Wageningen Campus

Save the date: Impact Catalyst Expo 💡   The Wageningen Impact Catalyst Expo on Wednesday 28 August is organised for all impact makers and responsible changemakers. This expo, organised by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and supported by University Fund Wageningen, showcases the impact of entrepreneurship of WUR and its partners. 📅 Wednesday 28 August 2024, 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM including closing drinks & bites.  📍 Innovation & Incubation Center Wageningen, Bronland 10, 6708 WH Wageningen. During this event, it is possible to discover the innovative solutions developed by entrepreneurs and experience their impact firsthand. Besides this, visitors can learn about the support and tools that WUR, University Fund Wageningen, and partners provide to foster entrepreneurship and innovation. The goal of the event is to unite anyone interested in making impact in a collective and collaborative mission. The event will include sessions where entrepreneurs will share their stories and experiences and the announcement of the pre-incubation program. Ample opportunities for networking and exchanging experiences and knowledge will be available, with expert hubs open for interaction and support. 💬 Please reserve August 28th in your calendar. Further information will follow. #impact #changemaker #networking

Collaboration Euro-Toques Nederland and Restaurant Novum 🌾 🍽 From June 10th, Restaurant Novum in Omnia has officially joined Euro-Toques Netherlands. This organisation is committed to promoting artisanal cooking with pure, local and seasonal products. This collaboration emphasises the joint commitment to sustainability and last week chef Djoelan Bovenschen received the official Euro-Toques award. Restaurant Novum's philosophy fits well with Euro-Toques Nederland's core values, and cooperation is therefore a great step. Chris van Kreij, manager Omnia: “The recognition from Euro-Toques is a crown on the work of the entire kitchen team. Proof that we know how to surprise our guests daily during lunch and dinner at Novum while fulfilling our sustainable ambitions." 💡 Euro-Toques Nederland also works together with Smaaklessen, an initiative of several organisations to share knowledge about food with children and developed by WUR. At school, children playfully learn about taste development, healthy and sustainable eating and cooking. This educational approach ensures that the younger generation becomes aware of the importance of good food and sustainability. That tastes like more! Restaurant Novum is open on weekdays from 10:00 am for everyone working and studying on Wageningen Campus. Drop by sometime for a cup of coffee, lunch or dinner! #sustainability #award #omnia

[Winners] These are the winners of the Nature-based Future Challenge! 🥇Delta Harmonics 🥈DeltaGo! 🥉Deltability 🏅The Partner Prize went to team Terraqueous: Innovation where Land and Water Meet 🥳🥳🥳🥳Big congratulations! 🥳🥳🥳🥳 This student challenge is powered by Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and Wageningen University & Research #Studentchallenge #grandfinals #winners #studentsuccess Victoria Haskins, Md. Saiful Islam, Maud Vink, Jiri Svatos, Lubomír Smrček, Hana Chourová, Nathaniël Rosegg, Ignacio Andueza Kovacevic, Alexis Drevetzki, Dwiva Anbiya Taruna, Reksa Kridawasesa, Woon Jo Cheng, Jee Su Yoo, Bonivasius Pradipta Retmana, Thaïs Mauron, Rahmad Ramadhan Siregar, Ayoub Rozanes--Monnot des Angles, Ramadhan - , Nidya Putri Yudhani

