Innovation campus for electric flight at Lelystad Airport
Almere and Lelystad will receive a total of €18.2 million from the Nieuw Land Regional Deal for innovation and sustainable development.
Published on September 1, 2025
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The Nieuw Land Regional Deal is investing €18.2 million in seven projects in Almere and Lelystad. The focus is on talent development, collaboration between education and business, and sustainable innovation, such as an innovation campus for electric flight. With these investments, the region aims to prepare for future growth and become an attractive destination for learning, work, and business.
The Nieuw Land Regional Deal is divided into three work packages, each focusing on a specific aspect of regional development. The first work package focuses on strengthening technical and transition management education. The second work package focuses on the development of innovation hubs. The third work package aims to establish a Triple Helix organization, a collaborative model between government, educational institutions, and the business community. This structure is designed to prepare the regional economy and society for the future through investments in education, innovation, and sustainable transitions.
Innovation hub for electric flying in Lelystad
Another important project within the Regional Deal is the development of an innovation campus around Lelystad Airport, specifically focused on electric flying. With a government contribution of € 1.5 million, work is underway on a test and learning environment for electric flying, including charging infrastructure and energy storage. This project aims to position the region as a national hub for sustainable aviation and attract innovative companies to the area. With this subsidy, Lelystad appears to be competing with the nearby Teuge Airport, which has been committed to electric flight for years.
Of the total government contribution of €18.2 million, €6 million has currently been definitively allocated to projects, supplemented by €2 million from the Almere Urbanization Fund. Because not all available funds were used in the first round, a second tender round will be opened in the fall of 2025. During this round, both improved plans for rejected projects and new projects can be submitted. In the first round, seven projects were approved and three projects were rejected. The rejected projects did not meet the criteria, were insufficiently developed, or had too limited a link to the tech and transition goals.
The Growth Agenda as a strategic basis
The Nieuw Land Regional Deal is a tool for implementing the Growth Agenda. Version 1.0 of the Growth Agenda, developed in July 2024, outlines a joint course of action for the business community, knowledge institutions, and the government. This strategic agenda aims to strengthen the local economy, employment, and the region's innovation ecosystem. The agenda outlines long-term ambitions (2035) and describes the preconditions and interventions required, based on five core themes and five accelerators.
The Nieuw Land Regional Deal is a collaboration between the national government, the province of Flevoland, and the municipalities of Almere and Lelystad. The goal is to invest in a sustainable economy, innovation, and quality of life. Alderman Maaike Veeningen emphasizes the importance of collaboration between education, business, and government. “With the Nieuw Land Regional Deal, we are investing specifically in projects that strengthen the Nieuw Land region (Almere – Lelystad) economically, innovatively, and socially,” says Veeningen. "It is good to see that education, business, and government are finding common ground. By working together now and investing in talent and sustainable technology, we are building a future in which Lelystad, Almere, and Flevoland remain attractive places to learn, work, and do business."