One of the reasons Gelderland achieves the award is because of their sustainable innovationclimate. Michiel Scheffer, regional minister of the province of Gelderland, states: "In Brussels they see us as an experimental garden for the economy of the future. We owe this to our universities, campuses and manufacturing industry. Through this award, we get rewarded for our strong Triple Helix cooperation."
According to Scheffer, Gelderland distinguishes itself by the large amount of startups that are supported by the province. "A unique part of our region is the Growthaccelerator. Through this program of Oost NL we invest in sustainable entrepreneurship." Through various programs, like the Growthaccelerator, the province of Gelderland boosts their regional innovation and secures awards like the EER.
