The ICF VIP Delegation at the Top7 Brightlands-Limburg Conference and Extended Site Visit to Eindhoven included 15 participants and leaders representing the USA, Canada, Taiwan, Spain, and the Netherlands.
They were:
- Bob Ferguson, Councilor, City of Fairfield (Iowa, USA)
- Nahom Abegaze, Director of Continuous Improvement, Maharishi University (Iowa, USA)
- Marg Dwyer, Co-Chair, Southeast Iowa Sierra Club, Fairfield, Iowa, USA
- Troy van Beek, Founder & CEO, Ideal Energy (Iowa, USA)
- Doug McCollough, Executive Director of The Beta District (Ohio, USA)
- Angela McCollough, Dublin, (Ohio, USA)
- Katarzyna (Kat) Sliwa, Partner and Leader of the Municipal Planning, Land Use and Development Law Group, Dentons, (Toronto, Canada)
- Donna Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer, Kingston Economic Development Corporation (Kingston, Ontario, Canada)
- Nick Neokleous, Technology Development Lead, Reaction (RXN) HUB (Kingston, Ontario, Canada)
- Amanda Hobin, Policy Advisor, Community Relations, (Durham Region, Ontario, Canada)
- Ching-Wen (Wendy) Liang, Planner, Institute for Information Industry, (Yunlin, Taiwan).
- Kai-Ching (Carol) Li, Planner, Institute for Information Industry, (Yunlin, Taiwan).
- Jimmy Wang, Project Manager, Institute for Information Industry, (Yunlin, Taiwan).
- Kelly Rowe, Fellow, Urban Innovation, Canadian Urban Institute (currently located in Spain)
- Matthew Owen, Executive Director, Intelligent Community Forum (Eindhoven, The Netherlands)
- John G. Jung, Chairman and Co-Founder, Intelligent Community Forum (Toronto, Canada)
The Province of Limburg (Population 1.1 million) is located in the south of the Netherlands and is renowned for excelling in technology and business innovation in the country. The Brightlands-Limburg region has developed an "ecosystem of ecosystems" to drive sustainable growth under the "Brightlands" brand: a place where innovation has no limits. At its four campuses, 32,000 entrepreneurs, researchers, and students work on breakthroughs in sustainability, health, nutrition and digitalization every day. A key initiative of the Brightlands is to pursue the development of the Einstein Telescope with Belgium and Germany. The Einstein Telescope Project is a proposed next-generation underground observatory designed to detect gravitational waves and unlock new insights into the universe. Planned as a vast research infrastructure built deep below the surface, the telescope would offer unprecedented sensitivity, enabling scientists to study phenomena such as black hole collisions and the early universe.
The extended visit by the delegation included participation in the Top7 Conference as well as meetings at the Limburg Government Headquarters, a special visit to view the Maastricht Treaty, and a unique visit to the ET Pathfinder, a preliminary investigation into the Einstein Telescope initiative, among other curated activities in Maastricht. During the conference, the delegates were given opportunities to participate in panels, be introduced to key individuals involved in the Brightlands-Limburg region, visit the four Brightlands Campuses, and travel to Eindhoven for a two-day site visit to the 2011 ICF Intelligent Community of the Year.
The Conference Theme was “Circular Living, Building Sustainable Communities Through Innovation and Local Impact.” Speakers looked at the broader context of a circular community, where waste is no longer the end of a process but the beginning of a new one. Delegates visited the four campuses where discussions explored materials, ideas, and new forms of energy through systems designed to regenerate rather than deplete. We listened to industry leaders, professors, entrepreneurs, and government decision makers, making up the “triple helix” to drive innovation, develop new business models, and strengthen local economies through collaboration and creativity.
The Top7 Communities of 2026 were announced on June 17 at a special luncheon event in Maastricht, The Netherlands. Fourteen of the Smart21 communities were in attendance. The Top7 selected for 2026 are:
- Assaí, Paraná, Brazil
- Brightlands-Limburg, the Netherlands
- Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Türkiye
- Hilliard, Ohio, USA
- Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain
- Yunlin County, Taiwan
This year’s Top7 communities range in population from 15,000 to 3.2 million people and represent seven different nations, indicative of the global growth seen in the intelligent community movement in recent years. They will now become the finalists in ICF’s 2026 Awards program, succeeding the 2025 Intelligent Community of the Year – Durham Region, Ontario, Canada, to be held at the ICF Global Summit in October in the Columbus Region of Ohio, USA.
During the Top7 Conference, delegates experienced the heart of Brightlands-Limburg and its four innovation campuses: Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus, Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Brightlands Smart Services Campus, and traveled to the Brightlands Campus Greenport in Venlo, en route to Eindhoven.
Upon arrival in Eindhoven, a Cultural Evening was hosted by Kees Rovers, Senior Fellow of ICF and founder of Close the Gap BV, at their historic home in Nuenen, where Van Gogh’s carpenter lived. Their home is officially recognized as a Van Gogh Monument located near where Vincent van Gogh lived and worked between 1883 and 1885. Delegates were given a tour of Kees’ private museum and a walking tour of the historic old town. The dinner, served in the courtyard of the historic home, was also visited by the former Mayor of Eindhoven, Rob van Gijzel, a champion of the quest for the 2011 ICF Intelligent Community of the Year recognition and advocate for linkages to other ICF-recognized regions.
