HTC debriefing for Dutch delegates in The Hague
THE HAGUE, June 30 2004 -- High Tech Connections (HTC) conducted a debriefing and reception for its Dutch delegation that attended the successful launch of HTC in San Jose, California in January 2004. The purpose of the debriefing was to inform delegates about planned HTC activities in the Netherlands and in the United States. U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, Clifford Sobel, opened the debriefing. It also included a panel discussion with HTC anchor companies – ASML, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and High Tech Campus Eindhoven (Philips) – as well as a question-and-answer session. This was followed by a networking reception.

The commitment and enthusiasm of both HTC delegates and organizing parties was clear during the debriefing. Anchors participating in the panel discussion confirmed once again their dedication to HTC and attendees provided constructive feedback and suggestions for future HTC activities during the Q&A session. There was plenty of networking during the ensuing reception.

HTC success factors

• HTC is a strategic initiative with tangible results and actions in the pipeline six months after its successful launch in San Jose
  
  
• HTC is a unique platform that has created conditions for government, business and knowledge institutions to work together as well as a platform for competitors to cooperate
  
  
• HTC 2004 has contributed to positive image and reputation building of the Netherlands as a high-tech location both in California and in the Netherlands

HTC success story - IBM
In addition to the 15 new business contacts in the area of broadband and grids as a result of HTC, the 2004 San Jose Forum speeded up the discussion within IBM to open up a special innovation center to help business partners work on innovative applications on IBM platforms. The IBM Innovation Center, opened on May 13 in Amsterdam, provides education, porting and testing services to IBM business partners. It is intended to help business partners lower their development costs, reach broader business opportunities and get products to market faster.

HTC adds new theme to its strategic fields of technology – life sciences
HTC's strategic fields of choice are market segments in which both the Netherlands and the United States play enabling roles. In addition to the initial three strategic fields of choice - broadband & grids, embedded systems and nanotechnology – a fourth theme has been added, i.e. life sciences.

HTC calendar of follow-up activities
November 16, 2004 - HTC network reception during IST 2004 in The Hague
Autumn 2005 - HTC Forum in Boston, USA

HTC network reception during IST 2004 in The Hague
This year's edition of the European Commission's most important Information Society Technologies (IST) event is designed in cooperation with the Dutch Presidency. The IST 2004 event will once again include a conference, an exhibition of research results and networking facilities for the participants. The overall themes are ‘People’ and ‘Economy’. This year the event will bring together not only researchers and companies, but also politicians and interested citizens of Europe. During IST 2004 HTC will host a network reception on Tuesday November 16 following the official IST program.

HTC Forum in Boston, USA
The next major HTC Forum will be held in Boston, USA in the Autumn of 2005. Boston was chosen as the location for this next Forum as it is the high tech center on the US East Coast. Furthermore, the link with the renowned research university MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is of importance, university research being one of the mainsprings of growth in an economy increasingly defined by technology.

HTC anchor companies
HTC's anchor or member companies include some of the most prominent Dutch and U.S. high-tech leaders. The current HTC anchor companies are: ASML, Cisco Systems, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle and Philips.

HTC mission statement
To help U.S. and Dutch companies, universities and institutes involved in high tech to create opportunities for new business and technological matchmaking.

About High Tech Connections
High Tech Connections (HTC) is a unique public and private consortium dedicated to promoting technological exchanges to drive innovation and pioneer new business matchmaking among American and Dutch companies, institutions and universities. HTC was successfully launched in Silicon Valley, USA on January 11-13, 2004.

Created by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), the U.S. Embassy in the Netherlands and the U.S. Commercial Service, this initiative allows each country to draw upon its respective strengths to develop and deliver new products, services and technology essential for future growth.