Eindhoven Engine’s initiative

In late 2021, Eindhoven Engine began investigating this issue as part of its mission to accelerate innovation to solve societal challenges. It quickly became clear that this is a wicked problem – a complex issue that is difficult or even impossible to solve due to incomplete or contradictory information in an ever-changing context. This problem, people with a lack of basic skills, is also present in the Brainport region, where the gap between society and people with reduced basic skills is widening. As part of the Brainport region, Eindhoven Engine feels responsible for tackling this problem in collaboration with others, including the Eindhoven Library and the Municipality of Eindhoven.

Fragmented support system

During the exploratory phase, it became apparent that there are many support agencies in our region, but there is no clear overview of these agencies. Moreover, people with reduced basic skills often feel ashamed, which makes them hesitant to seek help. This issue is frequently overlooked, even by social workers, because we are not aware that a lack of basic skills underlies the problems for which they seek help.

Within the Emergence Lab of Eindhoven Engine, TU/e Industrial Design student Inge Hootsmans conducted research during her final master’s project into this issue. She mapped the network of support agencies and discovered that the landscape is highly fragmented, people with reduced basic skills does not know which agency to turn to for their specific needs.

In the Netherlands, support for people lacking basic skills up to 18 years old is accommodated in the educational systems. For those aged 18-40, support is found by people with a background in NT2 (non-native Dutch speakers) as the reach out to the support themselves. People over 40 find it seemingly easier to seek help independently. The group of 18-40-year-olds with an NT1 (native Dutch speakers) appears to be the most difficult to reach. Therefore, Inge chose to concentrate on this group in her research.

Bridge Builders game

To help this group navigate the complex and scattered landscape of support agencies, Inge developed the Bridge Builders game that is designed to raise awareness of basic skills and consist of three steps (see illustration and photos below). The participant starts with experiencing what it is like to have a lack of basic skills. He/she needs to individually find and visualize action points in a letter. Then, step two, the participant will experience what it feels like to seek help in a scattered help landscape: participants need to find a right help institution for their letter. Step three is ‘Take action’. Increasing awareness of the complex societal problem and providing positive incentives to act together: participants are encouraged to reflect critically on their own role in this complex society and take away personal action points directly applicable in their daily and professional life.

Creating a more inclusive society

Inge extensively tested the Bridge Builders game at events such as the Festival of Disruption in 2023, a thematic session in April 2024, and the High Tech Campus day in June 2024. The letters have also been distributed and used as a trigger in presentations and talks within multiple networks. The responses to the tool were overwhelmingly positive. It allows you to briefly feel the challenges faced by those with reading difficulties.

Together with a team Inge is currently developing the workshop further to raise awareness and get to action among professionals and within their companies, with a call to become a bridgebuilder of an inclusive society by bridging the gap between society and people with a lack of basic skills.

“I never saw myself working at Kropman,” Shalika Walker confesses. “And honestly, I might not have hired Shalika,” Joep van der Velden admits, seated beside her. “But how the OpenCall of Eindhoven Engine changed things. We’ve now created a new position within Kropman specifically to bring Shalika on board,” says Joep with a big smile.

We are at one of the offices of Kropman. This company designs, builds, maintains, and manages building installations, including climate control. “Kropman, rooted in construction, is traditionally less dynamic compared to sectors like semiconductors or the medical industry. So, working here was not on my radar,” Shalika shares.

Kropman’s Workspace: More Than Meets the Eye

“Welcome to our living lab,” Joep announces as he leads me into a spacious, open-plan office. At first glance, it looks ordinary, with dark gray carpets, white adjustable desks, and black office chairs. Joep notices my lukewarm reaction and gives a knowing sigh, directing my attention upward. “The real innovation is actually hidden above us in the ceiling.” I follow his gaze to a beige suspended ceiling, and he points out a translucent cap. “Those are sensors. They allow us to monitor and adapt the office environment, responding to the current scenario or the presence of workers.”

At Kropman, the pride lies in being system integrators. We source pumps from one company, sensors from another, and piping and operating systems from yet another. Our goal is to seamlessly blend these components, providing our customers with a unified operating system that manages lighting, climate control, and solar panels, among other things. This integration is meticulously crafted to enhance the experience for our clients’ employees, focusing on maximal efficiency and environmental sustainability, using as little energy as possible.

