The East Netherlands Development Agency (Oost NL) supports you as an entrepreneur (interested) in our region. Whether you’re considering locating to the East of the Netherlands or have existing operations here, Oost NL assists you at every stage with free and confidential services. We are committed to help you to grow your business.

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<p>Discover why East Netherlands is the perfect base for your business. In the video, our colleague explains how we support international companies with a smooth and successful start.</p>
<p>Want to know how we can help you? Click on the button below and answer a few short questions &mdash; we&rsquo;ll guide you to the right support and contact person.</p>

Setting up your business in East Netherlands

Nefit Bosch's story

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Success story 

Food

Tech

Energy

Health

The key industries of our region

<p>As the global race for quantum technology accelerates, Europe wants to strengthen its knowledge and manufacturing capacity. It is precisely at the intersection of photonics and quantum that there is a strategic opportunity there. P4Q therefore focuses on standards and production techniques that are needed to make quantum chips work properly not once, but time and time again. That is a crucial step from research to application.</p>
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<p>Ideas that currently remain in the lab can grow into really useful devices more quickly.</p>
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<p><em>Pepijn Pinkse, coordinator of P4Q (University of Twente, NL)</em></p>
<h2>From sensors to computing and ultra-secure communication</h2>
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<p>In practice, these are very tangible improvements. Less loss of light in chips and glass fibers. Components that remain stable at extremely low temperatures. And photonic circuits that are suitable for integration into larger systems, such as full stack quantum computers, quantum sensors or secure communication networks.</p>
<p>Imagine sensors that can detect minute traces of contamination in water pipes. Or a compact device in a hospital lab that measures extremely weak signals, with a precision that classic technology does not achieve. Such applications require reliable photonic chips that work not only in the lab, but also outside it.</p>
<p>The same chips also play a role in large-scale quantum computers and in ultra-secure quantum communication, for example through the exchange of entangled photons. It sounds futuristic. But P4Q is working on the step that is needed to bring these types of technologies to use in companies and research facilities.</p>
<h2>Large consortium, shared infrastructure</h2>
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<p>P4Q brings together 29 partners: universities, research and technology organisations (RTOs) and industrial foundries. Within the project, Process Design Kits and Assembly Design Kits are being developed, among other things, so that design and production are better aligned. Various photonic platforms are also receiving attention, such as silicon nitride (SiN), thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) and alumina (AlOx).</p>
<p>An important part is scaling up test and production facilities. This increases quality and at the same time lowers the threshold for start-ups and smaller companies to get started with quantum photonics. Europe is investing 25M&euro; in this project. The same amount comes from national governments in 12 European countries.</p>
<p>The project is organised into eight work packages and includes small commercial partners, foundries, universities, research institutes, as well as the multinationals. P4Q focuses on technologies that grow into TRL-8 and MRL-8: ready for large-scale demonstration and further industrialisation.</p>
<h2>Partners&nbsp;</h2>
<p>Partners in this project are: AIT, Aluvia, AMIRES, AQT, C2N, CEA-Leti, Delft Networks, ICFO, IMEC, IMS CHIPS, Leonardo, Ligentec, LioniX International, New Origin, PlanQC GmbH, Q*bird, QphoX, QuiX Quantum, Sintef, Sparrow Quantum, Thales Alenia Space, Thales R&amp;T, TNO, TU Delft, TU Eindhoven, Tyndall National Institute, University of Twente (coordinator), VTT, Quandela.</p>
<p>In the Netherlands, P4Q is supported by Oost NL and financially made possible by Quantum Delta NL, Nanolab NL and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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More information

Across a dozen European countries, a new European pilot will be started in 2026: Photonics for Quantum (P4Q). In this project, a large consortium is working on ways to make photonic chips for quantum applications more reliable and scalable. The University of Twente is coordinating the project.

