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In about three months, Singularity University will start its first branch outside the United States in the Apparatenfabriek at Strijp-S. Initially, it was supposed to already have an establishment in Eindhoven by the end of 2015. But the preparations took longer than planned, partly caused by trouble in getting the needed round of funding.


Read here what e52 previously wrote about Singularity University


 

It is now clear that instead of the High Tech Campus (that also showed interest), the Apparatenfabriek at Strijp-S will be the place for Singularity. It is estimated that before the summer – probably around May – the first lectures will be given.

This can be deduced from a paragraph in the Council’s proposal around a new funding for Brainport Development. The Eindhoven council stresses the importance of Brainport for bringing in large international organizations. In recent years Brainport Development, according to the city council, “had cut its coat according to their cloth” because there was less money to carry out all ambitions. “There have been several interesting initiatives which couldn’t be picked up by Brainport Development. Therefore, the Brainport region has missed opportunities or had to accept much delay.”

In this way the lack of financial support “almost caused us to miss the enormous opportunity that arose for our region to directly settle the first foreign branch of the American Singularity University in the Brainport region.”

Brainport Development, in close cooperation with the municipality of Eindhoven, had to go look for substantial project partners for ‘SU-NL’, but also for organizations – mostly outside the region – who wanted to share the initial costs for this project, so the Council writes. “SU-NL is developing well now, but the rest of the funding has yet to be realized before the first branch outside the US can be opened.”

Other “almost missed opportunities” mentioned in the document were Startupbootcamp High Tech XL and Smart Mobility in the Automotive Cluster.