To assess the logic of closer ties between Eindhoven and Austin, Texas, a fact-finding mission will go from Brainport to the United States in March. The visit will take place during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in Austin. Organisations such as Brainport Development, the municipality of Eindhoven, BrabantC, Eindhoven365, HighTechXL, Dutch Design Foundation, VanBerlo, LumoLabs, Design Academy and TU Eindhoven are considering to take part in the mission.
In October, a delegation from Austin paid a similar visit to Eindhoven. Mayor John Jorritsma already visited Austin for a few days earlier this year.
Also read our longread about the logic of a closer bond between Eindhoven and Austin.
According to Johann Beelen, who leads the research on behalf of Brainport Development, this could lead to a programme in two steps. “In March, we want to look at both the possibilities of linking Dutch Design Week and SXSW, and the broader tech options in that city. The challenge, of course, is to get enough people and resources together at this stage for a thorough research.”
If the results of the study are positive, Beelen believes that a plan can be created for a “multi-year intensive collaboration”.
We spoke with representatives from Austin and Brainport about the desirability of the cooperation. This is what they are saying.
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