Fieldlabs | collaborating on innovation in practice

How do we ensure that innovations do not remain on the drawing board, but actually contribute to addressing societal challenges? While there are many innovative ideas and solutions, putting them into practice often proves difficult. This is precisely where field labs make a difference. They bring together companies, researchers, designers, governments and users to develop and test innovations and gradually move them forward.

In 2026, three major field labs were launched across the Netherlands. All three were made possible by the PPP Allowance of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK), awarded through CLICKNL. This funding stimulates public-private partnerships (PPPs), bringing together research, design and entrepreneurship. It gives collaborations between companies, knowledge institutions and other partners the opportunity not only to develop innovative solutions, but also to test and advance them in practice. You can read more about the PPP scheme on our PPP page.

What do the field labs have in common?

Each of the three field labs focuses on a different societal challenge. From a circular textile chain and sports and physical activity in local communities to a future-proof built environment, each field lab is working on innovative solutions.

Although their focus areas differ, the three field labs follow the same approach. Through public-private partnerships, companies, knowledge institutions, designers, governments and users bring together their knowledge and expertise to develop, test and advance innovative solutions in practice. This creates knowledge that can be applied directly while also laying the foundation for broader application and scaling up. This shared approach takes a different form in each field lab.

Textile Opportunity Space 13 (TOS13)

New European regulations call for an increasingly digital and transparent textile supply chain, but for many small and medium-sized enterprises, this transition is complex. Fieldlab TOS13 therefore brings together companies, researchers, and technology partners to develop and test practical digital solutions. The field lab focuses on three interrelated goals: better connecting the sector, digitizing analog manufacturing processes, and extending the useful life of textiles.

→ Read more about TOS13.

SPORTIVE

Sports and physical activity can contribute to health, social connection, talent development, and equal opportunities, but a sports facility alone is rarely enough to bring about lasting change. SPORTIVE is therefore investigating how sports, technology, and guidance can work together to help create a brighter future for young people. Young people themselves play an active role in developing and testing solutions, with the goal of making successful approaches more widely applicable.

→ Read more about SPORTIVE.

Marineterrein

Cities face major challenges in the areas of climate, energy, and social resilience. Fieldlab Marineterrein brings together companies, researchers, designers, government agencies, and users to develop and test solutions in a realistic urban environment. Within the field lab, three research projects focus on greening the built environment, a resilient energy system, and robust crisis communication.

→ Read more about Marineterrein.

Follow the Developments

Over the coming years, the three field labs will work on the development, implementation, and scaling up of innovative solutions to societal challenges. This will generate new knowledge, applications, and partnerships that contribute to social and economic impact. On this page, we share the most important developments, insights, and interim results from the field labs.

The three field labs are co-funded by a PPP grant from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, awarded through CLICKNL.