The Netherlands Turns Every Euro of EU Research Funding Into Nearly Two — Here Is How
The Hague, Monday, 1 June 2026.
Dutch organizations have secured €5 billion from the EU’s Horizon Europe program since 2021, ranking fourth in Europe. Remarkably, every euro invested returns nearly two — a compelling case for innovation funding.
A Milestone Announced in Brussels
On May 29, 2026, the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) — the Netherlands Enterprise Agency — officially announced that Dutch knowledge institutions and innovative companies had crossed the €5 billion threshold in European subsidies secured through the Horizon Europe program since its launch in 2021 [3]. The timing of the announcement was deliberate: Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Letschert was in Brussels that same week, working alongside fellow EU member state ministers on the successor program to Horizon Europe [3][5]. The milestone is not merely symbolic. It positions the Netherlands as the fourth-largest recipient of Horizon Europe funding across Europe, ahead of many larger economies [1][2].
A Return That Speaks for Itself
The financial logic underpinning Dutch enthusiasm for Horizon Europe is straightforward: every euro the Netherlands contributes to the program returns nearly two euros in awarded grants [3]. Minister Letschert framed it plainly in a statement released on May 29, 2026: ‘In this European program, we earn back almost double every euro we put in as the Netherlands’ [3]. This net-positive return is a powerful argument for sustained public investment in the program. Since 2023, the Dutch government has allocated approximately €80 million annually through the RVO to compensate publicly funded knowledge institutions for their mandatory own contributions to Horizon Europe projects [3]. That structural support has helped maintain the quality and volume of Dutch proposals year after year [2].
Who Is Getting the Money — and for What
Breaking down the €5 billion reveals a funding landscape dominated by universities and research institutions, but with a meaningful share flowing to private enterprise. Educational institutions received €2.4 billion, accounting for 45% of the total, with TU Delft identified as the leading recipient among Dutch universities [1][2][3]. Research organizations such as TNO received €857 million, representing 16% of the total [1][2][3]. Companies collectively secured €1.3 billion — 25% of the total — of which €1.1 billion went to more than 1,250 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) [1][2]. Geographically, the province of Zuid-Holland led all Dutch regions with €1.5 billion in awarded funding, followed by Noord-Holland with €1.3 billion [3].
Projects on the Ground: From Quantum Security to Electric Barges
The numbers tell part of the story, but the individual projects funded under Horizon Europe reveal the practical breadth of what Dutch organizations are doing with European research money. Dutch university medical centers (UMCs) collectively received more than €500 million for health research [1][2]. Among the notable projects is CLARITY, in which Dutch UMCs are using lab-grown lung tissue to research how RS-virus-induced asthma in babies can be prevented [1][2]. In parallel, Amsterdam-based startup Q*bird is executing the NEXUS project, aimed at securing critical information and communication networks against both conventional cyber threats and the emerging risks posed by quantum computing [1][2]. Meanwhile, the municipality of Amsterdam is running a pilot under the MetaCCAZE project, which is testing the transition of heavy waste transport from road vehicles to electric inland vessels, alongside emission-free mobility solutions such as cargo bikes and AI-driven logistics tools [1][2].
Outperforming Europe’s Average — By a Significant Margin
Dutch organizations participating in Horizon Europe have achieved a proposal success rate of 21.9%, compared to the European average of 16.5% [1][2]. That gap — 5.4 percentage points above the European mean — reflects not just the quality of individual proposals, but a well-developed national support infrastructure. The RVO functions as the National Contact Point for Horizon Europe in the Netherlands, providing applicants with expert feedback and advocacy with the European Commission [2]. Dutch parties are now involved in 22% of all Horizon Europe projects across the EU [1][2]. Translated into per-capita terms, the €5 billion milestone equates to €299.50 for every Dutch resident [1][2].
Looking Ahead: The Next Horizon
With the current Horizon Europe program running through 2027, attention is already turning to what comes next. On May 28, 2026, Minister Herbert represented the Netherlands in Brussels at a meeting of European ministers to discuss a joint position on the successor program, followed by Minister Letschert’s participation on May 29, 2026 [3][5]. The European Commission has proposed a budget of €175 billion for the successor program, covering the period 2028–2034 [3]. The RVO has indicated that its advisors will be available to support researchers and entrepreneurs when the next program begins in 2028 [2]. In preparation for the final calls of the current cycle, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s IXA-GO Grants Office, in collaboration with the RVO, hosted an information session on May 28, 2026, specifically focused on the 2027 Cluster 1 (Health) calls, covering topics from digital health and AI in healthcare to antimicrobial resistance and personalised medicine [4]. The session was presented by RVO advisors Jost de Bruin and Tonnie Rijkers [4]. For Dutch researchers, institutions, and startups, the runway to 2027 remains active — and the groundwork for 2028 is already being laid.