Dialogic evaluates OnePlanet Research Center: promising innovation hub with societal impact mission
How can chip technology, sensors, and digital applications contribute to solutions for societal challenges in agriculture, food, health, and the environment? This question is central to the OnePlanet Research Center. Since 2019, OnePlanet has been working from Wageningen and Nijmegen on technological innovations with a clear societal mission. Dialogic, commissioned by the Province of Gelderland, has conducted an impact evaluation of OnePlanet. We examined the development of OnePlanet as an innovation hub and the societal effects that are already visible or may reasonably be expected.
OnePlanet was established in 2019 as a collaboration between imec, Radboud University, Radboudumc, and Wageningen University & Research. The strength of the centre lies in combining technological expertise in microchips and sensors with domain knowledge in agriculture, food, health, and the environment. Therefore, OnePlanet focuses on applications such as smart measuring instruments, digital monitoring, and new forms of data-driven innovation.
The Province of Gelderland played a significant role in the development of OnePlanet since the beginning. For the eight-year programme period 2019–2027, the province made a subsidy of up to €65 million available. Furthermore, this substantial financial contribution was intended to leverage additional income from public-private partnerships, industrial collaborations, National Growth Fund projects, and research funding. The total budget envisaged for OnePlanet for this period amounts to over €137 million.
From ambition to innovation hub
In over six years, OnePlanet has evolved into a recognisable innovation hub for chip and digital technologies in agriculture, food, health, and the environment. By the end of 2024, OnePlanet had a workforce of 121 FTE, an annual turnover of approximately €21 million, and a vast network of collaborative partners. The centre operates across three main domains: AgriFood, Health, and Environment. In addition, there are cross-cutting expertise areas such as sensors, digital twins, data platforms, and practical applications.
In addition to the innovation projects themselves, OnePlanet focuses on broader societal impact. This is achieved through initiatives such as OpenEducation, an SME programme, and efforts to involve citizens in research and technology development, for example, through citizen science. Thus, OnePlanet aims to connect technology development with education, businesses, users, and societal stakeholders.
Comprehensive evaluation approach
Dialogic conducted the impact evaluation based on two main questions. Firstly, how has OnePlanet developed compared to the output indicators agreed upon during the subsidy contract with the Province of Gelderland? Secondly, what societal effects has OnePlanet already achieved, and what effects can reasonably be expected?
For the evaluation, we combined various research methods. We conducted a comprehensive desk study, including an analysis of the agreed output indicators. Additionally, we engaged with various categories of stakeholders and conducted a survey among project leaders at OnePlanet. To delve deeper, we carried out additional analyses, including a network analysis based on scientific publications, an analysis of the contributions of publications to Sustainable Development Goals, and a media analysis.
A significant part of the evaluation involved reconstructing how OnePlanet aims to achieve impact. Dialogic also developed a Theory of Change for this purpose. This framework helps to make the relationship between resources, activities, output, outcomes, and societal impact more explicit. Such an impact model is crucial for better understanding the pathways through which OnePlanet can create societal value and for sharpening future monitoring and evaluation.
Promising centre, but impact takes time
Our overall conclusion is that OnePlanet, partly enabled by the provincial contribution, has established a promising and impactful innovation hub. OnePlanet is effective in attracting primarily public funding, leverages the impact of the provincial subsidy, and is on track for most of the agreed output indicators.
By the end of 2024, OnePlanet had achieved the target values for 10 of the 16 output indicators. Three other indicators are within reach. The patent portfolio is also developing positively, with the objective almost met. Simultaneously, there are areas of attention. For instance, the number of publications is expected to fall short of the original target value. This may not necessarily be problematic as OnePlanet is strongly focused on technology development, commercialisation, and valorisation. Furthermore, the target for spin-offs and startups has not yet been achieved, although there are several promising trajectories in the pipeline.
In recent years, OnePlanet has increased the focus of its portfolio. The centre heavily prioritises a limited number of so-called 'blockbusters': promising applications with a high potential for societal impact. Examples include the smart toilet seat, ingestible sensor pill, and technology for nitrogen measurement. If some of these trajectories are successfully applied and scaled up, the societal impact could be significant.
At the same time, we conclude that the current realised societal impact in Gelderland is modest. This is partly due to the nature of the innovation process. The development of chip technology and digital applications towards market introduction and societal implementation is complex and time-consuming. Many results are still at the output level: there are projects, prototypes, collaborations, publications, and patents, but concrete societal effects are yet to materialise in many cases.
Focus on impact strategy and valorisation
An important point from the evaluation is that OnePlanet actively strives to achieve societal impact, but a fully developed impact model and explicit impact pathways are lacking thus far. Consequently, it is not always clear how activities and results should lead to societal effects. The impact model formulated by Dialogic provides a starting point for this. It can help OnePlanet and the Province to better articulate the roles OnePlanet fulfils in the Gelderland knowledge and innovation landscape, identify realistic impacts, and specify when these impacts can be expected.
Future funding also requires attention. OnePlanet is increasingly successful in attracting public funding for research and innovation. Thus, the provincial subsidy is effectively leveraged. However, generating income through industrial partnerships seems to be taking more time than initially anticipated. For the sustainable financing of OnePlanet, it is crucial to further strengthen valorisation trajectories with industrial partners and ensure the innovation pipeline remains well-stocked.
Recommendations for the next phase
Based on the evaluation, we advise OnePlanet to develop and implement a comprehensive impact model, preferably based on the Theory of Change proposed by Dialogic. This model can link inputs, activities, and outputs to outcomes and impact. Additionally, OnePlanet can elaborate on impact pathways to better support and justify strategic decisions.
We also recommend maintaining a strong focus on valorisation. The current blockbusters are important test cases, but for the long term, it is essential to generate enough new promising trajectories. The balance between public funding and industrial collaboration deserves explicit attention.
For the Province of Gelderland, we suggest revising the output indicators where necessary and strengthening the link with the intended core functions, impact model, and impact pathways of OnePlanet. Indicators for industrial collaboration, ecosystem integration, and societal impact can be valuable. Furthermore, OnePlanet can enhance the annual explanation of realised and expected impact.
Finally, we advise OnePlanet to continue investing in OpenEducation, the SME programme, and citizen science. These implementation lines contribute positively to the societal impact of OnePlanet and strengthen the connection with education, businesses, citizens, and users. Additionally, a more professional system for data collection, analysis, and reporting can contribute to more efficient accountability and better management.
The evaluation demonstrates that OnePlanet has established a solid foundation. The upcoming years will be crucial in determining the extent to which the accumulated knowledge, technology, and collaborations translate into tangible societal impact. Therefore, it is crucial to now explicitly articulate, monitor, and align the impact ambition with strategic choices for the future.
