Design and start of construction for new greenhouses at the Botanical Gardens announced
The design for the new greenhouse complex of the Botanical Gardens has been finalized, the construction partners have been selected and preparations for construction will start in November 2026. This brings the realization of the new complex one step closer. Construction is scheduled for spring 2027.
His Majesty the King visits large-scale exercise at the Major Incident Hospital at Utrecht Science Park: prepared together for major emergencies
On Saturday, October 31, a large-scale exercise took place at the Major Incident Hospital at the Utrecht Science Park. During the exercise, dubbed “Dubbelspoor” (Dual Track), the Major Incident Hospital had to respond to two major incidents almost simultaneously. In Amersfoort, a train carrying thirty injured Dutch military personnel arrived. At nearly the same time, a coach plowed into a crowd during a Halloween celebration. His Majesty the King also visited both locations, marking the 35th anniversary of the Major Incident Hospital.
How can we ensure that innovations reach patients more effectively and quickly, while also contributing to the Netherlands’ future earning capacity? This question was at the heart of a visit by senior civil servants from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport to Utrecht Science Park on Friday, 31 October.
In an area where education, healthcare, housing and research compete for space, 2.5 hectares – equivalent to seven football pitches – of new nature has been created. A 1.6-kilometre-long ‘green corridor’ connects Utrecht Science Park with the surrounding nature reserves, enhances biodiversity and makes the area more attractive to plants and animals.
The national bicycle lighting campaign ‘AAN in het donker’ (Lights On in the Dark) will be launched on 29 October on Leuvenlaan at Utrecht Science Park. Between 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., cyclists can have their lights checked and repaired free of charge. André van Schie, Member of the Provincial Executive, will be there to talk to Utrecht residents about the importance of proper bicycle lighting.
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded Vidi grants to 109 researchers. Twelve leading researchers at Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht will each receive a Vidi grant of up to €850,000. NWO awards Vidi grants annually, enabling recipients to develop an innovative line of research over the next five years and further expand their research teams.
People who lose their voice, for example after surgery for head and neck cancer, want to be able to speak again with a voice that sounds like their own. ReVoice aims to provide this, with the help of AI. With this innovation, head and neck surgeon Weibel Braunius, innovation manager Mart Schoondermark, and patient Boudewijn Faber won the Ureka Mega Challenge 2026 from UMC Utrecht.
A southern ground hornbill at ARTIS has received two custom-made, 3D-printed prostheses for its broken upper and lower beak at the University Veterinary Hospital in Utrecht. The treatment is a collaboration between ARTIS, Utrecht University’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UMC Utrecht and Amnovis. The procedure was a success: just one day after the operation, the hornbill was able to pick up food independently.
Utrecht, 15 October 2026 – Scinus Cell Expansion (“Scinus”) has established its new base at Plus Ultra Utrecht, Kadans Science Partner’s (“Kadans”) newest innovation hub at Utrecht Science Park. As of 19 October 2026, the life sciences technology company occupies half of the eleventh floor. The flexibility of Plus Ultra Utrecht makes it possible to accommodate the specific laboratory and operational required with Scinus’ specialised activities, providing an environment that supports the company’s continued growth and development.
In 2025, Julia Berezutskaya and Nick Ramsey won the UMC Utrecht Ureka Mega Challenge with their innovation, Alphabet. Through this challenge, UMC Utrecht supports healthcare professionals and researchers in further developing promising ideas and bringing them into practice. A year later, Julia shares how their innovation has developed and what steps are still to come.
Utrecht Science Week 2026 has come to a close. For over a week, visitors enjoyed workshops, lectures, group discussions, and tours focused on science and innovation at Utrecht Science Park. With more than thirty program activities across over 25 locations, there were ample opportunities to experience science up close. We look back on a fantastic week that once again highlighted the essential role of collaboration, and the combination of research, education, and entrepreneurship, in addressing the societal challenges of our time.
Utrecht Science Park is home to several living labs focused on energy and circularity. These include Lumifield, which explores the generation and storage of solar energy, and the biogas digester, which uses organic waste as an energy source. On their own, these are already promising initiatives. Connected, they could become something much bigger: a functioning, learning model for a circular campus.