Work Package 1: Project Foundation

To help fieldlabs thrive, policymakers, regional networks, and researchers require a deeper understanding of fieldlabs' unique nature and their role in advancing mission-driven innovation. Work Package 1 (WP1) aims to establish the basis necessary for comprehending and evaluating diverse fieldlabs in the Netherlands. To achieve this, the team constructs a collective fieldlab case database, develops a taxonomy, and evaluates outcomes of various types of fieldlabs.

Initially, the team compiles a database of over 250 fieldlabs across four domains — agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, and smart industry — from different regions in the Netherlands. This database, which is expanded upon by data from the other three Work Packages, reflects the breadth of fieldlab-based innovation in the country.

Building upon this database, the team develops a taxonomy that categorizes and clarifies the differences among different types of fieldlabs. This taxonomy serves as a valuable tool for policymakers to understand and manage the different areas of fieldlabs.

Finally, the team looks at fieldlabs’ effectiveness: evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in generating various types of value and scaling patterns. This analysis links fieldlab characteristics to the results they produce over the course of multiple years.

WP1 is led by Hans Berends (VU) and involves interdisciplinary researchers from all four universities, EFRO and other consortium partners. The output includes joint publications in journals, conference presentations, workshops on taxonomy and evaluation, knowledge clips summarizing key findings, and dedicated tracks at conferences.