diesel. To be able to experiment with this safely, you need a really good ventilation system. We were able to rent offices with lab space at Amsterdam Science Park – everything was already there and we didn’t need to build anything ourselves. There are very few other places where that would have been possible.” With Defence as launch partner, the first buyer is already on board. But other armies could also benefit from this invention. The E-lighter has the potential to take the world by storm can win the world over. “Of course, you never know what’s playing out behind the scenes, but I have yet to see this technology anywhere else.”
MOKTAR BOUKERMA
WHERE WORLD SCIENCE IS CONNECTED “I WORK SURROUNDED BY AMBITIOUS AND TALENTED PEOPLE HERE AT AMSTERDAM SCIENCE PARK. THE DIRECT AND PERSONAL CONTACT I HAVE WITH THE DISCIPLINES OF NANOTECHNOLOGY, CHEMISTRY AND BIOSCIENCE REALLY INSPIRES AND ENRICHES MY FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH.” – DR KATERINA DOHNALOVA, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM
WWW.AMSTERDAMSCIENCEPARK.NL