TU Delft spin-offs piloting at Koppert Cress

Every year many TU Delft spin-offs develop services or products based on acquired scientific knowledge. Many of these young companies find their way to start-up incubator YES!Delft. In almost all cases, being able to talk to end users and test in an operational or at least realistic test environment is crucial for successful validation and market introduction of the product. This certainly also applies to AgTech start-ups, where being able to test a product in a greenhouse or in a field provides very valuable feedback for validation. In practice, however, it is not always easy for start-ups to find locations, partners or funding for this phase in their development.

Koppert Cress in Monster (municipality Westland) stepped in and offers several TU Delft spin-offs the opportunity to test their innovations in an actual greenhouse. Koppert Cress is of course known as a grower of various types of fresh cresses, edible flowers and leaves and and the production of Dutch vanilla, but is also a front-runner in applying technical innovations Koppert Cress is facilitating pilots for the following TU Delft Spin-offs:

PHYSEE has developed a PAR+-coating which can be applied on greenhouses in order to improve the light quality. The PAR+-coating contains luminescent UV to PAR particles which make the light diffuse. This coating is unique, as  part of the harmful UV radiation is converted into useful PAR light enabling hortiscatter without PAR losses. PHYSEE has applied 50m2 of PAR+-coating on a greenhouse of Koppert Cress to measure the impact of the coating on various crops.

PATS is developing insect scouting and bat-like drone technology to identify and eliminate harmful insects like the Turkish moth. PATS is piloting autonomous and biological insect control technology at Koppert Cress.

BBBLS is developing the Energy Saving Greenhouse using various technological innovations. One of their main innovations is a method of providing extra insulation for greenhouses with soap bubbles. Together with Koppert Cress and other project partners, BBBLS is developing a crop experimentation and demonstration of BBBLS Energy Saving Greenhouse. 

Thermeleon is developing innovative heat storage solutions. The products of Thermeleon enable heat storage in the greenhouse construction, floor and even in moving screens. This makes the greenhouse an actual heat battery. The pilot at Koppert Cress helps Thermeleon in the selection of configuration and in their solutions.