Plus Ultra Utrecht officially opened: a new home for innovation at Utrecht Science Park
In front of a grand audience, Plus Ultra Utrecht was officially opened on Thursday at Utrecht Science Park. The new multi-tenant building by Kadans Science Partner marks another milestone in the further development of the largest science park in the Netherlands. With its sustainable design, flexible laboratory and office spaces, and shared facilities, Plus Ultra Utrecht provides an inspiring environment for start-ups, scale-ups, and established companies in the Life Sciences & Health sector.
Inspiring Afternoon at Utrecht Science Week
The opening was celebrated with an afternoon full of encounters, stories, and discoveries. Prof. Edward Nieuwenhuis (Chief Medical Officer, Princess Máxima Centre) and Prof. Peter van der Spek (Professor of Clinical Bioinformatics, Erasmus MC) opened the event with keynotes on funding, collaboration, and the impact of data within the life sciences, including oncology.
Visitors were given an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at first occupier QVQ, a tour inside the Innovation Hub and the Shared Open Innovation Lab with ICAT, and were inspired by artist Vincent Mock in the Science Gallery.
The afternoon, which formed part of Utrecht Science Week, centred around connection: between science and entrepreneurship, between art and technology, and above all between people sharing the ambition to accelerate developments in the life sciences.
Plus Ultra Utrecht
With facilities such as the i-HUB and the Shared Open Innovation Lab, Plus Ultra Utrecht offers the perfect place for start-ups to take their next step. Featuring a spacious and light-filled atrium for meetings and events, the building has been designed to stimulate cross-pollination. Its location at Utrecht Science Park, adjacent to leading institutions such as UMC Utrecht and the Princess Máxima Centre, makes it an ideal place for entrepreneurs in life sciences & health.
Steijn Ribbens, CIO, Kadans Science Partner:
“We are proud that with Plus Ultra Utrecht we have created an exceptionally sustainable space that not only looks and feels good, but hopefully does good as well. I look forward to all the new collaborations and ideas that Plus Ultra will inspire.”
Future-Oriented Space
Plus Ultra Utrecht offers approximately 23,000 m² of future-proof laboratory and office space and has been developed according to the highest sustainability standards, including a BREEAM Outstanding certification. The building, with its spectacular atrium, was designed by architectural firm cepezed. With the opening of Plus Ultra Utrecht, Kadans adds a new link to its international network, offering entrepreneurs access to talent, knowledge, and capital at both a local and European level.
Utrecht Science Park Summer Café: Farewell to Managing Director Jan Henk van der Velden
On Monday, 6 July, the Utrecht Science Park Summer Café took place at Grand Café Living on Utrecht Science Park. This edition was dedicated to the farewell of Jan Henk van der Velden, Managing Director of the Utrecht Science Park Foundation, after nine years in which he played a key role in the development and positioning of the ecosystem.
UMC Utrecht is to get a new main entrance and a green campus park
The north side of UMC Utrecht is set to undergo a major redevelopment in the coming years. Utrecht City Council and the teaching hospital have presented plans for a new main entrance, a central car park and a green reception area designed to improve connections between the hospitals at Utrecht Science Park. The plans have now been submitted to the city council.
Petra Baarendse appointed new Managing Director of Stichting Utrecht Science Park as of 1 September
Utrecht, 2 July 2026 – As of 1 September 2026, Petra Baarendse will take office as the new Managing Director of Stichting Utrecht Science Park. She succeeds Jan Henk van der Velden, who has stepped down and will take on a new role as Managing Director of Stichting Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug.
Opening Utrecht Science Week with keynote by Juliette Legler on the hidden influence of environmental chemicals
On Friday, September 25, the annual science festival ‘Utrecht Science Week’ kicks off once again at Utrecht Science Park. We are pleased to announce that this year, Prof. Dr. Ir. Juliette Legler will deliver the Utrecht Science Lecture. Juliette Legler is Professor of Toxicology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University and leads the ‘One Health Toxicology’ group at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS).