On 7 September, Titaan was officially opened by Edward de Jager (Chairman of the Unknown Group), Rinke Zonneveld (CEO Invest NL) and Elisabeth Minnemann (Chairman of the Executive Board of The Hague University of Applied Sciences and board member of the Economic Board The Hague) in in the presence of 1000 guests from home and abroad. Titaan, the former tobacco storage of the Caballero factory in The Hague, has been transformed into a 13,000 m2 innovation hub by the Municipality of The Hague and Unknown Group. The ambition to make the Binckhaven the largest impact campus in Europe has now come a step closer.
Titaan is a physical meeting place and clubhouse for impact-driven entrepreneurs who make the world a little better with their innovative solutions. Titaan offers more than 60 office spaces for fast-growing companies with 8 to 150 employees who are currently unable to find room for growth in the region. At the opening, the building is already more than half filled with impact companies. An example is Hygro, one of the first tenants in the Titaan. Hygro is an energy company specialized in hydrogen systems. The company first started with 2 employees and grew from startup hub Apollo 14 in the Binckhaven to 17 employees. The step to Titaan enables them to grow further. In addition to offices, Titaan also offers space for more than 200 companies to test their innovative solutions. For example, Hygro will test the possibilities for a self-sufficient energy system in Titaan by producing hydrogen with the energy of 1,000 solar panels on the roof of Titaan.
The basement of Titaan offers space for manufacturing companies. An example is Skeleton. This company makes lightweight mechanical exoskeletons for people who work much beyond their means, such as painters and plasterers. By settling in Titaan, Skelex combines their office and a place for their assembly in one location. Another example is the company KiCo, which is going to develop a 1000 m2 shared kitchen in Titaan to give entrepreneurs with food innovations the opportunity to develop, test and demonstrate their new products.
Breeding ground for talent and impact companies
Titaan is a breeding ground for the development of talent in the region. Unknown Group opens its second location of the Unknown University of Applied Sciences in Titaan. This University of Applied Sciences houses more than 150 students who start a company during their studies and obtain a bachelor’s degree. Amsterdam-based Equals is also opening its second location in The Hague. Equals Academy retrains women for technical training at renowned companies and thus promotes the influx of women into technical professions. The Hague University of Applied Sciences is going to have an innovative educational concept take place in Titaan. This form of education is practice-oriented and in collaboration with Titaan’s business community. The innovation hub thus offers an environment where talent and business come together.
Further development Binckhaven
Unknown Group started in 2008 on the Binckhorstlaan, less than 500 meters from their new location Titaan. It is a company with roots in The Hague, a love for the city and a focus on impact. As a proud partner of ImpactCity and, since 2018, organizer of ImpactFest, Unknown Group is a sustainable partner for the municipality in developing The Hague’s innovation ecosystem. With the opening of Titaan, Unknown Group is taking a step towards its dream to transform the Binckhaven into the largest impact campus in Europe together with partners. A place with attraction at home and abroad where large-scale solutions are being worked on for the challenges of our time.
“We are very proud to return to the Binckhaven with Titaan,” says Edward de Jager, chairman of Unknown Group. “This is the place where Unknown Group once started with the aim of supporting entrepreneurs with their solutions for a better world. We do this by strengthening impactful entrepreneurs with the right environment, training, financing and partnerships with the existing business community. We have found the perfect place for this in Titaan.”
