Today, in our first full day in Rotterdam, we had two very interesting site visits, Floating Farm and RDM. Both displayed the innovative and modern spirit that seems prevalent in Rotterdam.

The Floating Farm was impressive as a prototype and I think offers a very promising solution for food insecurity and sustainability. The most important aspect of the farm, to me, was the way they upscaled their products. They took waste from local industries, used this as food, and then made higher quality products from that. Unfortunately, right now, the business isn’t large enough to sell to more than a few places, but the idea is very strong.

RDM was a surprising place to experience as well. It was a space for the Port Authority, local businesses, and education institutions to all come together and collaborate on innovative, sustainable technology. I don’t think I’ve seen something like this in the US; it requires a huge amount of collaboration and sharing of ideas. A space like this means all parties can benefit and create promising modern technologies.

Our first experience with Rotterdam was a very positive one, but I could immediately see some differences from Amsterdam and Enschede. It feels like an industrial city and lacks the quaint European feel of Amsterdam. One cause of this was that the city had to rebuild after World War Two, and did so in a modern way. I’m excited to explore more of the city.