Wageningen Campus Expedition 🚶♀️ 💡 The 2nd week of the Wageningen Campus Expedition was another great success, full of inspiration and knowledge sharing! The week started on Monday at FrieslandCampina where the cheese production process and the use of a taste panel were explained. Attendees had the unique opportunity to taste two newly launched products. On Tuesday, the experience continued with visits to Eurofins Agro & Horti NL, KeyGene, and AgroCares. At Eurofins, the focus was on the importance of soil health for crop growth. For nearly a century, Eurofins has been analyzing soil, crop, water, manure and compost, among others, in the Netherlands and 25 other countries. KeyGene, renowned for technological innovation for crop improvement, showcased their laboratories and provided insights into their research on banana plant diseases. AgroCares demonstrated their technology for measuring nutrients and other key parameters in soil, feed and leaves facilitating precision farming based on real-time nutrient intelligence. On Wednesday, Upfield opened its doors, the world's largest plant-based food company and the leading producer of plant-based butters, spreads, creams and cheese alternatives. Upfield recently launched three existing butter brands paper tubs, following four years of research and testing. They are also developing plant-based creams and cheddar and mozzarella-flavored products. Participants got to look in Upfield’s kitchen and were given the chance to taste these new products. 🍽 The final day featured visits to six facilities of WUR, where participants explored topics ranging from food safety research, microbiome research, plant genetic resources, a microalgae farm and biodiversity on campus. They also had the chance to take a look in the extended reality lab (XR). The enthusiasm of the participants was apparent. Joyce Nijkamp, employed by WUR, says: "What a great opportunity to get to know organisations on our campus from a different perspective than usual! Thanks Flora de Ruiter for organizing!" Anna Blok, working at Unilever, says: "It was a very nice edition filled with interactive programmes and it was great to connect with other participants." To all campus residents: we hope to see you next year for the fourth edition! #campusexpedition #wageningencampus #campustour

Autonomous Greenshouse Challenge, winner WUR Impact Award 2024   After an eventful afternoon filled with many inspiring impact cases, WUR is glad to announce its new Impact Award winners! The anticipation had been building for months, but yesterday it was finally time to announce this year’s winners of the 5 nominated teams: the jury Impact Award winner is the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge! And with over 1100 voters this year, the audience award was presented to the WCDI seed systems thematic cluster!    During the Impact Award, rector Carolien Kroeze said: ‘With a future that is uncertain, we need responsible changemakers. The 5 nominees present a perfect example of such responsible changemakers.’ The new WUR strategic plan has an even stronger focus on societal impact.    The Chair of the jury Marcel Schuttelaar revealed the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge as the winner of the Impact Award 2024. ‘This outstanding programme responds to THE challenges of the future: sustainable food systems, lack of space and other resources, and the use of AI’, he said. Jury member Richard Harrison said: ‘With this programme, the world can come to Wageningen.’ Jury member Miriam Nienhuis added: ‘The innovative approach and the concrete description of the impact of this programme are most appealing and an example for others’.  Silke Hemming was there to receive the award on behalf of the whole team and what she could say for certain: ‘We keep on having fun and making impact with this programme’.    This year was also the first time in which the audience could show their support. Voting lines opened early in June and reached over 1100 voters. There was no doubt possible, the audience award went to WCDI Seed Systems Thematic Cluster. It involves chain and systems approaches, large-scale collaboration, community building and it reaches smallholder farmers. The programme reaches smallholder farmers with better seeds to improve food security by empowering all relevant parties. To this, Harrison said: ‘This project brings Wageningen to the world.’  The team stressed the importance of their collaboration with many partners and together with them, the team wants to find a way to put the award money into something impactful.  All in all, it was an inspiring afternoon. Thanks to the winners, the other nominees, and all others on their road to impact for bringing science to society on a daily basis.  The WUR Impact Award is made possible by the Wageningen Ambassadors and UniversityFundWageningen. The Wageningen Ambassadors aim to build a bridge between WUR and society, by using their network, experience and financial resources.   #SilkeHemming #JamesMulkerrins #FalaqTidjani #MarjaThijssen #WageningenAmbassadors #MarcelSchuttelaar #WilmaTerwel #MiriamNienhuis #HenkWymenga #RichardHarrison #UniversityFundWageningen

Don't wait to cast your vote and be sure to attend the Impact Award on Thursday from 15:00 until 16:00! This will take place in Plus Ultra II. 

