Coherent, Inc. founded in 1966 is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, USA, Coherent is a world leader in providing laser-based solutions to commercial and scientific research markets. We have the broadest technology portfolio in the industry with solutions for any application. Coherent offers lasers from deep-ultraviolet to far-infrared wavelength, from femtosecond pulse length to continuous wave, and from a few milliwatt to multiple kilowatt output power. [2]

DeltaPix, a leading company in digital imaging solutions, applies its knowledge and experience to overcome challenges, and hereby offers a wide range of solutions that meet the customer's unique requirements. They develop and market a wide range of digital imaging solutions for various biomedical, industrial and forensics applications, and offer both manual and motorized systems for measuring and quality control. DeltaPix offers a broad range of digital cameras for almost any application. All their cameras are manufactured to scientific standards; assembled in dust free environment, high quality IR filters, and high grade sensors. All their CCD cameras use the newest and most advanced Sony CCD sensors, and all CMOS cameras are equipped with the newest high quality CMOS sensors. [3]

StuD is the temporary employment agency run by and for technical students from Delft. StuD’s board comprises six students who fulfil a full-time role over a thirteen-month period and are responsible for day-to-day operations. StuD has an enormous cohort of young, capable students from Delft University of Technology who it can place rapidly and effectively. This ensures numerous advantages when you use the services of StuD. [4]

Thorlabs, a vertically integrated photonics products manufacturer, was founded in 1989 to serve the laser and electro-optics research market. As that market has spawned a multitude of technical innovations, Thorlabs has extended its core competencies in an effort to play an ever increasing role serving the Photonics Industry at the research end, as well as the industrial, life science, medical, and defense segments. The organization's highly integrated and diverse manufacturing assets include semiconductor fabrication of laser diodes, optical amplifiers, lithium niobate modulators, quantum cacscade/interband cascade lasers, and VCSEL lasers; fiber towers for drawing glass optical fibers (silica, fluoride, tellurite, and hollow core); MBE/MOCVD epitaxial wafer growth reactors; extensive glass and metal fabrication facilities; advanced thin film deposition capabilities; and optomechanical and optoelectronic shops. [5]

Corbion is the global market leader in lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives and emulsifiers. They deliver high performing biobased products made from renewable resources that are applied in a multitude of global markets, including but not limited to: bakery, pharmaceutical and medical devices, as well as home and personal care. Their products have differentiating functionalities in a host of consumer products worldwide. In 2015, Corbion generated annual sales of € 918.3 million and a workforce of 1,673 employees. Corbion is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. [6]

Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials. By connecting its unique competences in life sciences and materials sciences DSM is driving economic prosperity, environmental progress and social advances to create sustainable value for all stakeholders simultaneously. [7]

TNO’s mission of Optics Department is to create breakthrough optical solutions for a healthier, safer and more sustainable world. They develop novel, high-performance optical systems for challenging applications and demanding environments with their partners.[8]

The Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences is a vocational university located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was created in 1988 by a large-scale merger of 19 higher education schools followed by a merger with the Hogeschool voor Economische Studies. It teaches at ten campuses in Rotterdam and one in the nearby city of Dordrecht. Its current student body is greater than 30,000. [9]

Eppendorf is a leading life science company that develops and sells instruments, consumables, and services for liquid-, sample-, and cell handling in laboratories worldwide. Its product range includes pipettes and automated pipetting systems, dispensers, centrifuges, mixers, spectrometers, and DNA amplification equipment as well as ultra-low temperature freezers, fermentors, bioreactors, CO2 incubators, shakers, and cell manipulation systems. Eppendorf was founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1945 and has more than 3,000 employees worldwide. The company has subsidiaries in 25 countries and is represented in all other markets by distributors. [10]

The Dutch Society for Microscopy (NVvM) is a dynamic organization with members from different areas: universities, small and large businesses, and public institutions. Since its establishment, the association of great importance for all members from the different scientific disciplines. [11]

OGD ict-services is a Dutch ICT company that was founded in Delft in 1987 and has grown into an around 800 employees counting company with business establishments in five cities in the Netherlands. Their focus lies on removing complexity from ict and sharing knowledge with customers. [12]

The Dutch consumer’s collective UnitedConsumers was founded in 2000. Over the years 500.000 consumers became a part of the collective. From the beginning UnitedConsumers has one purpose in mind: reduce the fixed charges of consumers, without compromising on service and quality. Members can get a discount on their car and health insurances, fuel, telephone subscriptions and energy (gas and electricity). As an energy supplier UnitedConsumers finds it important to take its responsibilities. That is why the consumer’s collective supplies green electricity to all its customers. Also United Consumers informs and advises consumers on energy saving options. This way UnitedConsumers wants to contribute to a sustainable future, together with the consumers. In recent years United Consumers won awards for best service (GfK, Preferenso) and several times for best energy supplier (GfK, Consumentenbond, Vereniging Eigen Huis) [13].

Sigma and Aldrich were founded separately in 1935 and 1951, respectively, to supply biochemicals and chemicals to research scientists in the U.S. Both companies started with the production and distribution of a single proprietary chemical: Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by Sigma and 1-methyl-3- nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) by Aldrich. For many years, the two companies grew independently, Sigma serving primarily biochemists and Aldrich serving organic chemists. When changing trends in chemical research confirmed the synergy to be realized from their complementary product offerings, Aldrich Chemical Co. merged with Sigma International, Ltd., in 1975 forming Sigma-Aldrich Corporation. With this marriage of broad capabilities and resources, annual double-digit sales growth became the standard in the 1980s and 1990s, with significant expansion in facilities, acquisitions and ventures into new market sectors. [14]

SnapGene offers the fastest and easiest way to plan, visualize, and document your molecular biology procedures. Cloning is simpler when you can see exactly what you are doing. SnapGene is the first molecular biology software that is easier to use than pen and paper. Now every DNA construct made in your lab can be documented in a rich electronic format… and thanks to the free SnapGene Viewer, the files can be shared with colleagues around the world. [15]