Kennispark in Enschede has been awarded Best Dutch business park during the national business park congress ('Nationale Bedrijventerreinencongres') in Utrecht. According to the expert jury and the audience present, Kennispark scored best in the categories economic value, clarity of the park's profile, the organisation of companies in the park, adaptability of the campus, the quality of the facilities, the level of user satisfaction and the branding. Kennispark will receive a 'Best Dutch business park' sign to put up on the innovation campus.
"The jury was particularly convinced by the underlying economic programme, the cooperation between companies and government bodies and the forward thinking in an ecosystem built for innovation," explains Pieter Dillingh, who represented Kennispark during the congress.
"We are very pleased with this acknowledgement," says Marjan Weekhout, Area Development Director at Kennispark Twente. "Kennispark Twente is the support system for innovation and entrepreneurship for the entire Twente region. Physically, this support system mainly takes shape on the innovation campus Kennispark in Enschede. Working on a clear profile for our innovation campus on the basis of an economic programme has turned out to be effective: we can see this from the national and international acknowledgement for and interest in our approach shown by both the business community as well as from government bodies."
"This award underlines the fact that our joint approach is correct and that we, together with Harry van den Kroonenberg from the University of Twente, took the right path more than thirty years ago," Managing Director Kees Eijkel adds.
Enschede Alderwoman Marijke from Hees: “This award emphasises the successful cooperation between the business sector and the Kennispark partners: the municipality Enschede, the Province of Overijssel, the Twente region, the University of Twente and Saxion University of Applied Sciences. A successful and expanding Kennispark Twente means employment growth in the Enschede area. And that is what we are all doing it for! Kennispark is evolving more and more into a unique combination of innovative companies, incubators and organisations in the field of business, science and leisure. Football club FC Twente and the entrepreneurs from Go Planet Parc are also making a significant contribution towards this. Being chosen Best Dutch business park gives us all extra energy to keep going along the path taken."
Best Dutch business park
The Best Dutch business park award is an initiative of Elba Media and the Nationaal Bedrijventerreinencongres. On the basis of 43 entries and, eventually, three nominations, the 15 members of the expert jury and the audience present during the congress on 10 October decided which park would be nominated Best Dutch business park. The award was presented for the fifth time.
For more information, please contact Janinka Feenstra, Communication Advisor at Kennispark Twente Foundation (+31 651072493 or j.feenstra@kennispark.nl) or Marjan Weekhout (Area Development Director at Kennispark Twente Foundation (+31 619073959 or m.weekhout@kennispark.nl).