On the final day in Eindhoven, Peter Portheine and Joost Helms from EIPO gave delegates a curated walking tour and site visits to several key Eindhoven innovation-related facilities at the Strijp-S (former Philips Industrial Site), including a meeting with Wim Renders at Brainport, a visit to NATLABS, a guided tour of Brainport Industries Campus, and a visit to the Philips Museum.
While the Top7 Conference, Awards Luncheon, and extended visit to Eindhoven were an exceptional experience, it was the bonding that developed among the delegates themselves that was of greatest value. A WhatsApp connection among delegates is full of shared experiences that will be a lasting memory for them all. Here are some testimonials from the delegates themselves about the value of their unique experience:
Doug McCollough, Executive Director of The Beta District (Ohio, USA):
“Last week I had the incredible experience of visiting the Netherlands, representing The Beta District. The conference and delegation were for the announcement of the Top 7 Most Intelligent Communities in the World by The Intelligent Community Forum. They are now in the running to be named the Number One Most Intelligent Community in the world at the Global Summit event and delegation, which we will host here in the Columbus Region, October 13 - 15, 2026. Our hosts in the Netherlands displayed an amazing array of programs, resources, and coordinated effort all within the background of a beautiful culture and regional contexts. Two areas of experience stand out as I reflect on the just-past Top 7 event.
Brightlands - Limburg is an amazing application of the Triple Helix/Quadruple Helix philosophy at work. Under the leadership and support of Limburg Province, across four campuses, in a deep partnership with Maastricht University, and an impressive coalition of businesses, Brightlands is an incredible network of innovation ecosystems. Surrounding the tours, panels, and visits were the contexts of the Maastricht Treaty, which created the EU and the Euro, the Einstein Telescope, which will allow the measurement of gravitational waves in the universe, the Circular economy, and the emerging workforce. This visit was inspiring.
The other opportunity was the visit to Brainport Eindhoven, which is by now one of the longest-standing success stories for the application of the Triple Helix to innovation, economic development, and Intelligent Community results. While many tours and discussions were inspiring, the Philips Museum stood out as a conversation starter for how legacy industries provide for ongoing innovation cultures even when their original innovation has matured.
I am grateful for the time spent in the Netherlands and hope to return. I am likewise excited to continue the organization for the Global Summit event coming this October.
Hao (Jimmy) Wang, Project Manager, Institute for Information Industry, (Yunlin, Taiwan).
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) leadership and our hosts in the Province of Limburg. This comprehensive tour has been more than a professional visit; it has been an immersion into a model of what humanity can achieve when we unite scientific ambition, cultural heritage, and community-centric innovation. From the vision of the Einstein Telescope to the creative legacy of Van Gogh, this experience has provided us with a profound blueprint for our own nation’s development."
Limburg’s model succeeds not by minimizing government involvement, but by redefining it from "leader" to "facilitator" within a "Triple/Quadruple Helix" framework (government, industry, academia, and society).
The Pursuit of "Moonshot" Ambition (Einstein Telescope): Witnessing the ET PathFinder project firsthand was a highlight of this delegation. It serves as a reminder that a nation’s strength is measured not just by its current infrastructure, but by its courage to pursue 'moonshot' projects. This facility represents the pinnacle of engineering advancement and scientific curiosity. For our nation, this underscores a critical lesson: to attract global talent and lead the future, we must commit to projects that push the boundaries of physics and technology, turning our territory into a beacon for the world’s brightest minds.
Katarzyna (Kat) Sliwa, Partner and Leader of the Municipal Planning, Land Use and Development Law Group, Dentons, (Toronto, Canada)
Thank you all for sharing your stories and opinions. It has been a lovely week, and I learned so much - not only from our hosts and panels but from each of you. Safe travels, everyone, and until we meet again. If your journey takes you to Toronto, my doors are always open.
Nick Neokleous, Technology Development Lead, Reaction (RXN) HUB (Kingston, Ontario, Canada)
As someone new to the ICF community, I felt extremely welcomed by the delegation and at all of the events. Being a member of the delegation allowed me to connect with a fantastic range of individuals, fostering idea sharing and allowing me to build bridges internationally. The delegation's programming was thoughtfully prepared, giving me a deep appreciation for the city where the conference was held. I also appreciated the people-centric approach woven into the conference and delegation activities; it really set the feeling of the ICF apart from other similar events I had attended. Overall, this was a fantastic experience that I would happily repeat.
Bob Ferguson, Councilor, City of Fairfield (Iowa, USA)
I was tremendously impressed with the entire experience of the ICF conference in Maastricht, and the VIP tour of Brainport in Eindhoven. The mix of discovery, learning, and interaction with new colleagues and established ICF friends was both stimulating and extremely enjoyable. From the tour of the Einstein Telescope lab, the thought-provoking general sessions and breakouts, the whole program fit together beautifully. Everything was well-organized and designed for maximum learning and engagement.
I particularly want to acknowledge the emotionally powerful experience with the VIP group in Eindhoven. The learning from the conference was extended and expanded through the tour and presentations at Brainport. A highlight for me was the evening at the cottage with the family who is helping to keep the details of Van Gogh's time in Eindhoven alive. The talk in Van Gogh's framer's shop will be burned into my memory forever. Our hosts went above and beyond to give us all an experience of collegiality and connection that is rare in my experience.
Amanda Hobin, Communications and Engagement, The Regional Municipality of Durham
The extended delegation provided an opportunity to experience intelligent communities on a personal, firsthand level. The additional time together fostered meaningful relationships within the network and created valuable opportunities to share community stories and experiences, learn directly from one another, and bring new ideas and inspiration back to my community.
