Zuid-Holland Secures Significant EU Innovation Funding Boost
Zuid-Holland, Friday, 7 March 2025.
Zuid-Holland obtains 1.7 billion euros in EU funds for 1,930 projects, enhancing innovation and sustainability, leading to 26,499 jobs and reducing CO2 by 206,705 tons.
Record-Breaking Innovation Investment
The Zuid-Holland region has demonstrated exceptional success in securing European funding, with €1,726,265,121 allocated between January 2021 and September 2024. This substantial investment spans 1,930 projects involving 2,382 regional participations from 702 unique organizations [1]. The scale of this funding represents a significant increase of 88.652% compared to the previous programming period, which recorded €915 million in September 2017 [1].
Environmental Impact and Employment Generation
The funded projects are expected to deliver substantial environmental benefits, with a projected CO2 reduction of 206,705 tons [1]. Additionally, the economic impact has been particularly noteworthy, creating 26,499 full-time equivalent positions across the region [1]. Of the total funding, €267,253,803 has been specifically allocated to agricultural initiatives, while the European Investment Bank has provided €1.2 billion in loans to regional organizations [1].
Strategic Focus on Knowledge Development
The Horizon Europe program emerges as the cornerstone of this funding success, representing the largest share of allocated subsidies both in terms of monetary value and project quantity [1]. This concentration of investment in knowledge and innovation underscores Zuid-Holland’s position as a significant research and development hub. The region’s strong performance in securing these competitive funds highlights the robustness of its regional knowledge clusters [1].
Future Growth and Sustainability
The region is actively expanding its sustainable development initiatives, as evidenced by recent explorations into new wind energy possibilities [2]. This strategic focus on renewable energy aligns with the broader objectives of the EU funding program, demonstrating Zuid-Holland’s commitment to combining innovation with environmental responsibility. The province continues to encourage local organizations to pursue EU funding opportunities, offering specialized expertise and guidance through their official channels [1].