The future arrives in South Holland. This year, Delft and The Hague transform into the vibrant epicenter of European robotics innovation.
They drive through factories, assist surgeons, and help seniors in their daily lives. Robots are no longer science fiction; they are reality. And that makes 2026 such a special year for our province. Throughout the year, we will show what robotics can mean for our region, our economy, and our daily lives.
Why Robotics?
South Holland faces a challenge many regions struggle with: we have work to do but not enough people to do it. The labor market shortage is not easily solved. At the same time, we want to innovate, grow, and stay ahead. Robotics offers an answer: smart technology that increases productivity without requiring extra manpower.
We believe innovation arises where knowledge, business, and society meet. South Holland has it all: TU Delft is a world leader in robotics research, our region is bursting with high-tech companies, and our cities are the perfect test area for new technology. By giving robotics a platform, we drive innovation and show how technology can solve real challenges.
The Robots Are Coming: Delft Opens the Year
It starts on February 11 in Delft. During the Highlight Festival (opens in new window), with the theme Robo-Futures – the city transforms for 4 days into a playground where robots bring together art, science, and society. The festival also provides space for critical questions. What role do we want robots to play? How do we ensure technology supports humans instead of replacing them? These conversations are crucial, and the Highlight Festival creates the space to have them.
European Robotics League: Europe Comes to The Hague
From May 12 to 15, it takes place in The Hague. Scheveningen is the setting for the European Robotics League (opens in new window). A prestigious event that brings together international teams, researchers, and technology companies.
Students and scientists from all over Europe come to our province to test their robots in real urban environments. Not in laboratories, but simply on the street, among people. Robots that navigate autonomously, collaborate with passersby, and perform practical tasks such as inspection and logistics.
For visitors, it is free and fascinating to see. Live demonstrations, workshops for youth, and networking opportunities for companies and researchers. But it is more than a show: it is a testing ground for the future. Here we see if robotics actually works in our daily environment.
Innovation Starts Here
Both events show one thing: South Holland does not just think about the future; we actively shape it. By testing, developing, and demonstrating robotics here, we connect technology with societal challenges. We strengthen our position as a region where knowledge, entrepreneurship, and international cooperation come together.
That is exactly why we find this important. Robotics can help with the talent shortage, increase productivity, and solve complex problems. But only if we work on it together, as governments, companies, researchers, and residents.
Come Watch, Join the Discussion
Are you curious about the robots of tomorrow? Check here the agenda of the robotics year (opens in new window) in Delft. Or come to the European Robotics League in The Hague from May 12 to 15, and experience how robotics changes our world. Because you cannot predict the future. But you can help shape it.