Who are the people behind Technology for the Home? We would like to introduce you to Birk Frankvoort in the second interview. He has now been involved for a year and a half as project leader of the Healthcare Innovation Hub for Technology for Home. He is involved in creating and implementing the ideas for the healthcare innovation hub that was launched on February 1, 2024 on the Leyweg in The Hague Southwest.

Over the past year and a half, Birk has worked with the municipality and the partners involved in the healthcare innovation hub to devise how the hub will be designed. This starts with an idea, phase 0, and through many conversations, making sketches and even more conversations, it increasingly becomes a detailed plan. He explains how that works.

Phase 0, what does that mean?

'I was asked to become project leader for the healthcare innovation hub when the project was still in phase 0. Phase 0 is actually the phase in which there is an idea, but nothing else has been written down on paper. You then look at what it takes to realize such an idea. Which partners do you need? How are you going to finance it? What do you actually want in such a healthcare innovation hub? All of that.'

How do you handle that?

'Having a lot of conversations. It is quite difficult to get from an idea to a plan, because this requires a lot of imagination from people. But that also makes it a lot of fun. You are very free in what can be included in the healthcare innovation hub.'

Why is it important that the healthcare innovation hub is created?

'A lot has already happened in The Hague in the field of healthcare innovation. The iZi experience home opened in 2016, after which the need arose to be able to borrow the products on display there: the lending points were set up. The need also arose to investigate through pilots whether technological tools actually work in practice: the living labs were set up. So it has been quite a journey of discovery. The need has now arisen to see whether all these links can be brought under one roof: the healthcare innovation hub. We start small and investigate what works. Then maybe we can expand.'

The launch was on February 1, 2024. How do you look back on that?

'Very good! It was fantastic to see how many people came! I also like to see that this project really belongs to all of us, to the partners but also to residents in the city. The municipality may have the role of initiator, but without the partners and residents there is nothing. I think the best reactions are that they inspire people to think about this concept for themselves. I received a lot of questions about when a hub will be available near them. I find that very inspiring!'

What will happen in the coming year?

'There is now going to be renovation. We are in discussions with the architect, the contractor and the partners. I am not going to sit at my desk and figure out how it will be set up, that is also in collaboration with the partners. For example, what should the new demonstration home look like? Or what requirements must a new lending point meet? And the great thing is, everything is still possible! I am very much looking forward to further shaping the healthcare innovation hub in the coming year.'