IT Verband South Holland Meetup & Share: Learning Together, Strengthening Together

On Friday 23 January, the Meetup & Share of IT Verband South Holland (ITVZH) took place at the Dutch Innovation Factory (DIF) in Zoetermeer. Around 30 professionals from the ITVZH programme partners came together for this event, including WE-IT South Holland, the Dutch Innovation Factory, Security Delta (HSD) and IT Campus Rotterdam. Participants were given a look inside the “engine room” of the Dutch Innovation Factory, shared knowledge and explored how public–private partnerships (PPPs) can further strengthen one another. The shared goal: sustainably reducing the shortage of IT and cybersecurity talent within SMEs.

The afternoon was opened by Tessa Renkers, who welcomed the participants to the Dutch Innovation Factory. Afterwards, a short video about the Dutch Innovation Park was shown and gave all attendees a clear impression of the location and the activities taking place there. The Meetup & Share explicitly focused on “experiencing”: gaining insight into the initiatives, labs and collaborations brought together at this site, and exploring the opportunities this creates for the ITVZH network.

Peter Vroom, Director of the Faculty of IT & Design, elaborated on the role of the Dutch Innovation Factory as a place where education, research and practice come together. He reflected on how public–private partnerships within ITVZH currently operate and how they can be made more sustainable. His conclusion was clear: while the ambition is certainly there, achieving it requires more knowledge sharing, greater transparency between partners and room for so-called “boundary spanners”. He invited participants to continuously ask themselves one key question: how can I contribute to increasing the value of another PPP?

Pitches

During a series of short pitches, several partners provided insight into their initiatives; Match-IT demonstrated how it better connects supply and demand in the field of IT talent. The Dutch Innovation Community explained its role as a connector within the regional IT ecosystem, including initiatives such as the Haagse ICT-Carrièredag. The SME Digiworkshop showcased how SME entrepreneurs are practically supported with digitalisation challenges. Peter Roelofsma presented the Cybersecurity Living Lab, where organisations are supported in strengthening their digital resilience and where innovative applications,such as AI and continuous monitoring, are used to protect entire ecosystems. The pitches highlighted how closely intertwined themes such as AI, security and automation are, and how many opportunities exist for closer collaboration.

From inspiration to impact

The day went from inspiring insights on public–private partnerships and knowledge sharing to pitches on talent development, digitalisation and cyber resilience, and from the Experimenteerhuis and the Gamelab to the Expo where students presented their work, the afternoon clearly demonstrated how closely intertwined themes such as AI, security and automation are, and how many opportunities this creates for collaboration. The projects showcased what this location truly stands for: technology with societal impact, ranging from healthcare solutions that make advisory consultations smarter, to games that promote vitality and smart systems for sustainable food supply. Ideas that do not remain on paper, but are actively translated into real-world applications.

During the Meetup, all partners shared their individual goals and indicated where they see the greatest potential to deepen collaboration with other ITVZH partners. The afternoon concluded with a networking reception, where discussions on possible collaborations continued. For those interested, Peter Roelofsma subsequently provided an in-depth tour of the Cyber Security Living Lab. The next Meetup & Share will take place on 23 March and will be hosted by WE-IT. 

About ITVZH

IT Verband South Holland contributes to the sustainable development of IT talent for SMEs in South Holland. With support from the National Growth Fund, WE-IT, IT Campus Rotterdam, the Dutch Innovation Factory and Security Delta (HSD) are joining forces to strengthen education and training programmes, intensify research and development projects, and stimulate collaboration between SMEs and education providers. The ultimate goal: to reduce the shortage of IT talent in small and medium-sized enterprises.

The IT Verband Zuid-Holland programme aims to tackle the growing talent shortage for SMEs in South Holland and is a collective effort of WE-IT Zuid-Holland, Dutch Innovation Factory, Security Delta and IT Campus Rotterdam.