Dutch Regional Companies Pour One Billion Euros Into Innovation Projects
Netherlands, Sunday, 18 January 2026.
Nine regional development companies across the Netherlands have collectively invested over one billion euros in innovation since 2021, supporting more than 2,500 small and medium enterprises. This unprecedented funding initiative represents one of the largest regional innovation programs in Dutch history, focusing on three critical areas: innovation development, investment facilitation, and internationalization to help businesses scale globally.
Record Investment Activity in 2024
The investment momentum reached new heights in 2024, with the nine regional development companies (ROMs) deploying €236 million across 538 innovation projects [1]. This substantial financial commitment brought their collective contribution to innovation since 2021 to the milestone figure of €1 billion [1]. Beyond innovation funding, the ROMs simultaneously invested €215 million in 367 businesses during 2024, expanding their total portfolio to 1,137 innovative enterprises [1]. The scale of this coordinated regional approach demonstrates the Netherlands’ commitment to maintaining its competitive edge in the global innovation landscape.
International Investment Attraction and Job Creation
The ROMs’ efforts extended beyond domestic innovation support to attract significant foreign investment. In 2024, they successfully drew 155 international companies to the Netherlands, which collectively invested more than €2 billion in the Dutch economy [1]. These foreign investments are projected to create over 4,500 high-skilled jobs in the coming years [1]. The ability to attract such substantial international capital while simultaneously nurturing domestic innovation highlights the effectiveness of the regional development model in creating a robust economic ecosystem.
Concrete Innovation Examples Across Regions
The impact of ROM investments manifests in tangible technological breakthroughs across different regions. In Noord-Holland, DOPS demonstrates the practical application of ROM support through their Direct Carbon Immobilization technology (DCI), which addresses the pressing challenge of waste management and CO2 emissions [1]. The company transforms difficult-to-process waste streams, including household waste, organic materials, and industrial byproducts, into valuable products such as synthetic gas (syngas) and activated carbon, achieving significantly lower CO2 emissions compared to traditional processing methods [1]. This example illustrates how regional funding translates into solutions for major environmental and industrial challenges.
Strategic Foundation and Future Outlook
The success of the ROM approach stems from its multi-layered funding structure, combining resources from regional, national, and European sources to accelerate societal transitions and create sustainable economic value [1]. ROM Nederland chairperson Wendy de Jong emphasized that regional development companies serve as catalysts, connectors, and financiers, enabling innovative entrepreneurship to grow from regional roots to national and international success [1]. The program’s effectiveness was formally recognized during a presentation to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate on July 2, 2025, where ROM directors presented annual figures and discussed the future of innovative entrepreneurship in the Netherlands [1]. This governmental engagement underscores the strategic importance of the ROM model in the country’s broader economic development strategy.