Netherlands Needs $10.2 Billion to Keep Quantum Technology Lead as Competition Intensifies

2026-01-31 semicon

Netherlands, Saturday, 31 January 2026.
Former ASML CEO Peter Wennink warns that the Netherlands requires at least €9.4 billion investment to maintain its world-class quantum computing position amid fierce global competition.

Quantum Computing: The Technology Reshaping Industries

This article focuses on quantum computing, a revolutionary technology that fundamentally differs from traditional semiconductor-based computers [GPT]. Unlike conventional computers that use binary bits (0s and 1s), quantum computers utilize quantum bits or ‘qubits’ that can exist in multiple states simultaneously through quantum superposition [GPT]. This allows quantum computers to perform certain calculations exponentially faster than classical computers, particularly in areas like cryptography, drug discovery, financial modeling, and artificial intelligence optimization [GPT]. The technology promises to deliver superior computing power and more secure communication networks, positioning it as the future of computing infrastructure [1].

Dutch Leadership Under Threat

Former ASML CEO Peter Wennink delivered his stark warning about quantum sector funding as part of economic recommendations to the Dutch Cabinet in December 2025 [1]. Wennink emphasized that Dutch quantum science currently maintains world-class status, with local startups developing critical components including quantum chips, specialized cables, and testing equipment that form the backbone of quantum computing infrastructure [1]. However, this leadership position faces imminent threats without substantial financial intervention. The quantum computing industry has already made significant strides in the Netherlands, with QuantWare, a Delft-based startup, developing the country’s first factory to produce computer chips capable of storing 10,000 qubits, with each chip expected to cost approximately 50 million euros [1].

Critical Transition from Workshop to Industrial Scale

The fundamental challenge facing the Dutch quantum sector lies in scaling from workshop-level production to full industrial manufacturing capabilities [1]. Wennink highlighted that while Dutch startups excel at developing vital quantum components, they lack the capital necessary to make this critical transition [1]. Without significant investments, the Netherlands’ emerging quantum technology industry risks falling behind larger competitors, with startups facing potential takeovers, particularly from United States-based companies [1]. This scenario mirrors existing concerns about European technological dependence, where the Netherlands and Europe as a whole already struggle to reduce reliance on American information technology [1]. The quantum sector represents a strategic opportunity to avoid repeating this dependency pattern in next-generation computing technologies.

Broader National Technology Strategy

The €9.4 billion quantum investment requirement forms part of a much larger technological strategy for the Netherlands. The Nationale Technologiestrategie (NTS), launched in 2024, encompasses ten sectors including Quantum Technologies and AI & Data, with working groups proposing 53 innovation programs costing an estimated €14 billion to strengthen Dutch economic competitiveness over the next decade [8]. Within this framework, public and private parties plan to allocate over €800 million specifically to build quantum computers on an industrial scale, while an additional €600 million will be invested in constructing a quantum communication network to position the Netherlands as a global leader [8]. The broader Wennink report indicated that investments between €151 billion and €187 billion are necessary until 2035 to achieve annual economic growth of 1.5% to 2% [8]. Peter Stolk, Chairman of the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda for Key Technologies, emphasized the urgency: ‘By continuing to invest in technology and innovation, we become truly combative and competitive in the world’ [8].

Bronnen

quantum technology investment funding