<p>NL-ECO’s young scientists participated in a meaningful and engaging workshop combining theatre, cultural intelligence, and personal storytelling. The session explored how authentic communication, empathy, and understanding across cultures can strengthen collaboration and trust in research teams.</p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p>The workshop highlighted that powerful science begins with people connecting with each other, not only through their results, but also through their stories.</p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p>A warm thank you to the trainer Maria Sovago from Stralia and all NL-ECO participants for their enthusiasm, openness, and for creating such a fun and positive atmosphere.</p><p></p>

<p>This tutorial on computing paradigms beyond the von Neumann architecture provides an overview of brain-inspired computing systems and emerging hardware approaches. It draws primarily on the topical review paper <em>Brain-Inspired Computing Systems: A Systematic Literature Review</em> by Mohamadreza Zolfagharinejad et al. (Eur. Phys. J. B 97, 70, 2024) and uses as well material from other researchers in the field.</p>

<p>Throughout 2025, the NL-ECO program raised international visibility and played a prominent role at several high-profile events, advancing dialogue and collaboration in energy-efficient computing.</p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p><strong>Watt Matters in AI Conference</strong> (Nov 2025, Eindhoven) - Addressed AI’s growing energy demands, exploring sustainable solutions across hardware, policy, neuromorphic computing, energy-efficient data centers, and edge AI.</p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p><strong>Future of Compute Mission to the UK</strong> (Nov 2025, London) - Strengthened Dutch-UK collaboration through visits and discussions on AI, integrated photonics, and neuromorphic computing.</p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p><strong>NCN 2025</strong> (Sept 2025, TU Delft) - Focused on bio-inspired algorithms, learning models, emerging materials, circuits, systems, and advanced computing architectures.</p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p><strong>Metamaterials 2025</strong> (Sept 2025, Amsterdam) - Covered advances in optics, photonics, and engineering, followed by a doctoral school.</p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p><strong>Neuromorphic Now</strong> (June 2025, Delft) - Addressed advances in neuromorphic computing, with a focus on applications, accessible software, market relevance, and European roadmapping.</p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p><strong>NL-UK Innovation Mission: Advancing Neuromorphic Computing Together</strong><em> </em>(March 2025, London)</p><p>A Dutch delegation including key members of our consortium visited the UK for an Innovation Mission on neuromorphic computing, strengthening collaboration through a bilateral symposium in London, visits to Cambridge, and a strategic session at the Dutch Embassy, laying strong foundations for future UK - Netherlands partnerships.</p>

<p>Following the 2024 white paper, an initiative led by our consortium member Johan Mentink (RU), in collaboration with other NL-ECO partners (UT, RUG, TUD, RU, TNO and SURF) and additional stakeholders, has given rise to a series of major national initiatives and high-impact opportunities of both scientific and societal significance, with our consortium partners playing a central role.</p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p>The <a href="https://www.pronuntio.utwente.nl/2-1gxo_sauRReHUOU0pamZd_uTkJMP5gsN6sfHy9NzNjPIu0uU6Wvy3YD-ixBcsECLhcFClW5YSknpaGnibKJjX0Fp_1AV050BMYujH22OoooRn9tUqamA1IioOtkrKz0s" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><strong>Neuromorphic Computing Roadmap</strong></a> - Building on the white paper, the neuromorphic computing core group, together with Topsector ICT, developed a collaborative roadmap for energy-efficient, future-proof computing. Drawing on insights from experts across academia, government, and industry (including many of the NL-ECO consortium members), the roadmap outlines a vision for advancing neuromorphic computing, detailing organizational capacity, infrastructure, and research funding needs. It also provides guidance for stakeholders and funders, highlighting the technology’s potential contributions to economic growth and societal challenges.</p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p>The <a href="https://www.pronuntio.utwente.nl/2-1gxo_sauRReHUOU0pamZd_uTkJMP5gsN6sfHy9NzNjPIu0uU6Wvy3RCxw8nEK20OhcFClW5YSknpaGnibKJjX0Fp_1AV050B_mn8IBabpgxFfZGVee3qAoioOtkrKz0s" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><strong>Action Plan for Neuromorphic Computing</strong></a> sets out how the Netherlands will accelerate brain-inspired computing, with NL-ECO partners playing a key role in research, ecosystem development, and innovation. It focuses on three main activities: developing a national ecosystem through NC NL, establishing a market-driven application lab for broad access to neuromorphic hardware and software, and creating shared prototyping facilities to translate new technologies from lab to market.</p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p>Noteworthy is the mentioning of NL-ECO in the 2025 Wennink report '<a href="https://www.rapportwennink.nl/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><strong>De route naar toekomstige welvaart</strong></a>', in the list of recommended project proposals (D2: Neuromorphic Computing). </p>

This talk introduces how neural networks can be used as design tools in physics. After a brief overview of the basic concepts, viewers learn how neural networks are structured and trained, following small, live-executed code examples that show how they learn from data in practice. The talk then links these ideas to inverse design in nanophotonics, demonstrating how neural networks can be used to automatically propose nanostructures with desired optical properties.