50 million euro European Quantum pilot P4Q launched

<p><strong>Biotechnology Fermentation Factory (BFF) has awarded GEA the contract to supply, install and commission a new food-grade (precision)fermentation upscaling line at its facility on the NIZO Food Innovation Campus in Ede. The line &mdash; featuring 1,000-liter and 10,000-liter fermenters with integrated upstream and primary recovery steps &mdash; is a key element in expanding the Netherlands&rsquo; mid-scale fermentation infrastructure and strengthening Europe&rsquo;s capacity to bring biotechnology-enabled food innovations to market.</strong></p>
<p>The new installation forms part of BFF&rsquo;s open-access scale-up environment, designed to help companies validate fermentation processes under realistic, food-grade conditions and generate decision-grade datasets to support investors, regulatory and commercial decision-making. The facility will operate alongside BFF&rsquo;s existing 10&ndash;30 liter pre-pilot systems and its 800 liter and 4,000 liter biomass-fermentation lines. Following primary recovery, pilot material can be transferred directly into the existing DSP pilot plant at NIZO, enabling end-to-end validation workflows within the same campus.</p>
<h2>Closing a critical gap in the European scale-up landscape</h2>
<p>Many precision- and biomass-fermentation projects stall between laboratory proof-of-concept and the first commercial investment decision. By providing shared access to food-grade pilot capacity, BFF supports innovators in overcoming this &ldquo;missing middle&rdquo;, reducing risk and accelerating movement from TRL 4&ndash;7. BFF&rsquo;s open-access model serves both food and ingredient biotech companies and technology providers developing new tools for fermentation performance, such as sensing, process-control and metabolic-monitoring solutions. Validating these technologies in real, food-grade environments is essential for adoption by industry.</p>
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<p>Our aim is straightforward: to give the industry dependable, open-access capacity to validate fermentation processes under food-grade, scalable conditions. With GEA supplying this new precision-fermentation line, companies will gain the technical reliability and speed they need to move confidently from lab development toward industrial readiness.</p>
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<p><em>Marcel Oogink, Managing Director, Biotechnology Fermentation Factory</em></p>
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<p>Food-grade pilot capacity is a critical link many innovators have been missing. By delivering BFF&rsquo;s new line, we help teams validate their processes faster and more reliably &mdash; and we strengthen GEA&rsquo;s role where biotechnology meets scalable manufacturing. This pilot environment enables application-ready material and decision-grade datasets that support the transition toward commercial production.</p>
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<p><em>Frederieke Reiners, Vice President New Food, GEA</em></p>
<p><img src="https://media.oostnl.nl/Overview_Food_Innovation_Campus_d53fa3e2fb.png" alt="Overview Food Innovation Campus.png"></p>
<h2>Financing and strategic context</h2>
<p>The expansion of BFF&rsquo;s pilot capability is supported by the Dutch National Growth Fund program Cellulaire Agricultuur Nederland (CAN), with regional co-funding from Oost NL and in-kind contributions from NIZO. Together, these investments strengthen the Dutch position as a leading hub for fermentation-based food innovation and enable companies to advance more quickly toward market entry.</p>
<h2>About BFF</h2>
<p>Biotechnology Fermentation Factory (BFF) is an open-access fermentation scale-up facility on the NIZO Food Innovation Campus in Ede (NL), helping companies bridge the gap between lab development and industrial readiness. Supported by the Dutch National Growth Fund (CAN), BFF serves food- and ingredient-biotech innovators as well as technology providers developing new tools to improve fermentation performance, offering food-grade validation capacity across multiple scales.</p>
<h2>About GEA</h2>
<p>GEA is one of the world&rsquo;s largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. The international technology group, founded in 1881, focuses on machinery and plants, as well as advanced process technology, components and comprehensive services. For instance, every second pharma separator for essential healthcare products such as vaccines or novel biopharmaceuticals is produced by GEA. In food, every fourth package of pasta or every third chicken nugget are processed with GEA technology.</p>
<p>With more than 18,000 employees, the group generated revenues of about EUR 5.5 billion in more than 150 countries in the 2024 fiscal year. GEA plants, processes, components and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of customers&rsquo; production. They contribute significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions, plastic usage and food waste. In doing so, GEA makes a key contribution toward a sustainable future, in line with the company&rsquo;s purpose: &rdquo;Engineering for a better world.&rdquo;</p>

New pilot capacity strengthens Dutch infrastructure for scale-up and validation of New Food technologies.

BFF awards GEA a contract to build new food-grade (precision) fermentation upscaling line

In Twente, one of the world’s leading technology companies develops radar and defense systems used across the globe. In Hengelo, near the German border and just a two-hour drive from Amsterdam, sits a branch of Thales Netherlands: a high-tech leader that plays a pivotal role in the Dutch knowledge and manufacturing industry.

Thales in Twente: a strategic home base for global high-tech

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<p>Would you like to learn more about how we can support you in accelerating the market launch of your innovations? Oost NL offers funding, networks, and expertise.</p>

Futuremakers

Futuremakers

Expand your business in East Netherlands

What can Oost NL do for me?

Where can I establish in East Netherlands?

What can Oost NL do for me?

Where can I establish in East Netherlands?

Why East Netherlands?

How to set up a business in the Netherlands?

Quality of life

Why East Netherlands?

How to set up a business in the Netherlands?

Quality of life

Setting up your business in East Netherlands

Success story

The key industries of our region

Food

Tech

Food

Tech

Energy

Health

Energy

Health

Latest news

50 million euro European Quantum pilot P4Q launched

BFF awards GEA a contract to build new food-grade (precision) fermentation upscaling line

Thales in Twente: a strategic home base for global high-tech

Events

FRUIT LOGISTICA

E‑world energy & water

Health Valley Event 2026

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