The EU Office of the Cities Northern Netherlands, is an Brussels based office representing the cities Groningen, Leeuwarden, Assen and Emmen in the EU. The EU Office is situated at the House of the Dutch Provinces in Brussels. The aim is to connect innovative SME's from the Northern Netherlands with EU working programs on research and innovation (H2020) and financial instruments (ESFI, COSME, SME Instrument). The office works as the frontrunner of innovative projects related to the economic ecosystem of the cities. Collaboration is based around a network of cities, knowledge institutes, research facilities and the regional government (provinces of Drenthe, Fryslan and Groningen). The office presents concrete high innovative projects from the cities in the EU context. The goal is to find partners from other regions and cities, connect them to the projects in the cities and perceive new developments and projects which can contribute to economic challenges. Main focus is on downstream projects; realistic projects that matter for the ecosystem of the cities. The Northern Netherlands focuses on five important areas of knowledge: water technology, energy, sensor technology, agribusiness (bio-based economy) and Healthy Ageing (life sciences). The government, research institutes and business are now actively cooperating in these clusters. The four large cities are coordinating and facilitating concrete projects related to these themes.