Wageningen Campus Expedition Week 1! 🚶♂️ 💡 This week was the first of two weeks of the Wageningen Campus Expedition. For the 3rd year in a row, companies and organisations on our beautiful green Campus opened their doors to employees and co-workers.  This first week was already filled with interesting and inspiring tours at Aeres University of Applied Sciences Wageningen, NIOO-KNAW, Unilever Foods Innovation Centre 'Hive', and on Thursday, Kadans Science Partner provided 3 tours at 14 companies in PlusUltra 1 & 2. During this day, participants were welcomed with 3 smoothie varieties from smoothiebar.nl, then at Green Dino BV the driving simulator was shown and at Berrico FoodCompany bv the focus was on the healthy and positive effect of cranberries on gut flora. At the beginning of the week, participants were invited to Unilever to test whether they are ‘Supertasters’ or not. On Tuesday, Aeres Hogeschool opened its doors, a green and sustainable school that trains teachers for secondary green education. On Wednesday, Froukje Rienks of NIOO-KNAW told a story about how the building and the surrounding spaces are used, reused and what kind of research is being done. 📚 Feedback from participants was very positive. Interest in each other's work is invaluable. The many questions that were asked were answered in great detail. Many participants signed up for up to 4-5 tours and enthusiastically take the opportunity to look at the companies next door. For several people, it is the first time they have taken part and positive responses can be heard: ‘How fun and great that this is being organised!’ and ‘Next year, I'll take part again and then I'll bring my colleagues along too!’ ‘What a beautiful building, you wouldn't notice that from the outside at all!’ 🗺 Next week from Monday to Thursday, KeyGene, AgroCares, Eurofins Agro & Horti NL, FrieslandCampina, Upfield and Wageningen University & Research will also receive around 300 guests all together. Looking forward to what we may see a learn there as well! #campusexpedition #campustour #wageningencampus

Vision for the future NL2120, honored in the Walk of Fame at Wageningen Campus! 🌿 The team behind The Netherlands in 2120, a nature-based vision for the future, has received a tile in the Walk of Fame at Wageningen Campus. Last year, they won the WUR Impact Award 2023, and next week, they will pass the baton to the succeeding team for the WUR Impact Award 2024. 👉More information and vote here: https://lnkd.in/enKBb6aJ. NL2120 brought together research from the entire spectrum of Wageningen University & Research to develop a hopeful vision for the Netherlands in roughly 100 years. This is an integral vision in that it considers the spatial planning of the Netherlands in 2120 from all these different perspectives, such as agriculture, biodiversity, sustainable energy, water, and the circular economy. This map is not a blueprint, but a projection. It shows the Netherlands as it could look in 2120 if nature-based solutions are prioritised. Over the past year, the impact of NL2120 has grown with various initiatives. The team NL2120 has been working with students on a similar vision for Europe. The team also collaborated with the World Wide Fund for Nature to conduct a session on nature-based solutions at the COP28 in Dubai. The vision NL2120 served as inspiration for the Nature-Based Future Challenge, where 700 students from 44 countries developed a nature-based vision for Bangladesh. And the National Growth Fund programme started, a ten-year knowledge and innovation programme worth 110 million euros, with 25 partners. The NL 2120 map of the Netherlands is now displayed in three Dutch museums and an educational package about NL 2120 is being developed for secondary schools. Additionally the vision was presented at the VNG conference to aldermen and mayors. “Hope leads to action. A green and clear vision of the future inspires and creates hope, boosting action,” says Tim van Hattum. Michael van Buuren adds, "Always believe in your own idea and stay true to it, for it is your vision and perseverance that will turn ideas into reality. Every small step counts." Then he continued laughing yet serious: “Let's replace another tile with a green patch”. #NL2120 #WURImpactAward #SustainableFuture #NatureBasedSolutions #NatureBasedFutureChallenge #TimvanHattum #StijnReinhard #BertramdeRooij #MichaelvanBuuren #UniversityFundWageningen The WUR Impact Award is supported by the Wageningen Ambassadors, WUR alumni who are leaders in business and government, bridging WUR and society.

With the dull weather this week, there is even more reason to look forward to summer. And there's no better way to start summer than with a festival, so make sure to be at the campus' own festival on June 20th! 🎺  

Get inspired by WUR's Impact Cases. Who do you think deserves the WUR Impact Award 2024? Check out the impact stories of the five nominated cases and cast your vote now. The WUR Impact Award is made possible by the Wageningen Ambassadors and the Wageningen University Fund.