Earlier this year, in May 2023, the Aerospace Delta Agenda 2030 was launched in Delft with over 100 representatives from the regional aerospace cluster in attendance. This agenda, developed through comprehensive discussions with key stakeholders, serves as a collaborative action plan, with a particular emphasis on promoting sustainable aviation and fostering the long-term growth of the regional space and drone industry. During the event, the agenda was presented by Jan Terlingen as a representative of InnovationQuarter and the Aerospace Delta to Jeannette Baljeu, the regional minister of the Province of Zuid-Holland.
Aerospace Delta Agenda
In collaboration with representatives from the aerospace sector, including knowledge institutions, the aviation manufacturing industry, airport technology and service providers, the space upstream and downstream industries, as well as the drone industry and government bodies, InnovationQuarter developed the agenda. This comprehensive roadmap serves as a regional guide to further strengthen the sector, promote competitiveness, facilitate sustainable growth, and address the specific needs of the aerospace industry. Moreover, it acts as a catalyst for collective action in addressing key societal challenges through the implementation of joint innovation projects.
The agenda provides a comprehensive overview of the Aerospace Delta innovation ecosystem, which encompasses over 260 organisations, six distinct subclusters, and multiple renowned knowledge and educational institutes. By leveraging Zuid-Holland’s primary markets and areas of expertise, the Aerospace Delta agenda fosters collaborative efforts that contribute to addressing significant societal challenges faced by the space, aviation and drone sectors.
Concrete actions for regional development
To enhance regional collaboration and strengthen the position of the Zuid-Holland aerospace cluster in international value chains and programs, the creation of a new regional identity and brand, the Aerospace Delta, has been undertaken. Additionally, a total of 22 innovation projects have been meticulously formulated in collaboration with industry, field labs, and knowledge institutions within the region. These projects are organised into five integrated programmes: Sustainable Aviation, Automation & Digital Technology, Advanced Composite Materials, Space-for-Earth and Aerospace Delta Cluster Development. The cluster representatives are eagerly focused on initiating and successfully executing these 22 projects by 2030, aiming to drive tangible progress and regional advancement.
During the event, two enlightening panel discussions took place, focusing on sustainability and the digital economy in the aerospace industry. The panels included representatives from the Zuid-Holland Aerospace ecosystem and featured Alexander Gunkel from Space4Good and Stephen Hands from Conscious Aerospace. They emphasised the significance of fostering a cooperative regional ecosystem in order to effectively address climate issues through aerospace initiatives. Gus van der Feltz from FSO Instruments and Jeroen Rotteveel from ISISpace shared valuable perspectives on the space and satellite systems under development in the area, discussing the various challenges encountered by the sector.
Engaging conversations
After the panels, Jeannette Baljeu, the regional minister of the Province of Zuid-Holland, engaged with the audience, delivering concise answers to their questions, expressing the importance of the aerospace sector for the region: “It is very important that the Aerospace Delta innovation ecosystem in Zuid-Holland continues to develop in the coming years. This new Aerospace Delta Agenda 2030 brings focus to the joint challenges, programmes and possible projects; also, it will help the industry by contributing to sustainability and digital economy. Let’s do that together!”
Feel free to reach out to Jan Terlingen if you have any enquiries about the Aerospace Delta Agenda 2030, the projects mentioned in the agenda, or if you have a new innovative project idea related to the field of aerospace.
This press release originally appeared on the Aerospace Delta website on 5 October 2023.