Embracing Open Collaboration for Innovation

Creating an integrated system might seem straightforward, but it’s a challenging endeavor. We’re in a field dominated by heavyweights like Siemens, Honeywell, and Signify, each offering products with proprietary systems and unique data outputs, typically closed to external systems. To navigate this, we developed our software to manage and optimize the diverse systems a client might have. However, the need for a testing ground became apparent. Clients often hesitate to open their buildings for experimental setups; hence, we transformed our Breda office into a living lab.

We strongly believe in an open environment for research and development. Our efforts to collaborate with universities and companies across and beyond Europe, however have been met with limited success. True partnership proved elusive until we found a more receptive community in the Brainport region. This shares a work and research philosophy similar to our own company’s, plus communication is direct and efficient, enabling us to quickly and easily connect with each other. This welcoming atmosphere was pivotal when Wim Zeiler, a former colleague now with  Eindhoven University of Technology and still an advisor at Kropman, introduced us to the Eindhoven Engine OpenCall. Recognizing its potential to foster meaningful partnerships, we eagerly seized this opportunity.

Eindhoven Engine’s OpenCall: A Catalyst for Collaboration

“Working with Eindhoven Engine offers a unique experience,” Shalika explains. “We share a location with a variety of companies and students, all engaged in their own projects. This diversity is beneficial. It’s not just about casual connections, like chatting at the coffee machine; we also attend sessions to share and discuss project progress.

For instance, while working on a data prediction project, I overheard a researcher at Eindhoven Engine’s Festival of Disruption event discussing data usage in cancer research. It didn’t click immediately, but later, the idea struck me at home: we could collaborate and enhance our respective research.

These interactions open up new perspectives and inspire innovative thinking. “This collaborative atmosphere was the reason Kropman signed up for three projects in a row. One project focused on detecting and diagnosing faults in building climate systems. The second project involved personalized thermal comfort systems, allowing employees to adjust their workspace climate via a smartphone app. The third was an assessment of CO2 sensors in the market, evaluating their accuracy for reliable CO2 readings in schools.

Although these projects are completed within Eindhoven Engine, we continue to build on the research and improve the products developed.” “And that’s why we brought Shalika on board,” says Joep.

Energy Challenges in the Brainport Region

The Brainport region is grappling with energy security challenges on its journey towards a sustainable future. While planned grid investments are crucial, they alone won’t provide immediate solutions. Recognized as the Dutch high-tech industry’s national mainport, the strategic importance of Brainport demands a sustainable approach to powering its economic activities and meeting future energy demands.

The newly enacted Energiewet (Energy Act) in the Netherlands creates an opportunity to infuse flexibility into the electricity grid. The current centrally controlled system calls for operational systems at the campus level to adapt to the evolving energy landscape.

Collaborative Solutions for Brainport’s Future

In this groundbreaking initiative, Eindhoven Engine leads the way in crafting the playbook for simulation tools in Eindhoven-Oost. Simpl.Energy focuses on an operational monitoring and prediction system, while TU/e EIRES connects with ongoing university research and engages stakeholders for effective project dissemination.

Paving the Way for Sustainable Solutions

The Energy Grid Balancing project shines as a beacon of collaborative innovation, harnessing the strengths of Eindhoven Engine, Simpl.Energy, and TU/e EIRES. With MRE Stimuleringsfonds’ support, this initiative is set to forge the path to sustainable energy solutions, addressing Brainport’s unique challenges and contributing to the broader goals of the Dutch high-tech industry’s energy transition. As this project unfolds, it promises not only to meet current energy demands but to also build a resilient and dynamic energy infrastructure for the future. Get ready for a grid revolution in the heart of Brainport.

Engaging workshops

Following this inspiring start, attendees were presented with seven engaging workshops, each delving into methods to expedite innovation, including ‘Design doing’, ‘Accelerating transitions via disruption’ and ‘1+1=3.’ Moreover, they had the chance to stay up to date on the latest developments in Eindhoven Engine’s OpenCall projects and the Emergence Lab initiative focusing on low literacy. As the day drew to a close, the atmosphere was charged with excitement during the wrap-up quiz, concluding a day, filled with learning, inspiration, and networking.

Did you miss out on the festival or do you want to relive the day? Get an impression of it here!