ASR Dutch Science Park Fund to acquire NEXT Delft Accelerator Building on TU Delft campus

The building has a gross floor area of approximately 10,000 m² and will provide office and lab space for innovative companies in TU Delft’s target group. It will also create a unique hub within the campus ecosystem. With a variety of meet & greet facilities, including a conference centre, co-working and community space and catering, it will provide a host of opportunities for meetings, knowledge sharing and collaboration.

The Accelerator Building, which is expected to be completed at the end of 2021, has high sustainability ambitions, namely a BREEAM Excellent label. The design allows for expansion by another 10,000 m², which will make upscaling easy. Leasing is expected to start in September 2020 and will be organised by a.s.r. real estate.

The building will provide a wider range of accommodation types and make it easy for companies to grow and move on, both on campus and in the building. It is important to retain companies on the TU Delft campus and attract new ones, as the high concentration of companies in the same sector contributes to the exchange of knowledge. This helps to strengthen the position of Delft – and the TU Delft campus in particular – in the area of innovation and technology.

As fund director Luc Joosten explains, “This building is the response to the high structural demand for suitable business space on the TU Delft campus. We are developing a unique, high-quality building that will occupy a pivotal position in the campus ecosystem and provide space for a variety of tenants. It constitutes the next step in the joint aspiration of TU Delft and the ASR Dutch Science Park Fund to develop the campus, with a greater presence of industry. TU Delft’s main focus is on real estate to perform its core functions, and our focus is on commercial real estate. Being involved from the very start has given us the chance to really get to grips with the building and put us in a position to form exactly the right team, with vital roles for Stone22 as developer and Ector Hoogstad Architects.”

Nicoly Vermeulen, vice president operations at TU Delft, adds:“I am very pleased that we are developing this building: it is important to the continued development of the innovative ecosystem on the TU Delft campus. Not only will it provide accommodation for innovative companies, it will also make it easy for scale-ups from YES!Delft to move on and thus make room for new start-ups. This will enable us both to retain talented people and to attract new companies. On top of this we are creating a place where companies and people can meet, increasing collaboration and thus making the campus a more attractive location. There is an added bonus, as companies already established in this part of the campus will be able to benefit from the communal facilities, resulting in satisfied users and more jobs.”

Bas Vollebregt, Alderman for Economics, Culture, Land and Real Estate at the Municipality of Delft, comments: “Lack of business space has been the main brake on the growth of Delft’s economy in recent years. By getting together with our partners we have managed to develop a unique building on the TU Delft campus with precisely the kind of space that is in high demand. This is making Delft’s strong point – the network of technology and innovation – even stronger. Strengthening that network will enable companies to grow and invest more, spend more and provide more jobs, at every level. The building will provide more than just business space; it will be the new club house for the Delft technology community. It is particularly important now, with the economy under pressure from the corona crisis, to go on supporting growing companies. The Delft Fund 2040 gives us the opportunity to continue making these investments to strengthen the economy, even in times of adversity.”

Adri Bom-Lemstra, regional minister for Economics and Innovation at the Province of South Holland, adds: “Campuses are the ideal place for innovation and entrepreneurship. They create new solutions to social challenges, precisely because they bring science and industry together. At the same time they strengthen our regional economy. We are happy to support that through the South Holland Campuses grant scheme, for example here in Delft. NEXT Delft is not only a vital link on the TU Delft campus, but also strengthens the entire network of start-ups and scale-ups in South Holland – a splendid addition.”

About the ASR Dutch Science Park Fund
The ASR Dutch Science Park Fund was founded on 1 March 2019 by a.s.r. real estate. The Fund, which invests in commercial real estate, focuses on the most attractive science parks in the Netherlands. Through these investments, a.s.r. real estate actively contributes to the development of the Dutch knowledge sector, fostering local science park ecosystems and offering companies the opportunity to be physically closer to new technology and expertise. This promotes the development of new knowledge and innovative products and services, creating valuable social returns.

The ASR Dutch Science Park Fund is the fourth sector fund founded by a.s.r. real estate, with a primary focus on institutional investors. As with the retail, residential and office funds, ASR Nederland N.V. acts as anchor investor.

More about TU Delft’s campus
TU Delft’s campus is one of Europe’s leading R&D locations. It is a ‘next-level innovation’ campus, a vibrant ecosystem and, above all, an open community in which radical and complex innovations are developed. TU Delft’s home base houses more than 250 national and international companies, start-ups, research institutes, and field labs. They are all driven by the same goal – impact for a better society.