Netherlands Advocates Cross-Technology Innovation Strategy to Tackle National Challenges
Netherlands, Friday, 19 December 2025.
Dutch innovation policy expert Frits Grotenhuis argues that breakthrough innovations emerge when different technological domains collaborate rather than operate in isolation. His perspective, published in AG Connect, emphasizes that the Netherlands should focus on intersections between key technologies within the National Technology Strategy. Grotenhuis, director of Digital Holland, contends that digital technology now serves as a driving force across nearly every technical and societal challenge. This cross-pollination approach could help the Netherlands achieve climate neutrality, extend healthy lifespans, and strengthen national security through collaborative innovation rather than siloed technological development.
Provincial Push for National Collaboration
Grotenhuis’s call for cross-technology collaboration aligns with recent provincial initiatives demanding greater national coordination in technology and innovation policy. In December 2025, the provinces of Noord-Brabant, Gelderland, and Overijssel presented a position paper to the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Den Haag, urging the cabinet to actively involve their expertise in shaping new national technology policy [2]. These three provinces consider themselves the heart of the Dutch technological economy, hosting industries ranging from semiconductor production to medical technology [2]. Noord-Brabant’s deputy for economic affairs, Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, warned that “without clear priorities and focus on key technologies, the Netherlands risks falling behind internationally” [2]. The provinces argue for a joint integrated technology agenda with the national government that aligns with both the National Technology Strategy and recent reports from Peter Wennink and Mario Draghi [2].
Technological Specialization Across Regions
Each province brings distinct technological strengths that exemplify the cross-pollination approach Grotenhuis advocates. Noord-Brabant specializes in high-tech systems, while Overijssel focuses on medical technology and photonics, and Gelderland concentrates on food technology and chip production [2]. The regional specialization extends beyond manufacturing, with Wageningen and Food Valley possessing global expertise in food technology, and Nijmegen serving as part of Lifeport [2]. Gelderland has set ambitious targets to train 6,000 new professionals for the semiconductor sector by 2030, demonstrating the scale of investment required for technological advancement [2]. Overijssel’s deputy for economic affairs, Erwin Hoogland, emphasized the urgency: “Delay is not an option. If the Netherlands doesn’t act now, we lose our technological advantage. What we build here has impact that reaches beyond our borders” [2].
Research Funding Reflects Cross-Technology Priorities
The Dutch research funding landscape already demonstrates movement toward the cross-technology approach Grotenhuis champions. The Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO) invests approximately €138 million annually in programming for the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant (KIC) 2024-2027, which focuses on eight Knowledge and Innovation Agendas including climate and energy, circular economy, agriculture, water, food, safety, health and care, key technologies, digitalization, and societal earning capacity [3]. One specific call for proposals, “Nature-inclusive decision-making in business,” allocated €8.9 million to projects linking biodiversity monitoring with business decision-making in the agriculture, water, and food sectors [3]. The funding structure requires interdisciplinary research integrating biological, ecological, agronomic, and technological research with social sciences, economics, and humanities [3]. Applications must demonstrate collaboration between knowledge institutions, private parties, and government, with mandatory co-financing requiring a minimum of 10% of the total budget at the project level [3].
Economic Imperatives Drive Innovation Strategy
The economic context supporting cross-technology collaboration is particularly evident in Zuid-Holland, which generates approximately one-fifth of Dutch GDP and hosts over 3.8 million inhabitants [4]. The province combines Rotterdam as a global port, The Hague as an administrative center, top knowledge institutions including TU Delft, Erasmus University, and Leiden University, plus a strong agri-food sector in Westland [4]. Despite favorable growth forecasts until 2027, Zuid-Holland’s economy faces challenges including declining productivity and limited innovation in production sectors [4]. The province hosts 0.33 percent of Dutch technology companies, particularly in the High Tech Systems & Materials sector, employing over 123,000 people across more than 6,000 companies [4]. Companies in Zuid-Holland invest more than 6% of their turnover in research and development, demonstrating significant commitment to innovation [4]. However, the region faces a critical challenge with a 0.14 percent decrease in student enrollment in technical secondary vocational education programs between 2018/2019 and 2023/2024 [4].