High Tech Campus Almere takes shape: ASM as flywheel for innovation and growth

With the development of the High Tech Campus on the south bank of the Weerwater, Almere is taking a strategic step towards a stronger and more innovative economic profile. Over the next 10 to 15 years, the campus should grow into a lively place where high-tech activity, research and education come together.

The announced expansion of ASM, which plans to establish a new Research and Development (R&D) centre at the Campus, among other things, plays an important role in the development of the Campus. As the first settler, the company directly acts as a flywheel for the further development of the area. According to councillor Maaike Veeningen, this is the moment when long-standing ambitions become concrete and are no longer just a plan on paper.

More than a business park

The High Tech Campus will not be set up as a traditional business park. The starting point is not a collection of individual plots but an ecosystem in which companies, educational institutions and researchers reinforce each other. "It is a place where not only work is done, but where education and research come together and meeting, cooperation and knowledge sharing are encouraged. Startups, scale-ups and established companies are literally close together here, with shared facilities and space."

It is precisely this physical proximity that should accelerate innovation. Students can work together with companies on research questions, while entrepreneurs get easier access to talent and knowledge. According to the municipality, this cross-pollination is essential to structurally add value to Almere's economy.

Future image of the Campus Heart

Employment as a social task

The development of the campus is closely linked to a broader urban challenge: the relationship between living and working in the city. Almere has been growing rapidly in population for years, but the number of jobs lags behind. Many Almereans work outside the city, leading to long commuting times and less attachment to their own living environment.

"By allowing employment to grow along with them, more balance is created," Veeningen said. "This not only has an economic effect, but also a social impact. People have more time for their surroundings and can participate more actively in society."

The impact of the site extends beyond the boundaries of the Campus. Similar developments in other places in the country show that every job on a campus like this creates three jobs elsewhere in the city. Suppliers, business service providers, hospitality and facilities companies benefit along with it. "This additional employment also means precisely opportunities for entrepreneurs already based in Almere," Veeningen stresses.

Fifth high-tech focal point of the Netherlands

The High Tech Campus positions Almere as the fifth high-tech focal point of the Netherlands in the future, alongside existing clusters such as Eindhoven. However, this ambition is by no means based oncompetition. "The Netherlands is too small to compete with each other," says Veeningen. "Instead, the question is: where can we add something?"

By offering space to companies in the semicon sector and working on research and development in this field, Almere is positioning itself as an important player within a chain that is gaining weight at the European level. This is not only of geopolitical importance, but also economically relevant for the city: it attracts knowledge-intensive activity, creates future-proof employment and strengthens the business climate. With this, Almere joins a development that is structurally significant and increases its role within a future-proof, innovative European economy.

IAMM as a link between research and application

In doing so, Almere is specifically looking at niches that are less present elsewhere, such as specific materials and metrology, in cooperation with research institute IAMM, which is currently under development. "It is about links reinforcing each other rather than overlapping," Veeningen said. The Institute for Advanced Materials & Metrology (IAMM) is a developing national knowledge institute focusing on new materials and measurement technology for the semiconductor sector. The aim is to accelerate the step from research to application so that innovations find their way into practice faster.

IAMM is mentioned as an important initiative in Peter Wennink's report on strengthening the earning capacity of the Netherlands. At the High Tech Campus in Almere, the institute should bring together companies, knowledge institutions and education, stimulating innovation, talent development and business activity. The project is still in the feasibility phase; a final investment decision has not yet been made.

Long-term development with pace

The letter of intent with ASM has now been signed, but before the company is operational at the new site, a number of steps need to be taken. The municipal council has adopted the Zuidoever Weerwater master plan, which defines the spatial frameworks for the campus. ASM will work on its own plans to develop the R&D centre in the coming period, followed by permits, infrastructure and preparing the site for construction. Although the campus development is a five- to 10-year process, the municipality wants to set the pace. "The aim is for ASM to actually land on the campus within five years," says Veeningen

Maaike Veeningen, Paul Verhagen (CFO ASM), Hein van der Loo, Hichem M'Saad (CEO ASM), Arjen Gerritsen (CdK), Vincent Karremans (Minister of Economic Affairs), Toon van Dijk (Flevoland provincial executive) at the signing of the agreement of intent (Photo: supplied)

Priority on the power grid?

A major concern with both the campus and ASM's expansion is grid congestion. The power grid is full, so new or larger power connections cannot be taken for granted.

The municipality stresses that it cannot guarantee grid capacity. "A connection to the grid is not a municipal decision," states Alderman Veeningen. "That follows from national rules and the planning of the grid operator."

However, a new prioritisation framework from the Authority for Consumer & Market (ACM) will come into force on 1 January 2026. This framework allows social projects to be given priority over the full grid. It looks at objective criteria, such as national security, basic needs and activities essential to the functioning of society.

The security category was recently expanded to include highly sensitive technologies. As a result, companies like ASM may be eligible for priority, depending on their role in the semiconductor chain.

Searching for smart solutions

Parallel to the prioritisation framework, Almere is working with grid operators, the province and the state on the Flevopolder grid congestion action plan. The focus is on expanding the high-voltage grid, but also on smart solutions to make better use of existing capacity.

It looks at project phasing, energy management systems, flexible connections and local energy storage. Energy hubs, where companies intercept peaks and troughs in consumption, are also being explored. "These kinds of measures can ensure that, even when a new power connection is delayed, companies can still start and grow within the boundary conditions of the grid," Veeningen said.

At the same time, the municipality remains committed to accelerating grid expansions in the longer term. "Because not only ASM, but also other companies in Almere have to deal with this."

Opportunities for entrepreneurs in and around Almere

For entrepreneurs in particular, the High Tech Campus offers perspective. Not only for high-tech companies themselves, but especially for parties in the supply chain. From specialised manufacturing companies to logistics, maintenance, facility services and knowledge-intensive business services.

"Sometimes these are very specific products or services," says Veeningen. "Bolts, nuts, stickers that have to meet strict conditions - that activity is already there in Almere. Growth of the high-tech sector can also mean growth of those companies."

With ASM as a catalyst and a campus designed for meeting, collaboration and knowledge sharing, Almere aims to develop the Weerwater South Bank into a full-fledged innovation area in the heart of the city. A development that will take time, but whose first movement is now truly visible.

Source: Almere Zaken - Fiona Mirea