Collaborating to shape Twente’s future
Twente Board works together with businesses, educational institutions and government to strengthen Twente as a leading green technology region. We provide strategic focus, support the development of high-potential projects, strengthen Twente’s position through public affairs and regional branding, and use Gross Twents Happiness as a compass for broad prosperity. In doing so, we connect economic growth with societal challenges and work together to build a region where people can live, work and thrive.
Our focus
Twente is purposefully building a strong, future-proof economy by investing in three strategic clusters that accelerate innovation, growth and societal progress: ChipTech, MedTech and Defence. Together, these clusters form the driving force behind Twente’s development as a leading green technology region.
Within each cluster, businesses, knowledge institutions and public authorities work closely together on technological breakthroughs, new business activity and high-quality employment. ChipTech Twente focuses on chip design, integrated photonics and semiconductor technology, supported by unique facilities that enable the entire journey from concept to production. MedTech Twente is a powerful ecosystem for medical technology, where innovative solutions contribute to accessible, affordable and people-centred healthcare. Twente’s Defence cluster is developing around advanced defence and security technologies with global applications, including radar and sensor technologies. The combination of expertise, talent, testing and pilot facilities, and close collaboration positions the region as a strong strategic European base for innovation in security and advanced technology.
By investing in these clusters, Twente links economic development with societal challenges and long-term earning capacity. Programmes and projects within the clusters create focus, coherence and scale, while strengthening Twente’s position in the Netherlands and across Europe.
Development
Twente is a leading green technology region. Continued joint investment in promising projects and programmes strengthens and safeguards this position. Twente Board brings together businesses, educational institutions and government to turn ideas into concrete projects that contribute to economic growth and broad prosperity.
Central to this approach is collaborative development within the Agenda for Twente and the Regional Deals. These provide the framework within which initiatives are assessed, refined and advanced. Projects must demonstrate a clear contribution to Gross Twents Happiness and meet established substantive and quality requirements as defined in the KRACHT(POWER) criteria.
Twente Board supports initiators throughout the entire process, from exploring and assessing an idea through to decision-making and implementation. By connecting knowledge, networks and funding, promising initiatives are given the opportunity to grow and scale. In this way, investment extends beyond innovation and entrepreneurship to include talent development, sustainability and societal challenges.
Public affairs
Twente Board leads the Twente public affairs agenda: a joint approach to effectively position the region’s ambitions and interests at provincial, national and European level. Together with businesses, educational institutions and government, Twente Board works to ensure that Twente speaks with one strong and recognisable voice. Since 2021, a shared strategic Public Affairs Agenda has provided the foundation for these efforts.
Twente Board connects stakeholders and coordinates lobbying activities, focusing on key priorities such as accessibility and connectivity, talent development, positioning Twente as a high-tech region, strengthening cooperation with Germany, and building a long-term opportunity agenda with the Dutch national government. Public affairs activities focus on influencing policy and decision-making at an early stage, including around public co-funding.
Through ongoing engagement with policymakers, study visits, regional cooperation and active representation in The Hague, Brussels and Germany, Twente’s public affairs efforts increase the region’s impact and contribute to achieving its shared ambitions and long-term earning capacity.
Twente as a brand
Twente Board invests in regional branding to strengthen Twente’s position as an innovative and sustainable leading region. By strategically developing and promoting the Twente brand, the region’s economic strengths become more visible, enhancing its appeal to businesses, talent and investors. The regional brand therefore supports Twente Board’s long-term objectives for economic development and broad prosperity.
Twente’s positioning is built around four interconnected pillars: innovation and technology, a strong entrepreneurial climate, talent development and sustainable growth. Together, these demonstrate where Twente excels and what distinguishes the region. Twente Board plays a connecting role by bringing together regional partners, including knowledge institutions, businesses and city marketing organisations, to develop a shared direction and a recognisable regional story.
By communicating collectively and connecting initiatives under a single regional brand, Twente Board increases the visibility and impact of regional programmes and projects, both within the Netherlands and internationally.
Gross Twents Happiness
Twente Board is committed to increasing Gross Twents Happiness: the conviction that genuine prosperity is about more than economic growth alone. It encompasses a strong economy alongside an attractive environment in which people can live, work and develop, feel connected and experience opportunity. Gross Twents Happiness therefore serves as an important compass for regional development.
Together with businesses, educational institutions and government, Twente Board monitors how residents experience life in Twente. This is done through periodic research into broad prosperity, bringing together themes such as job satisfaction, health, safety, income and the living environment. The findings help guide policy, investment and regional collaboration.
By adopting happiness as a strategic principle, Twente Board connects economic ambitions with societal challenges. This creates a shared foundation for building a region that not only grows in economic value but also remains an attractive place for residents, talent and businesses, both now and in the future.