On the strength of the North; nurture and renew

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024 , NOM, the first Regional Development Agency of the Netherlands, will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a special gathering. This milestone will be celebrated with an inspiring afternoon full of insights for entrepreneurs, shareholders, NOM employees and colleagues from other ROMs.

The substantive opening of the afternoon will be provided by Prof. Dr. Marijn Molema, strategic advisor at NOM and Extraordinary Professor of 'Regional Vitality & Dynamics' at the University of Groningen on behalf of Stichting Planbureau Fryslân. In his lecture he will present the forces of the Northern Netherlands: networks of people & business that have emerged over the centuries around specific economic activities, such as Agri & Food, Life Sciences & Health and the energy cluster. He will argue that these forces must be nurtured for the Northern Netherlands to be innovative in the near future.

How we want to shape this future depends on the choices we make together today: how do we want to organize society and what values do we prioritize? Factors such as the corona pandemic or the war in Ukraine are uncontrollable, but the economy is not a mysterious entity, not a train racing on without a switch track. Do we place the initiative with the market or should the government take the lead? Do we believe that the international exchange of knowledge and skills brings greening, or do we consider degrowth inevitable for a livable planet?

We conclude with an Innovation Exposition, where you can walk through an exhibition environment with timelines highlighting the various strengths of the Northern Netherlands. At each timeline, we present leading innovations of today. While enjoying a snack and a drink, you can network with other attendees and exchange ideas during this closing networking moment.

Mark this meeting on November 20 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at a location to be determined in the TopDutch region. Further information will follow.