As cities grow denser and online shopping continues to rise, the demand for efficient logistics is increasing rapidly. Urban space is limited, and logistics hubs offer a promising solution: they consolidate goods and enable zero-emission transport into city centers. Some hubs also support shared mobility. To explore viable models, the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) investigated how entrepreneurs can collaborate and offer joint services through hubs.
The project Sustainable Neighborhood Logistics has now been completed. It explored how logistics hubs can contribute not only to business success but also to livable, accessible, and climate-resilient neighborhoods.
Promising Business Models
Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) interested in launching a hub face challenges. Urban space is scarce and expensive, and profit margins on logistics services are often low. Moreover, hubs may create negative local impacts, such as increased traffic or nuisance from poorly parked shared vehicles.
HvA supported SMEs in designing business models that are both economically viable and socially and environmentally beneficial. These models aim to improve neighborhood livability and economic vitality.
Three Test Areas
The research focused on three distinct areas:
- De 9 Straatjes (Amsterdam’s historic canal district): a dense hospitality and retail zone with fragile infrastructure.
- The Knowledge Mile (Amsterdam-East): an urban corridor transitioning toward green public spaces and slower traffic.
- Campus Heijendaal (Nijmegen): a vibrant, green university campus with high footfall from students and staff.
Method and Insights
In each area, researchers co-developed a shared business model using open collaborative business modelling. Through workshops and interviews, ideas were generated and tested with local stakeholders. Key questions included: How can SMEs jointly create value through a hub? What cooperation is needed among businesses, municipalities, and communities? And can such hubs meet sustainability goals, including CO₂ reduction?
Researchers also explored how user behavior can be influenced through behavioral interventions to enhance the impact of the business models. The project thus integrated expertise from urban logistics, entrepreneurship, and behavioral psychology.
The HVA-led project Duurzame Buurtlogistiek: businessmodellen voor buurtlogistiek met hubs has yielded several important lessons for developing sustainable neighborhood logistics hubs in urban environments.
- Co-creation and collaborative workshops are valuable tools for idea generation, but they do not automatically lead to implementation. Without a clear lead stakeholder to take ownership and drive the process forward, even the best ideas often remain on paper.
- Physical space remains a major constraint. In compact urban areas such as De 9 Straatjes in Amsterdam, potential hub locations are limited and face stiff competition from existing uses, including emergency services, parking, and public transport infrastructure.
- The importance of clearly defining the problem before proposing a solution. In the Knowledge Mile pilot, the absence of a concrete logistics challenge led to a loss of momentum; co-creation without a shared sense of urgency did not yield lasting outcomes.
- Financial sustainability is crucial. Hub initiatives cannot rely on short-term profitability; they require long-term planning, often over five years or more. Lessons from social enterprises show that steady, incremental growth is more resilient than rapid scaling.
- Alignment with municipal policy frameworks is key. Start-ups and local initiatives should embed their models within existing plans, rather than relying on future policy changes that may never materialize. This provides a stronger foundation and increases the chances of institutional support.
- Early stakeholder involvement and smart timing can be decisive. Engagement at the right moment—such as during a business relocation or a regulatory shift—can strengthen buy-in and speed up implementation.
- Starting small and integrating into the local community enhances legitimacy. Entrepreneurs who connect their hub model to specific local needs and neighborhood dynamics are more likely to succeed.
- Managing expectations is essential. In areas where logistics problems are pressing, a lack of visible progress can lead to frustration. Transparent communication about milestones and setbacks is therefore critical to maintain trust and momentum.
Source: HVA
Learn more:
- Read the project magazine
- Explore the interview with the researchers