15 Dutch companies showcase innovations at GA-ASI’s Blue Magic Netherlands Event

The event was supported by the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Brainport Development, Brabant Development Agency (BOM), the Netherlands Industries for Defence & Security (NIDV), and SpaceNED. Key areas of focus included Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Autonomy, Advanced Materials, Sensors, Advanced Manufacturing, and Space technologies. Innovations on display ranged from lightweight lattice structures and gas detection technologies to advanced battery and photonics applications, as well as cutting-edge unmanned system and AI applications.

“This event is where the rubber meets the road,” said Brad Lunn, Managing Director-Strategic Finance at GA-ASI. “In addition to attracting many companies, we increased the areas of expertise and depth of knowledge from the presenting companies in order to provide research, development, and breakthrough innovations to support current and future missions by GA-ASI aircraft. We also wanted to give the companies an opportunity to pitch in front of other potential customers, partners, and investors.”

The event followed an open call issued by GA-ASI in July, which invited Dutch businesses to apply for the chance to present at the BMN event. From nearly 50 applications, 15 companies were chosen to demonstrate their advancements to an audience of industry leaders and stakeholders. GA-ASI aims to foster innovation that supports the operational needs of its aircraft, including the MQ-9A Remotely Piloted Aircraft currently being delivered to the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

The BMN event builds on the success of previous Blue Magic events, which began in Belgium in 2019 and have since been held annually in various locations. GA-ASI anticipates announcing technology partnerships resulting from the Eindhoven event and plans to continue hosting BMN annually in the Netherlands.