Dutch Innovation Report Calls for Strategic Investment Focus

2025-07-01 community

The Hague, Tuesday, 1 July 2025.
The TNO Vector report advises the Netherlands to enhance its innovation landscape by prioritizing strategic sectors. Key suggestions include fostering collaboration between startups and large enterprises to maintain global competitiveness.

Strategic Priorities for Innovation

The TNO Vector report, authored by Wimar Bolhuis and commissioned by the Dutch Parliament, clearly establishes the pressing need for the Netherlands to prioritize certain innovation sectors. The report articulates that current challenges in competitive bidding and innovation procurement can be mitigated by focusing on collaboration among startups and larger enterprises. This approach aims to enhance the nation’s competitive edge in sectors like energy, quantum technology, and AI [1].

Innovation Gaps and Financial Instruments

The report highlights existing gaps in research and development (R&D) spending, noting that the Netherlands lags behind Europe in this crucial area. Although the country performs well in venture capital availability per capita, the capital flows inadequately into deep-tech and later-stage startups. As a result, productivity growth is stymied, inhibiting structural economic transformation [1].

Role of Government in Driving Innovation

The Dutch government’s role is cited as pivotal, particularly through becoming a ‘launching customer’ for new technologies. With annual procurement expenditures around €100 billion, government initiatives could effectively create markets for innovative products, encouraging private investment in R&D. New operational methods and enhanced risk appetite among public and private sectors are necessary to realize these objectives [1].

Future Directions and Opportunities

Looking forward, areas such as clean technology, ICT, and defense offer the Netherlands prime opportunities for growth. By embracing innovation-oriented procurement methods, the nation could strengthen its economic framework and create a more attractive environment for private R&D investments. The report underscores the importance of public-private partnerships in achieving these strategic goals [1].

Bronnen

innovation investment TNO Vector