TU/e, Eindhoven Airport team up for sustainable innovation

29 / 03 / 2023

By Marwa Nassar - -

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) teamed up with Eindhoven Airport to achieve sustainable innovation at the airport.

Various student teams and spin-offs will be featured at the airport, with the displays changing every few months. They will showcase innovative solutions created through the principle of challenge-based learning (CBL), which is one of TU/e’s strengths and in which students learn by working on real-world problems. Previously, TU/e’s soccer robots were on display at the airport, while the brain stimulation techniques of start-up Aristotle will be featured this summer.

The university’s visibility at the airport says something about the cooperation that has intensified over the past few years. EIRES – the TU/e’s energy institute – and Eindhoven Airport, for example, work together within a consortium with Brainport Development on making the airport more sustainable over the coming years.

For the airport, the main spearhead for the coming years is not growth, but a high quality and sustainable airport. Eindhoven Airport aims to operate as an energy-neutral and emission-free airport by 2030. The consortium is investigating ways to make this is possible. A model is being developed for the entire airport that focuses on the integration of a number of sustainable energy innovations.

For TU/e, the collaboration is an excellent opportunity to develop, apply, and valorize scientific knowledge. The airport offers an inspiring and interesting place for scientists, student teams, and spin-offs to come and do research.

TU/e Chairman of the Board Robert-Jan Smits said “I am proud that the millions of travelers who arrive here every year will now see TU/e as the beating heart of the Brainport region as soon as they arrive. Working together with businesses is in our DNA, the partnership with Eindhoven Airport is a brilliant example of this.”

Roel Hellemons, CEO Eindhoven Airport, said “We are delighted to introduce passengers to the great stories from the high-tech industry in our region immediately upon arrival. In this way, we function as a worthy entrance to the Brainport region. TU/e is the birthplace of many technical innovations. As many international students travel via Eindhoven Airport, we also contribute to attracting international talent and strengthening the Brainport region.”