Brainport Eindhoven has been named as the world’s Intelligent Community of the Year 2011. The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) chose Eindhoven out of more than 300 regions.

In its jury report, ICF praises the regular consultation between employees, research institutes, the Chamber of Commerce, SRE (cityregion Eindhoven), TU/e (Eindhoven University of Technology) and local government in Helmond and Eindhoven. “They work together with stakeholders to identify their strengths, needs and objectives and to look for opportunities.” Just one example cited by ICF is the Brainport Health Innovation project: “To improve well-being for the elderly and chronically ill, and to reduce healthcare costs, the region created the Brainport Health Innovation project.” Healthcare is one of the spearhead areas of TU/e in its Strategic Plan for 2020. 

Eindhoven Mayor Rob van Gijzel and Helmond Councillor for Economic Affairs Yvonne van Mierlo received the award in New York.  

Prestigious award
ICF regards Brainport as an example of a new approach to partnerships and regional development. “This prestigious award is a recognition of the excellent regional partnership in the triple helix of science, industry and government”, said Arno Peels, Chairman of the Executive Board of TU/e. “With its internationally leading scientific research, TU/e plays an important role in this process. Our ambition is to further increase our scientific and societal impact in the future through research, education and knowledge valorization.”  

Theme for 2011: healthcare
ICF is an international think tank that studies economic and social development, and each year publishes a ranking of the world’s most intelligent communities. As well as Brainport Eindhoven, finalists in this year’s tenth edition included Dublin (OH, USA), Windsor-Essex (Canada) and the French region of Issy-les-Moulineaux. The theme for 2011 is healthcare.