Who we are
De Proeffabriek (DPF) is a consultancy for responsible innovation, registered as an SME in the Netherlands. DPF focuses on social value creation in research and innovation: we work with researchers, innovators and policy makers to realise social and environmental benefits in addition to economic gain.
The Dutch word Proeffabriek means ‘pilot factory’ or ‘pilot plant’. Much like a pilot plant is used in chemistry to test new production technologies on a pre-commercial scale, DPF was established in 2010 to scale up insights from the social sciences and humanities. We explore the value of social research to enhance the responsiveness of research and innovation, including a concern for people and the environment at the earliest stages of innovation.
What we do
Research and consultancy
We carry out short-term research projects at the interface of science and society. We apply social science methods (in-depth interviews, workshops and literature reviews) to real-world problems.
Education and training
We offer education and training in technology assessment, user involvement and ethics, focusing mostly on demonstrating the added value of social research to scientists and engineers.
European research projects
We regularly write, manage, coordinate and evaluate European research projects, mostly focusing on the social dimensions of emerging technologies.
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Workshops
We take workshop organisation very seriously. Workshops can be powerful tools for insight. Synthesising new knowledge from the different forms of expertise that participants bring to the table.
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Why we do it
Research and innovation can help to address the grand societal challenges we are facing today. But the current drivers for research and innovation are not optimally geared towards addressing these challenges. To unlock the full potential of the research and innovation system, we have to start targeting these challenges much more directly.
DPF works at the interface of science and society. We design novel interdisciplinary interactions between researchers, producers, policy makers and civil society, creating new connections to drive research and innovation towards social value creation.