Cities, as we know them today, have a need to transform its systems on a metropolitan scale, to become more livable, resilient, sustainable and just, but also to offer good economic stability. Changing the urban fabric by working on big urban challenges in the fields of energy, circularity, digitization, climate resilience, mobility and food can help us create the cities we aim for.
At AMS Institute we believe that by generating ideas, talent and collaborations, and closely interacting with cities as we know them today, we can help analyze, design and engineer solutions for the cities we need and aspire. Cities that are more sustainable, prosperous, resilient and just. We call this: re-inventing cities.
Our ambition is to create sustainable metropolitan solutions by realizing a cross-fertilization of ideas: in our research, innovation and educational activities, but also by creating an innovative environment where connections are made between knowledge institutes, private and public organizations. As such AMS Institute is uniquely positioned to connect science to societal challenges, and solving those together.
We research, design and test technology-driven solutions
It is revolutions in new technologies, research and design methods that come up with solutions for the challenges our cities are facing. With our research programs we aim to make an impact on the most pressing urban challenges of Amsterdam and the broader agglomeration of cities in Netherlands (also known as Randstad). Our research portfolio revolves around six urban challenges that cover the most important urban transitions. We run over 125 research projects. All are defined and executed by interdisciplinary consortia of knowledge institutes, public and private partners, in close collaboration with the City of Amsterdam.
Directly jump to our project portfolios per urban challenge: Smart Urban Mobility | Urban Energy | Climate Resilient Cities | Circularity in Urban Regions | Metropolitan Food Systems | Responsible Urban Digitization
We generate and foster talent
Knowledge is essential in developing a deep understanding of – and sustainable solutions for – our cities of today and tomorrow, and it's equally important to educate, attract talent and disseminate knowledge to benefit the Amsterdam Metropolitan area. Our master Metropolitan Analysis Design and Engineering – a joint degree Wageningen University & Research and Technical University Delft program is at the heart of our educational activities. Next to the master program, we offer a wide portfolio of education activities, such as the AMS Academy for Professional Education, summer schools and online education via MOOCs.
We stimulate entrepreneurship
All our research & educational activities and collaborations create new windows opportunities. Ideas for next steps and startups, that just need to see the light of day! With the AMS Startup Booster we propel innovative ideas, create impact through strategic collaborations within our network, and stimulate entrepreneurship. In this pre-incubation program, we aim to help the next generation of ambitious urban and sustainable startups with their next steps to turn ideas into reality. Ideas resulting from the MSc MADE curriculum, our research activities, but also external startup ideas looking for the right eco-system and a place to grow and develop their business models. Next to running our own startup program, we also contribute to various others startup programs we are connected to, such as the EIT Urban Mobility Accelerator program.
In addition, the Amsterdam Circular program (organised in collaboration with Rockstart) supports early stage startups in and around Amsterdam with co-financing opportunities and an investor readiness program. This means that the startups do not only receive investor readiness support but also have the chance to connect with investors.
We build partnerships and collaborations
Collaboration is key in finding metropolitan solutions: it grows a deeper and interdisciplinary understanding of the topics at hand and sparks creativity in exploring them. AMS Institute is a networking organization that works with a broad coalition of stakeholders, including academic researchers, industry, civil society, policy makers, and all organizations part of the urban innovation community. The unique partnership with the Municipality of Amsterdam and the Metropolitan Area (AMA), is at the core of AMS Institute.
We bring together the interdisciplinary nature of our three founding universities
AMS Institute was founded in 2014 by three universities: Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It's exactly the combination of expertise and interdisciplinary nature of the three founding universities combined, what makes AMS Institute uniquely positioned to research, design and propel urban innovation.