What happens after an innovative prototype has been successfully developed and tested? How does it make the next step towards implementation and an actual customer?
These questions are at the centre of research by Jip Leendertse, postdoc at TU Delft, where his work focuses on sustainable entrepreneurship. Through his research, Jip is also closely involved with BK-Launch and our work with entrepreneurs in the built environment.
His research examined what happens to innovations developed through public innovation programmes once the testing phase is over. While public organisations play an important role in developing, testing and piloting new solutions, turning a successful prototype into an actual procurement often remains challenging.
The findings are now being used as a basis for a new series of articles by PIANOo, the Dutch Public Procurement Expertise Centre.
The first article, ‘Innovaties inkopen: Het prototype werkt. Wat nu?’, explores the gap between a tested prototype and a first real contract. It highlights recurring challenges around implementation budgets, procurement procedures and involving procurement expertise early enough in the innovation process.
Over the coming months, the series will explore possible procurement routes, examples from the Netherlands and abroad, and what public organisations can do before and during an innovation programme to improve the chances of successful implementation.
The first article is available now on the PIANOo website. Please note that the article is published in Dutch only.
Read the first article on PIANOo
The series will conclude with a webinar on 2 November 2026.
Category: Research