TechForFuture

What TechForFuture does

TechForFuture is a Centre of Expertise for practice-oriented research in High Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM), established in 2013 as a collaboration between the Saxion and Windesheim universities of applied sciences in East Netherlands. The organization operates as an applied-research platform rather than a commercial product company, facilitating public-private partnerships — termed "co-makership" — in which regional high-tech companies contribute co-financing and real-world technical problems, and TechForFuture supplies lectoren (research professors), researchers, infrastructure (field labs including Perron038 and T-Valley, plus Saxion's 3D metal printing facility), and student project capacity. Approximately 14 specialized research groups (lectoraten) span Smart Mechatronics and Robotics, Industrial Design, Digital Business Society, Sustainable Energy Systems, Applied Nano Technologies, Ambient Intelligence, International Water Technologies, Kunststoftechnologie (Plastics Technology), Lichtgewicht Construeren (Lightweight Construction), Smart Cities, Technologies for Criminal Investigations, ICT innovations in healthcare, and Sustainable Functional Textiles.

Core research outputs include applied demonstrators and prototypes such as the MARIO autonomous modular robot, CIMAC custom industrial manipulators (with AWL), the SolarFreezer residential heating system (with SolarFreezer BV), 3D metal printing pilots (with Thales and DEMCON), the SaxShirt wearable sensor platform, and predictive-maintenance analytics for industrial machinery. TechForFuture's business model is non-commercial: revenue is assembled from Dutch national applied-research grants (SPRONG from Regieorgaan SIA, RAAK-MKB), industry co-financing through multi-year co-makership project contracts, and in-kind contributions of university facilities and student labor. Since 2013, more than 250 companies have participated, with anchor enterprise partners including DEMCON, AWL, Thales, Riwo Engineering, Roessingh Research & Development, SolarFreezer BV, and Collins Aerospace across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and energy verticals. The organization is governed by a board including members from both universities and is led by Managing Director Alexander Jansen.

Name

TechForFuture

Legal name

TechforFuture

Website

https://techforfuture.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TechForFuture is a Dutch Centre of Expertise (founded 2013) that conducts practice-oriented research in High Tech Systems and Materials through co-makership between Saxion and Windesheim universities and 250+ regional high-tech companies, spanning robotics, 3D printing, sustainable energy, and mechatronics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Research and Development Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Strong Industry Partnerships (EDAHAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

Keywords

• Applied research
• High tech systems
• Mechatronics robotics
• University collaboration
• Additive manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Enschede

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Government Subsidy Programs: TechForFuture receives funding from national programs such as SPRONG (Stimuleren van PRaktijkgerichte OnderzoeksGroepen), RAAK-MKB, and other innovation subsidies from Regieorgaan SIA. SPRONG provides 1 million euros over four years for research group infrastructure.
2. Industry Co-financing (Co-makership): Companies co-finance research projects as part of public-private partnerships. Project partners contribute financially to research activities in exchange for knowledge development and access to student talent.
3. Student Integration: Students from Saxion and Windesheim participate in research projects, providing companies access to young technical talent while enabling hands-on education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TechForFuture facilitates practice-oriented R&D research in High Tech Systems and Materials based on concrete technical business questions from companies. Through co-makership public-private partnerships, lectors, teacher-researchers, and HBO students collaborate with high-tech companies across 14 specialized research groups covering robotics, additive manufacturing, sustainable energy, smart cities, and applied nanotechnologies. The Centre of Expertise bridges academic expertise from Saxion and Windesheim universities with regional industry needs, producing prototypes, demonstrators, knowledge transfer, and HBO-trained technical talent.

Product overview

TechForFuture is a Centre of Expertise for practice-oriented research in High Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM), functioning as a research collaboration platform between Saxion and Windesheim universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. Rather than a commercial product company, it operates as an applied research institute offering industry-focused research programs across multiple lectorates (research groups) including Smart Mechatronics and Robotics, Sustainable Energy Systems, Industrial Design, Digital Business Society, and others. The organization facilitates public-private partnerships where researchers and students work on technical business challenges, with outcomes including research projects, demonstrators, prototypes, and knowledge transfer. The portfolio spans robotics and automation (MARIO autonomous robots, RoboTAO cobot research, CIMAC manipulators), additive manufacturing (3D metal printing, concrete printing), sustainable energy solutions (SolarFreezer, heat buffers), wearable sensors (SaxShirt), and various industrial applications (vision systems, predictive maintenance, agricultural robotics).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smart Mechatronics and Robotics Research Program Ongoing research program developing robot and mechatronic technologies, exploring modular robotics and systems engineering approaches for high-tech companies in East Netherlands.
• Sustainable Energy Systems Research Program Research program focusing on bio-energy, master recycling installations, sustainable heat networks, and optimization of energy installations for buildings and industry.
• Industrial Design Research Program Design research program integrating technological possibilities with human needs for innovative products and services, for high-tech companies seeking product design expertise.
• Smart Cities Research Program Research program on urban technology solutions involving citizen participation in decision-making for smart city development, delivered to municipalities and regional stakeholders.
• MARIO - Modular Adaptive Robot for Intelligent Operations Autonomous ground robot with modular hardware and software architecture for flexible industrial applications, developed in collaboration with companies such as Riwo Engineering.
• CIMAC - Custom Industrial Manipulator with Advanced Controller Custom-designed linear manipulator using standard commercial components for fast, precise product handling with adaptive control systems, developed with AWL for logistics automation and parcel sorting.
• SaxShirt Wearable Sensor Platform Smart wearable sensor shirt that monitors physiological factors such as heart rate, breathing, and body temperature for safety monitoring in industrial environments.
• Tillift voor de Thuisomgeving (Home Care Patient Lift) Collapsible patient lift prototype designed for home care situations, fitting under beds and providing adequate movement freedom, developed with Roessingh Research & Development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ companies served since 2013
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and minor.

• SaxioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary university partner in the TechForFuture Centre of Expertise. Saxion contributes research groups (lectoraten) including Smart Mechatronics and Robotics, Industrial Design, Applied Nano Technologies, Sustainable Energy Systems, Ambient Intelligence, International Water Technologies, and Kunststoftechnologie. Located in Enschede.
• WindesheimcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary university partner contributing research expertise in Digital Business Society, Industrial Automation & Robotics, and Kunststoftechnologie. Located in Zwolle with research activities at Perron038 innovation center.
• DEMCONflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh-tech company with 1000+ employees developing robotics and mechatronic systems. Collaborates on autonomous feeding robots, asparagus harvesting systems, and participates in SPRONG DDM program for digital manufacturing research.
• ThalesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarge technology company participating in 3D metal printing research and development of advanced manufacturing techniques.
• AWLflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany specializing in automation of welding and logistics processes. Partners on CIMAC project developing custom industrial manipulators with advanced controllers for high-speed product handling in logistics automation.
• SolarFreezer BVmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability technology company developing innovative heating systems using ice formation technology. Research partnership for optimizing SolarFreezer systems tested in 100+ Dutch building projects.
• Riwo EngineeringflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering company collaborating on autonomous robotic systems including feed robots for dairy farming and MARIO modular robot platform development.
• Roessingh Research & DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare technology research institute collaborating on tillift development for home care and medical device innovation projects.
• Ducom InstrumentsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany developing equipment for testing component resistance to friction and wear. Partner in MMLP project for measurement methods for lifetime predictions.
• PM B.V.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrecision engineering company producing linear guides with extreme precision movement requirements. Partner in MMLP project for predictive lifetime maintenance research.
• Aebi SchmidtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquipment manufacturer participating in 3D metal printing research projects.
• ProtypminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany partner in 3D metal printing Biz-Lab initiative for additive manufacturing research.
• Perron038coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation hub for manufacturing industry in Zwolle where Windesheim research groups conduct experiments with robotics, vision, and sensor technology alongside companies and Fraunhofer Project Center at UT.
• T-ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField lab and innovation network connecting Saxion researchers with regional companies including Demcon, Riwo, Viro, and Voortman for robotics and mechatronics research.
• Ziekenhuisgroep Twente (ZGT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital group collaborating on 3D printing research for medical applications including patient-specific pessarium development.
• OceanzmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical 3D printing company participating in ecosystem development for personalized medical device printing in Twente region.
• OCONminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrthopedic clinic participating in medical 3D printing research network.
• TriolietmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural equipment manufacturer collaborating on autonomous volume estimation systems for bulk product handling.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): The Netherlands' primary applied research organization, conducting contract R&D across HTSM, energy, and industrial innovation with national scope. TNO is a direct comparable to TechForFuture's applied research model but operates at significantly larger scale and broader mandate, including for industry clients that overlap with TechForFuture's regional partners.
• Wageningen University & Research (WUR): Dutch university and applied research institute combining academic research with industry co-financed contract research. Comparable to TechForFuture's dual hogeschool model (research + talent pipeline) but at much larger scale, with strong industrial and government partnerships.
• SINTEF: Norway's largest independent research institute, running industry-partnered R&D across technology, energy, and applied sciences. Mirrors TechForFuture's co-makership approach with Norwegian industry but at much greater scale and across more sectors.
• IMEC: Belgium-based world-leading R&D center in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, operating industry-partnered research similar to TechForFuture's lectoraten model. IMEC's industry co-financing structure and tech-focused research groups make it a peer at the high-tech frontier, though at substantially larger scale.
• High Tech Systems & Materials (HTSM) Top Consortium: Dutch top-sector industry-academia consortium that TechForFuture explicitly operates under. Comparable as a coordinating body channeling government and industry funding into HTSM R&D programs involving universities, companies, and applied research centers.
• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft: Germany's applied research network with 76 institutes conducting industry-oriented R&D under a public-private partnership model that closely parallels TechForFuture's co-makership structure. Comparable in mission (bridging university research with industrial application) but vastly larger in scope, headcount, and funding scale.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's national applied research organization conducting industry-driven R&D across multiple technology domains. Comparable to TechForFuture in its public-mission, multi-lectorate structure and industry co-financing model, though with national rather than regional scope.

Direct peers

• Holst Centre: Dutch-Belgian independent R&D center focused on wireless and sensor technologies, founded by Imec and TNO with industry co-funding. Operates a similar open-innovation, industry-partnered research model relevant to TechForFuture's mechatronics and ambient intelligence lectoraten.

Emerging players

• BIRA-IASB (Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy): European applied research institute with public-mission R&D on technologies including environmental monitoring. Comparable in mission (public-good applied research with industry partnerships) though in a different vertical; useful reference point for European regional research-center models.

Regional players

• Novel-T: Innovation hub and ecosystem builder at the University of Twente in Enschede, co-located with TechForFuture's headquarters. Both organizations support regional high-tech entrepreneurship, spinouts, and SME innovation in the same East Netherlands geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXmX43tpVTSoVc1qiyraaDQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/techforfuture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about TechForFuture