How can your company stay future-proof in a rapidly changing manufacturing industry? Discover the opportunities of Smart Industry on November 4, 2025, during the Holland High Tech Innovation Session: On the Road to Autonomous Production Systems & Dark Factories. We organize the innovation session together with NOM, Horizon, Innovation Cluster Drachten (ICD) and other partners.

Innovatiesession

During the innovation session:

• Experts from businesses, knowledge institutions, and government agencies will be brought together to explore how Smart Industry and autonomous production systems contribute to the future of manufacturing in the (Northern) Netherlands.
• Examples of successful autonomous production processes on the way to the 'dark factory' will be presented, along with international and regional practical examples.
• Participants will provide input that contributes to the innovation agendas of the Smart Industry innovation domain (Holland High Tech), the roadmap for the Northern Netherlands, and the NWA Smart Industry route.

For whom

For CTOs and innovation managers, policymakers and researchers who are working step by step towards autonomous production and the realisation of smart(er) factories.

Programme

• Plenary session with speakers (entrepreneurs and researchers) on practical and innovative examples of autonomous production and the dark factory, including Erik Koehorst, Program Manager for PPP projects at Philips Drachten.
• Breakouts where we gather input for innovation agendas.
• Informal walking dinner with networking opportunities to share tips and tricks on autonomous production.

When and where

• Date: November 4, 2025
• Time: 15:00 PM - 18:00 PM (including walking dinner)
• Location: SKILL, Oliemolenstraat 5, 9203 ZN Drachten

Survey

We would like to know what experience and expertise you already have with Smart Industry innovations, autonomous production, and the dark factory. We will gather this information through a short survey that we will email you before the innovation session (after you've registered). Your answers will form the starting point for the innovation session, so you would help us a lot bij filling in the survey.

Registration

You can register for the innovation session via the button below:

Register