Amsterdam ArenA invites creatives to experiment in new stadium

Amsterdam ArenA invites creative thinkers and innovative entrepreneurs to contribute ideas for the stadium of the future. For this purpose, the Netherlands’ largest stadium, home to the football club AFC Ajax, is to launch an international innovation challenge. The best plans will be tested and implemented in the newly renovated ArenA with the help of the municipality of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Smart City, and the innovation partners Microsoft, Huawei, KPN, KPMG and TNO.

The innovation challenge is part of the Innovation Arena, an open online platform for companies, start-ups, technical engineers, students and other creatives to share ideas. The Innovation Arena is more than just an online platform for innovators. The best ideas, services and products can actually be tested during events or football matches in the stadium. Attracting over 50,000 visitors to each event, the Amsterdam ArenA will be one of the largest innovation labs in the Netherlands.

 

Renovation

The innovation competition will be launched in connection with the large-scale renovation of the Ajax stadium. The renovation will commence in the first quarter of 2016. Rather than increasing the seating capacity, the objective of the project is to improve the level of service, quality and sustainability. More space will be created for visitors, and additional lifts, toilets, catering outlets and escalators will be installed. In addition, the ArenA wants to improve the facilities, for which purpose the stadium in Amsterdam calls on innovating entrepreneurs around the world to contribute ideas. One of the aims, for instance, is to reduce waiting times in queues. Other examples include creating optimal security as well as a sense of being right at home, reducing waste, offering healthy food choices, and connecting visitors and fans online.

 

Categories

‘Innovation cannot be achieved alone; the best creations are the result of a cooperative effort,’ according to Henk Markerink, CEO of the Amsterdam ArenA. ‘Together with our partners, we offer innovators from around the globe a magnificent playing field.’ Entrants can go to innovationarena.amsterdam to enter the competition in categories including Safety and Security, Healthy food & Beverage concepts, Fan experience, Cleaning & maintenance and Connectivity. The categories are designed to create an optimal visitor experience in the Amsterdam ArenA and the Amsterdam Southeast district.

 

Feedback

Entry to the competition will close early in March of 2016 and the entered ideas will be evaluated by a jury consisting of innovation partners of the Amsterdam ArenA. All contestants will receive feedback in the form of a brief review. The winning ideas will be developed further in conjunction with the partners and tested in the Amsterdam ArenA Innovation Center that is based in the ArenA and in the stadium proper during events.

 

Tradition of innovation

This is the first time in history for a stadium to launch a competition in order to generate innovative solutions. ‘The competition is in keeping with our tradition of innovation,’ Henk Markerink said. ‘It is part of our DNA. To name a few examples, the construction of the stadium was funded through what is now known as crowdfunding, the so-called returfing technique was developed in the ArenA, and we were the first stadium ever to introduce our own electronic payment system.’ In the area of sustainability, the ArenA has managed to realize quite a few ambitions as well. The stadium is net climate neutral, for instance. For this purpose, the ArenA has installed over four thousand solar panels on the roof, and the stadium uses district heating from the nearby city of Diemen for heating and water from a nearby small lake for cooling. Photovoltaic cells will be integrated into the new façade, and rainwater will be collected for use in the toilets. Furthermore, the stadium creates its own energy storage by means of gigantic batteries.

For further details about the innovation competition or how to enter, please go to innovationarena.amsterdam

Updates on Amsterdam ArenA’s transformation for the 2020 Euro and the progress on the innovation center will be presented at Coliseum Summit EUROPE, 15/16 March at Amsterdam ArenA.

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