On the 24th October, innovative entrepreneurs from both the Netherlands and the United Kingdom were given the opportunity to display their work to the Dutch King and Queen at an Innovation Showcase in Mansion House as part of the State Visit.
The aim of this event was the co-creation of pioneering solutions to global challenges. By stimulating collaboration between companies and universities, governments and research centres, it is hoped that new marketable solutions to key issues we face may be discovered.
At the Innovation Showcase, Dutch and British start-ups presented their innovative solutions to problems relating to: AI and Data; Ageing Society; Clean Growth; and Future Mobility.
A presentation by Heba Bevan from Utterberry was given. Utterberry is a system that provides in-built artificial intelligence enabling it to measure and process multiple variables within any one sensor without the need to connect to a central sever. The artificial intelligence algorithms analyse data in real time and identify trends. They also provide predictive analysis and trigger warnings of impending events.
The Dutch start-ups included Wizenoze (https://www.wizenoze.com), featuring educational technology; Etergo (https://etergo.com), focusing on electric scooters; Tovertafel (https://tovertafel.nl), the creators of braintrainer games for dementia patients; and byFLow (https://www.3dbyflow.com), who expand the use of 3D printers to food.
Additionally, a student team from the TU Delft presented ‘Project March,’ (https://www.projectmarch.nl) a project wherein they have created an exoskeleton enabling paralysis sufferers to walk again wearing an electronic suit that holds up their bodyweight. The riveting presentation was accompanied by a live demonstration undertaken by several students and Sjaan Quirijns, the paraplegic mentor and tester for the robotic suit.
A student from TU Delft presenting ‘Project March’
The British Teams included OhBot (https://www.ohbot.co.uk), an educational robotics system designed to challenge school students’ computational thinking and understanding of computer science.
Queen Máxima and the Earl of Wessex viewing a robot demonstration at the Innovation Showcas
The showcase highlighted the breadth and depth of the relationship between the UK and The Netherlands in the field of innovation. It also shed light on our joint role as world leaders in Global Innovation and celebrated our cross collaboration, which will undoubtedly continue long into the future.