ROM Invests €1 Billion in Dutch Innovation to Boost SME Growth
Amsterdam, Monday, 11 August 2025.
Since 2021, ROMs have aided over 2,500 SMEs, enhancing global competitiveness. Investment advances innovation, vital for climate and tech challenges, creating 4,500 jobs.
Investment Impact on SMEs
The remarkable investment of €1 billion by the nine regional development agencies (ROMs) in the Netherlands underscores a strategic push to augment the innovation capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Since this initiative began in 2021, over 2,500 SMEs have benefited from enhanced opportunities to develop and refine their innovative solutions, strategically positioning them for global competitiveness. The project’s focus on sustainable innovation serves as a critical response to the pressing environmental challenges and the rapid pace of technological advancement faced today [1].
Regional Contributions to Innovation
In 2024 alone, ROMs invested €236 million across 538 innovation projects, continuing their cumulative contribution of €1 billion since 2021. This comprehensive effort not only supports SMEs but actively fosters the inclusion of 155 foreign companies, bringing in over €2 billion of investments into the Dutch economy. Such actions are expected to lead to the creation of more than 4,500 high-quality jobs in the coming years, further illustrating the ROMs’ effective role as catalysts for economic growth and innovation [1][2].
Case Study: DOPS Technologies
A notable example of these investments can be seen in North Holland, where ROM funding assists companies like DOPS in deploying their Direct Carbon Immobilization (DCI) technology. This process facilitates the conversion of waste into valuable resources like syngas and activated carbon while significantly reducing CO₂ emissions compared to traditional methods. Such innovative approaches are crucial for advancing the Netherlands’ environmental initiatives and enhancing the productivity of its business sectors [2].
Strategic Importance of Regional Support
The importance of strong regional innovation ecosystems is underscored by these efforts, as highlighted during the presentation of annual figures on 2 July 2025. During a meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, the ROMs discussed the continued need for regional support networks that provide businesses with access to capital, knowledge, and infrastructure. This collaborative framework is essential to maintaining the strategic autonomy of the Dutch economy and ensuring its SMEs can compete on an international scale [1][2].