Willie’s role is to explore typical metropolitan agrifood related challenges, prioritized by the city of Amsterdam, to create partnerships to initiate long-term solutions for all citizens. The city advocates excellent, but pragmatic, technological solutions where stakeholders co-create in experimental settings and exploit the dynamics and creativity of the city. Willie will coordinate all required activities and align them with the AMS stakeholders.

Next to his work at AMS Institute, Willie is a Strategic Program Manager at Wageningen University & Research. His role is to initiate innovation, build consortia, prepare project plans and deliver predefined results for knowledge and innovation projects in the food and biobased sector. His latest role was Innovation Manager Resource Use Efficiency: how to make sustainable food, feed and materials from our natural, fossil free resources? Before that, he was the Wageningen representative at Topsector Agrifood International.

Previous work activities allowed Willie to experience intercultural cooperation in multi-disciplinary research fields to improve agrifood supply chains in China, South Africa, Egypt and Mexico in cooperation with Dutch local diplomats.

Innovation is an uncertain process to guide, but very inspiring to experience. My pleasure in work is the expected impact of the new knowledge in society. Amsterdam is a very inspiring and innovative society.

“Knowledge is like a script. To make it alive you make a story out of it. My story can be told in Living Labster-dam”

Willie van den Broek

Program Developer Metropolitan Food Systems

Project

AquaConnect Demonstrator

Climate Resilient Cities

Amsterdam intends to prepare for future droughts periods by accessing new urban water sources for greenery functions. This project investigates the possibility of accessing water harvesting in urban sewage systems.

Project

Protein monitor for catering facilities

Metropolitan Food Systems

Amsterdam aims to stimulate citizens to eat more plant-based food. The focus is to develop new knowledge, stimulate awareness and improve food skills for citizens and visitors in Amsterdam.

Project

Bin2Bean: Organic waste soil improvers

Metropolitan Food Systems

In 2022, Amsterdam households, restaurants, food retail and food manufacturing generated 188 mln. kg of kitchen and garden waste. Only 25% has been collected and processed separately. Bin2Bean increases this waste separation to make soil improvers.

Project

Bin2Bean: Organic waste soil improvers

Metropolitan Food Systems

In 2022, Amsterdam households, restaurants, food retail and food manufacturing generated 188 mln. kg of kitchen and garden waste. Only 25% has been collected and processed separately. Bin2Bean increases this waste separation to make soil improvers.

Project

Culinary Cultural Heritage

Metropolitan Food Systems

This project explores cultures in Amsterdam to identify chances for sustainable urban farming of exotic foods.

Project

Vertical farms for urban food supply

Metropolitan Food Systems

GROWx is setting up an efficient, 100% robotized, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven vertical farm in Amsterdam.

News

Innovating vertical farming

Metropolitan Food Systems

News

Innovating vertical farming

Metropolitan Food Systems

Project

Green Holistic System 2.0

Climate Resilient Cities

The Green Holistic System (GHS) is an innovative circular and nature-based system targeting sustainable water management

Project

Space tech for sustainable food systems

Circularity in Urban Regions

Can space technology provide circular solutions for food production in cities?

Project

Space tech for sustainable food systems

Circularity in Urban Regions

Can space technology provide circular solutions for food production in cities?

Project

AquaConnect Demonstrator

Climate Resilient Cities

Amsterdam intends to prepare for future droughts periods by accessing new urban water sources for greenery functions. This project investigates the possibility of accessing water harvesting in urban sewage systems.

Project

AquaConnect Demonstrator

Climate Resilient Cities

Amsterdam intends to prepare for future droughts periods by accessing new urban water sources for greenery functions. This project investigates the possibility of accessing water harvesting in urban sewage systems.

Project

Protein monitor for catering facilities

Metropolitan Food Systems

Amsterdam aims to stimulate citizens to eat more plant-based food. The focus is to develop new knowledge, stimulate awareness and improve food skills for citizens and visitors in Amsterdam.

Project

Protein monitor for catering facilities

Metropolitan Food Systems

Amsterdam aims to stimulate citizens to eat more plant-based food. The focus is to develop new knowledge, stimulate awareness and improve food skills for citizens and visitors in Amsterdam.

Project

Protein monitor for catering facilities

Metropolitan Food Systems

Amsterdam aims to stimulate citizens to eat more plant-based food. The focus is to develop new knowledge, stimulate awareness and improve food skills for citizens and visitors in Amsterdam.

Project

Protein monitor for catering facilities

Metropolitan Food Systems

Amsterdam aims to stimulate citizens to eat more plant-based food. The focus is to develop new knowledge, stimulate awareness and improve food skills for citizens and visitors in Amsterdam.

Project

Bin2Bean: Organic waste soil improvers

Metropolitan Food Systems

In 2022, Amsterdam households, restaurants, food retail and food manufacturing generated 188 mln. kg of kitchen and garden waste. Only 25% has been collected and processed separately. Bin2Bean increases this waste separation to make soil improvers.

Project

Culinary Cultural Heritage

Metropolitan Food Systems

This project explores cultures in Amsterdam to identify chances for sustainable urban farming of exotic foods.

Project

Bin2Bean: Organic waste soil improvers

Metropolitan Food Systems

In 2022, Amsterdam households, restaurants, food retail and food manufacturing generated 188 mln. kg of kitchen and garden waste. Only 25% has been collected and processed separately. Bin2Bean increases this waste separation to make soil improvers.

Project

Culinary Cultural Heritage

Metropolitan Food Systems

This project explores cultures in Amsterdam to identify chances for sustainable urban farming of exotic foods.

Project

Vertical farms for urban food supply

Metropolitan Food Systems

GROWx is setting up an efficient, 100% robotized, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven vertical farm in Amsterdam.

Project

Vertical farms for urban food supply

Metropolitan Food Systems

GROWx is setting up an efficient, 100% robotized, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven vertical farm in Amsterdam.

Project

Vertical farms for urban food supply

Metropolitan Food Systems

GROWx is setting up an efficient, 100% robotized, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven vertical farm in Amsterdam.

Project

Vertical farms for urban food supply

Metropolitan Food Systems

GROWx is setting up an efficient, 100% robotized, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven vertical farm in Amsterdam.

News

Innovating vertical farming

Metropolitan Food Systems

News

Innovating vertical farming

Metropolitan Food Systems

Project

Green Holistic System 2.0

Climate Resilient Cities

The Green Holistic System (GHS) is an innovative circular and nature-based system targeting sustainable water management

Project

Green Holistic System 2.0

Climate Resilient Cities

The Green Holistic System (GHS) is an innovative circular and nature-based system targeting sustainable water management

Project

Space tech for sustainable food systems

Circularity in Urban Regions

Can space technology provide circular solutions for food production in cities?

Project

Space tech for sustainable food systems

Circularity in Urban Regions

Can space technology provide circular solutions for food production in cities?

Project

Space tech for sustainable food systems

Circularity in Urban Regions

Can space technology provide circular solutions for food production in cities?

Project

Space tech for sustainable food systems

Circularity in Urban Regions

Can space technology provide circular solutions for food production in cities?