The SPARC (Sharing Platform for Applied Research Cooperation) initiative is a unique partnership between business and education. The education is represented by Fontys Hogeschool ICT (FHICT). Their students and employees will actively collaborate with a group of companies of which Simac is one.
Open innovation
SPARC is an open innovation environment in the field of IT. Companies and organizations from Central and Southeast Brabant can become a member of SPARC. Together with students and employees of FHICT, they participate in research teams at the Fontys ICT InnovationLab. The companies are now standing in line. Fourteen companies have already registered. In addition to Simac, that is a mix of companies from different quarters.
ICT innovation through collaboration
In a changing society, innovation is the only way to keep up. Certainly in the area of ICT, innovation is created through cooperation, co-creation and cooperation, between companies and training courses. This is done daily at the Fontys ICT InnovationLab. Companies, students and teachers form a community here. They work together on practice-oriented research questions in the field of ICT. Each company provides three research questions per school year, on which groups of students, together with teachers and employees of the company, apply their knowledge. The mutual knowledge input, creation and circulation within the Lab ultimately leads to IT innovation.
Strijp-T center for innovation
The InnovationLab covers 4,000 m2 and is located in the former Philips buildings (TQ4 and TQ5) on the Strijp-T site in Eindhoven. A historic and dynamic environment. Not a classical school building, but a creative, hybrid learning and working environment that is surrounded on Strijp-T by innovative companies and organizations. Fourteen organizations have now become official members of SPARC: We are you, Sligro Food Group, Atos, Datastreams.io, PSV, HLB Van Daal, Here Technologies, Ctouch, Hendrix Genetics, TU / e, GAC Business Solutions, Vion Food Group, IT Workz and Simac.
Alex Otten, the chairman of SPARC, shakes hands with Thijs van Schagen, marketing & partner manager at Simac IT NL, when signing this new initiative.