Lead Connectivity. It is a core concept in the economy of the future. Every company looking to the future knows that its organisation, production, products and revenue models have to move in this direction. But it’s a movement they can't make alone. Not the small businesses, not the big ones. Connectivity is also a requirement in this respect.The North has strong industrial clusters. Clusters dealing with today’s market demand and the societal challenge of the future. In the fields of energy, water technology and agri-food, networks of small and large companies that develop, supply, produce and sell are active. Many companies see opportunities for innovation and market renewal. However, it is also characteristic that these innovations and innovations take place to a large extent within their own sector or within their own cluster. Many companies know that this is not enough for the products, markets and business models of the future. Looking at the opportunities in the fields of agri-food, energy and water technology, other partners and knowledge are needed. In many cases knowledge and partners with a focus on intelligent measurement and control technology, big data, ICT &Amp; online and design. Northern Netherlands has high tech companies, communities of online companies, networks of creative entrepreneurs and specialist companies in the fields of data, intelligent production and self-learning systems. The next step is that these companies are involved in the demands, knowledge development and innovation needs of the industry, in the North of the Netherlands in particular with the strong existing clusters around energy, agrifood and water technology. What are we going to do?Connectivity North is the initiative that brings together these companies and worlds to develop new knowledge, products and markets. Water Alliance, Energy Valley and NOM — with Greenlincs and the HTSM Platform — take the initiative. They have put innovation themes chosen by companies at the heart of their informal grouping, but only if they can develop knowledge with partners in the fields of intelligence, real-time measurement and sensory, data, online, internet of things and user-driven design. The following innovation themes are central:•Smart farming: data-driven development of production and products in dairy and arable farming•Smart water systems: real-time control of quality and use•Smart grids &Amp; decentralised power: chain integration at system and user level•New Gas: efficient production and integration of biogas and energy mixIt is a concrete base to start with a large group of companies. We capture their needs and define targeted questions and opportunities. Questions and opportunities that companies see in the fields of agri-food, water technology, new gas, smart grids & decentralised energy, but cannot pick up on their own. On the other hand, we show the companies and knowledge institutions that are strong in the field we summarise in this project under ‘Intelligence &Amp; connectivity’: players in the HTSM sector, data analysis, ICT, design, etc. The project not only maps them out, but also looks at their qualities, offer and interest. The companies are then connected in a period of 20 months. Not generic, but driven by development questions, product ideas and market opportunities that have already been identified. Companies that see a collaborative opportunity will be helped, as required, with joint knowledge development and preparation of a joint innovation project. Results are specifically identified in the project plan:•Cross-sectoral networks: at least 5•Participation (SMEs) of joint knowledge development and innovation: 120-150•Development of joint innovation pathways: 40•Innovation Competence for SMEs in the North of the Netherlands•Strengthening the innovation ecosystem in the North Netherlands•New markets for Northern business. The project is structured and directly tailored to the needs experienced by industry in the Northern Netherlands. Specifically the business community that wants to innovate and see opportunities in key northern spearheads such as smart farming, smart water systems, smart grids and new gas. The fact that this need exists is certain: based on a first round group among a limited part of the target group, 47 companies and knowledge institutions have already signed a declaration expressing their support and interest for the project. The declarations are attached.