<p><strong>Conference on radical energy efficiency in AI</strong> – November 26, 2025, Microstad, Eindhoven (NL)</p><p>Artificial Intelligence promises to solve some of humanity’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to healthcare, but its own energy appetite threatens to undermine these ambitions. On November 26, 2025, the conference Watt Matters in AI will bring together leading scientists, technologists, and policymakers to explore one of the most urgent questions of our digital age: Can we make AI sustainable? Hosted at Microstad in Eindhoven and supported by NL-ECO, the event will convene experts from academia and industry to explore radical shifts in how AI systems are designed, powered, and regulated. The goal: to move beyond incremental efficiency gains and toward orders-of-magnitude breakthroughs in energy performance. The conference will not only explore technological roadmaps but also delve into social, economic, and ecological challenges, all with the goal of exploring solutions. </p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p><strong>Key themes</strong></p><p> ● How can Europe lead the global transition toward energy-responsible AI?</p><p> ● What technologies can deliver 10x to 100x efficiency gains?</p><p> ● What infrastructure (from chips to data centers) supports sustainable AI? </p><p>● What policies and ethical frameworks can guide responsible innovation? </p><p></p><div class="__editor_html"><br></div><p><strong>From Setting the Stage to Advanced Solutions.</strong></p><p>The conference follows four thematic steps, moving from the global challenge to tangible solutions. Following the opening remarks by chair Hans Hilgenkamp (University of Twente), the morning session, “Setting the Stage,” features Laura Cozzi from the International Energy Agency, who will outline the facts &amp; figures on AI's energy consumption and its future trends. She will be followed by Stijn Grove (Dutch Data Center Association) and Axel Berg (SURF), who will offer insights into sustainable data center strategies and high-performance computing, and will also address the new AI factory that will be built in Groningen. The second block, “Technology &amp; Policy,” adds the industry view from NVIDIA and a regulatory perspective from Kristina Irion (University of Amsterdam). After lunch, the focus shifts to Hardware Breakthroughs, with Christian Bachmann (imec), Martijn Heck (Eindhoven University of Technology) and Christian Mayr (TU Dresden) discussing advances in semiconductor, photonic, and neuromorphic computing. Finally, “Advanced Solutions” showcases frontier technologies with Tamalika Banerjee (IMCHIP), Ioannis Papistas (Axelera AI), and Phil Burr (Lumai), exploring in-memory computing, edge AI, and optical computing.</p>

This powerful outreach animation video introduces the innovative approach of neuromorphic computing that's more efficient, more secure, and better for our environment. Experts worldwide are developing this technology that will change how we think about and use computers in the future. What opportunities do you see? Contributing partners: Radboud University, University of Groningen, University of Twente, SURF, UCL, Topsector ICT, NL-ECO, Netherlands Innovation Network UK, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour.

A white paper authored by experts from Radboud University, University of Groningen, Delft University of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Twente, AMOLF, CWI, and SURF presents the potential of neuromorphic computing as a key technology for energy-efficient computing in the Netherlands. Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the human brain, offers faster and more energy-efficient data processing by co-locating data storage and processing. The paper emphasizes the need for a national collaboration to strengthen the Dutch position in this emerging field, focusing on six areas of innovation: materials, devices, circuit design, hardware architecture, algorithms, and applications. To advance these efforts, the authors propose creating a ‘Neuromorphic Computing NL’ coalition and developing a roadmap for a collaborative toward future-proof energy-efficient computing. Read the full white paper and learn more about this transformative field .

The NL-ECO consortium members were prominently represented at the "Building the Roadmap for Neuromorphic Computing" event held on 28 June in Eindhoven. Organized by imec, the University of Groningen, and the University of Twente, this event brought together a dynamic community of experts in neuromorphic computing from the Netherlands and abroad, with the goal of developing a shared vision in this field. The meeting began with inspiring presentations of use cases, followed by Johan Mentink from Radboud University Nijmegen presenting a white paper. This document, collectively developed by various organizations active in the field across the Netherlands, provides an overview of neuromorphic computing and its potential impact. It highlights current efforts in the Netherlands and emphasizes the need for a unified national approach to strengthen the country’s position in the rapidly evolving international landscape. The white paper serves as a starting point for creating a collective Neuromorphic Computing Roadmap. The meeting continued with interactive panel discussions on national and international perspectives, as well as breakout sessions where participants brainstormed key applications, case-building, and roadmap drafting. The event concluded with a visit to the brand-new High Tech Campus Eindhoven’s innovation hub 3EALITY. The follow-up events will further refine the roadmap and strengthen collaboration within the neuromorphic computing community.

Researchers, industry professionals and societal partners of our consortium convened for the start of the NL-ECO program on 6-7 February in beautiful locations at the Radboud University in Nijmegen. The meeting has been opened by the program leader Prof. Hans Hilgenkamp and has continued with inspiring overviews on advances and perspectives in spintronics and photonics integration by pioneers in these fields. An exciting lineup of leading experts shared insights in novel concepts, materials, architectures, and equipment for energy-efficient information technologies. We addressed the impact and organizational aspects of the program laying the fundamentals for efficient and productive interactions with our internal and external stakeholders. The meeting provided as well excellent networking opportunities for the participants to build and strengthen collaborations and to exchange research ideas. Consortium members endorsed the success of this meeting and look forward to the future occasions within the NL-ECO program. Stay tuned for further developments and insights emerging from our events.

On 31 May and 1 June 2023, the kick-off of 'NL-ECO: Netherlands Initiative for Energy-Efficient Computing' took place in the U-Park Hotel on the Campus of the University of Twente. This programme, part of the National Science Agenda (NWA), aims to develop new concepts and associated materials for energy-efficient information technologies.

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) recently granted around ten million euros to a large research project that will investigate new concepts for energy-efficient information technology. UT researcher Prof Dr Hans Hilgenkamp is the main applicant of the project, known as NL-ECO. Along with the NWO funding, an additional 2.5 million euros will be made available as co-financing by several participants in the consortium. The digital revolution has benefited mankind enormously. The widespread use of digital devices and technologies, such as computers, internet and data centres, generally make our life more efficient and provide opportunities in areas of application such as medicine. These technologies are energy guzzlers, however. The volume of digital information we process and store and the associated energy costs are growing exponentially.