Partnership with Brightlands Smart Services Campus extended through 2040
The City of Heerlen and Brightlands Smart Services Campus are committed to the long term. After ten years of collaboration, the City Council has decided to extend the partnership by fifteen years, through 2040. In doing so, Heerlen is strengthening its position as a city of knowledge. The city is also taking the next step in developing a city where businesses, researchers, and students come together.
Structural investment in innovation and entrepreneurship
Over the next 15 years, Heerlen aims to become a leading knowledge hub. To that end, the municipality is investing €800,000 annually in innovation and entrepreneurship. These funds will support its partnership with the Brightlands Smart Services Campus.
Where does the money go?
The money will be distributed as follows:
- €300,000 for business innovation programs
- €250,000 for an investment fund targeting new AI startups
- €250,000 to support businesses looking to set up shop in Heerlen
- An additional €400,000 for the 10th anniversary (one-time payment)
We encourage companies receiving support from the municipality to set up shop on and around the campus. This will gradually create a strong cluster of AI and tech companies. The campus will become the heart, and the city will become the ecosystem.
The current agreement had expired. In January, the city council decided to further develop Heerlen as a knowledge city. That is why we are now deliberately opting for a long-term plan. The extension fits within the existing budgets.
Success story: MAECONOMY
AI startup MAECONOMY demonstrates how the ecosystem works. This company, founded by Vince Meens from Limburg, has secured €1.5 million in investment. MAECONOMY’s platform identifies valuable materials from buildings and infrastructure that can be reused. This success proves that startups in Heerlen can grow from an idea into a successful investment.
Brightlands Smart Services Campus: 10 Years
The campus is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. It was founded in 2016 by the Province of Limburg, Maastricht University, and the APG pension fund. Today, it is one of the seven recognized national AI hubs in the Netherlands. Dozens of companies work there every day on artificial intelligence, data, and cybersecurity.
What else is coming?
In September, Maastricht University will launch a new bachelor’s program on campus. A permanent location in the center of Heerlen will be established at a later date.
“Heerlen has set a clear course: we are investing in the knowledge economy as the driving force behind our city and (EU) region. Brightlands Smart Services Campus is an indispensable partner in this endeavor. Through this long-term partnership, we are sending a strong signal to businesses, talent, and investors that we are committed to this goal for the long term,” says Mayor Roel Wever.
Alderman Houben: “Now is the time to take decisive action. With this package, we are strengthening the business climate, helping startups grow, and bringing education and the labor market even closer together. This is of great value to Heerlen and the region.”
Walter Pijls, CEO of Brightlands Smart Services Campus: “This is more than just an extension of a partnership; it is a shared ambition. Together with the municipality, we are building an innovation district where companies want to be, where talent is drawn to, and where AI is not only developed but also applied. The ecosystem on campus brings knowledge, talent, capital, and the market together in one place. With tools such as the pre-seed AI investment fund and follow-on financing through the Brightlands Future Fund, startups can truly grow here. This is how we demonstrate that Heerlen is the place to be for AI entrepreneurship.”
Stephan Satijn, Member of the Provincial Executive of Limburg: “With this investment, the Municipality of Heerlen is taking an important step toward strengthening the knowledge economy in our region. The Brightlands Smart Services Campus is a key driver of innovation and entrepreneurship in Limburg. By investing in this campus together, we are giving startups and SMEs the support they need to grow. Our new Brightlands Future Fund ties in seamlessly with this and is a powerful tool that increases access to financing for innovative companies. In this way, we are jointly strengthening Limburg’s business climate for smart technologies and innovative entrepreneurship.”
“The strength of Brightlands across the four regions of Limburg lies in the fact that each campus focuses on fields of study that align with the region. This also applies to Maastricht University’s planned educational and research developments in Heerlen. With the new Urban Sustainability Studies program, the campus, the city, and the university will further strengthen each other,” said Prof. Dr. Pamela Habibović, Chair of the Executive Board of Maastricht University. “In doing so, we are building a strong ‘ladder’: from studying to entrepreneurship and ultimately to living and working in the region. This is how we sustainably attract and retain talent in Heerlen and Limburg.”
About the Brightlands Smart Services Campus
The Brightlands Smart Services Campus in Heerlen is part of Brightlands, Limburg’s innovation ecosystem comprising four campuses and more than 32,000 entrepreneurs, researchers, and students. The campus focuses on artificial intelligence, data, and cybersecurity and is one of the seven recognized national AI hubs in the Netherlands. Its shareholders are the Province of Limburg, Maastricht University, and APG.