When Design Meets Regeneration: Nova Innova’s nature-inclusive innovation in Rotterdam

In the Netherlands, a country renowned for innovation and for its pioneering water management, Nova Innova is pushing boundaries not through infrastructure, but through design that listens to and works with nature. “We’re not just designing objects,” says Ermi. “We’re designing relationships between people, technology, and nature.”

The lamp is more than a product, it’s a symbol of symbiosis. It demonstrates how energy can be generated in harmony with nature, without extraction or waste. “We want to show that technology doesn’t have to be extractive,” says Ermi. “It can be regenerative, even symbiotic.” This idea has since evolved into larger-scale applications, including the Living Light Park, a public space where plants, people, and technology co-create energy and meaning.

Nova Innova’s decision to base itself in Rotterdam is intentional. The city offers a unique blend of openness, collaboration, and hands-on mentality that supports experimental ventures. “In Rotterdam, people help each other. Institutions, companies, and creatives are accessible. It's also the city that thrives on bold ideas, and where experimentation isn’t just encouraged, it’s expected. There’s space to try, to fail, and to learn, because that’s how real innovation begins." says Ermi.

This accessibility is as structural as it is cultural. Rotterdam’s business ecosystem is designed to support innovation, with strong networks, acclaimed research institutes, and a strong focus on sustainability and circular economy. Nova Innova collaborates with partners such as Deltares, municipalities, and universities to pilot its projects in real-world settings. These partnerships ensure that the work is not only visionary but practical.

Ermi is especially thankful for partnering with Rotterdam Partners. "Rotterdam Partners plays a vital role in this ecosystem. They connect different fields, weave strong networks, and create an entrepreneurial environment that is truly progressive. What I value most is that businesses here don’t operate on isolated islands; there is a shared understanding that real impact comes from collaboration."

POND and Living Light Park are about more than bio-design and innovation. They are also a public engagement tool. At events like Dutch Design Week and night tours at Living Light Park, visitors experience nature as a living, breathing entity. It promotes ecological literacy by making microbial activity and nutrient flow visible, emotional, and immediate. Nova Innova’s work contributes to broader city goals around energy transition, digitalisation, and ecological resilience. By blending biotechnology with empathy, the studio shows that environmental health can be made visible, participatory, and beautiful. Their projects are exciting installations, but also invitations to rethink how we live and work in urban environments.

For international entrepreneurs and investors, Nova Innova offers a compelling example of what’s possible when innovation is rooted in place, purpose, and the living world. In Rotterdam, they’ve found a city that support innovations and enables regeneration. "Rotterdam’s strength lies in its diversity, cooperation, and adaptability. When we design our cities and communities around these values, they don’t just become sustainable, they become regenerative." concludes Ermi.

^{All photos on the page: (c) Nova Innova}