Last month, a number of relevant publications were published on the Dutch technology and investment climate.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs published the Nationale Technologiestrategie with the ten technologies and markets that provide the most opportunities for the Netherlands for the economy, society and safety. For each technology, ambitions were elaborated including a target of what position the Netherlands should have reached by 2035. An analysis was also made of what is needed to achieve this.
Mentioned are:
- Talent - attracting, retaining and developing (top) talent at all levels
- Facilities - sufficient scale-up facilities for the development and application of technologies
- Funding and market creation - sufficient scale-up funding and good market access with government as launching customer in some cases.
>> PDF Nationale Technologiestrategie (in Dutch)
RaboResearch and TNO released reports with figures showing the return on investment of the two public investment funds Nationaal Groeifonds (NGF) and the Fonds Onderzoek en Wetenschap (FOW)
- Economists at Rabobank have calculated that if the two investment funds Nationaal Groeifonds (NGF) and Fonds Onderzoek en Wetenschap (FOW) are scrapped, the Dutch economy will lose 90 billion euros in the long term. Converted, every euro invested from these funds yields 4.60 euros in GDP returns until 2035, and 5.80 euros until 2040. Read the RaboResearch rapport (in Dutch)
- TNO researchers warn that Dutch R&D spending will fall if the National Growth Fund is scrapped. They calculated that this fund provides around 0.2% additional public R&D funding annually. ''If there is no additional policy, contributions from it risk drying up from 2025/2026. Such a situation will pose a risk to the Netherlands' future earning capacity, as this expenditure stimulates new companies, allows existing companies to grow and contributes to the creation of prosperity and well-being'' Read the TNO-report (in Dutch)