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February 27, 2026

From R&D to manufacturing: Defence collaborates with Limburg

A new partnership has been formed in Limburg between the government, businesses and knowledge institutions. The joint ambition is clear: to accelerate the development, application and upscaling of innovative technologies that contribute to national security, as well as to regional earning capacity and a strong, autonomous industry. The new MINDbase desk at Brightlands Chemelot campus provides an accessible point of entry for entrepreneurs and researchers developing innovative ideas or technologies. In the coming period, more and more 'calls and instruments' will become available to them, offering opportunities to get involved, such as OP Zuid and SDIR.

Central location where innovation and manufacturing come together

The Limburg Regional Team, with MINDbase as its physical base, is a collaboration between the Ministries of Defence and Economic Affairs, the Province of Limburg, Brightlands Chemelot Campus and LIOF. The Limburg Regional Team is part of the national MINDbase network of seven regions, coordinated by ODIN (Orchestrating Defence Innovation). Limburg plays an additional role as national coordinator for the theme of smart materials, one of the Ministry of Defence's focus areas.

Menno Smeelen, Limburg regional coordinator at the Ministry of Defence and MINDbase manager: “Brightlands Chemelot Campus offers access to critical raw materials and smart materials and is ideally located in Limburg. In addition, research and development (R&D) and the manufacturing industry come together in the region, enabling us to further develop materials into applications that can be produced on a large scale.”

Faster from idea to application

Together, we connect companies and knowledge institutions to specific innovation questions from the Ministry of Defence. Entrepreneurs, from start-ups to large companies, can contact MINDbase with relevant innovations for the Ministry of Defence in five areas: smart materials, sensors, quantum technology, space technology and intelligent systems. Think of drone and sensor applications, lightweight composites and other dual-use innovations that are crucial to the future military and economic strength of the Netherlands. Edwin Bakker, business development manager and key account manager at Brightlands Chemelot Campus: "With these complex issues, you can only make progress quickly if you are close to the companies and have the right R&D infrastructure, which you will find on the campus and in our international ecosystem."

One example of a regional application is Avient's Dyneema®: the strongest fibre in the world, which is used in bulletproof vests and helmets. Edwin Bakker: "Dyneema® was developed on campus, the raw materials are produced at the Chemelot site, and production takes place in Heerlen." Previously, the Lightweight Modular BRidGe (LMBRG) was also proposed, a lightweight, foldable bridge for marshy areas.

In addition, the first practical projects involving talented students were launched in 2025 in collaboration with CHILL and Zuyd University of Applied Sciences in the field of 3D printing technologies and corrosion protection. Menno Smeelen: "Students worked enthusiastically on tangible innovation issues, such as the design of a 3D-printed brace for injured soldiers."

Sustainable cooperation structures

As a regional development company, LIOF plays a central role in connecting start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs to the innovation needs of the Ministry of Defence and the broader defence chain. Roy Golsteijn, business developer and ecosystem developer at LIOF: “In Limburg, many companies are active in areas such as high-performance materials, coatings, sensor technology and other high-quality applications. It is precisely this knowledge and technology that fits in well with the increasingly specific innovation requirements of the Ministry of Defence. We bring entrepreneurs, knowledge institutions and chain partners together around concrete opportunities and build sustainable collaborations. In this way, we not only strengthen the innovative power towards the Ministry of Defence, but also the regional economic earning capacity and the strategic position of Limburg."

The Limburg Regional Team supports companies in exploring opportunities and forming consortia for development and upscaling. It also assists in finding financing through subsidies, venture capital (such as SecFund) and European programmes.

From innovation to impact

Roy Golsteijn: "The innovation challenges facing the Ministry of Defence are becoming increasingly specific. This presents opportunities for Dutch companies to make a difference in a targeted manner. In the coming years, we expect a sharp increase in concrete calls for proposals and opportunities for collaboration." Some of these issues are translated into so-called SDIR challenges (Strategic Defence Innovation Research). These are accessible calls for proposals that SMEs and start-ups can respond to directly. This makes SDIR an ideal instrument for establishing contact with the Ministry of Defence and the broader defence chain.

In the field of innovation subsidies, we are also seeing an increasing number of schemes that can be used for defence applications. An important example is OP Zuid, but there are instruments for virtually every development phase, such as MIT Feasibility and MIT R&D Collaboration Projects or Euregional opportunities via Interreg STIPP.

Do you have a relevant technology or application? Now is the time to get involved. Send an email to: mindbase@mindef.nl.