Large investment in renewed Dutch innovation policy

2 december 2019

Dutch companies, knowledge institutions and governments will jointly invest €4.9 billion in 2020 in the government's renewed top sector and innovation policy.

Of this, €2.05 billion comes from companies and €2.85 billion from public funds. This is a doubling compared to this year, according to the knowledge and innovation agreement 2020-2023 (KIC), which State Secretary Keijzer of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) has sent to the House of Representatives.

New partners

Compared to 2019, a large number of new partners are joining the KIC: various other ministries, provinces, regional development companies (ROMs), knowledge institutions, universities and colleges. The KIC brings their investments in innovation together under the new top sector and innovation policy. This policy is based on the economic opportunities of societal challenges (energy transition & sustainability; agriculture, water & food; health & care; safety), key technologies (such as AI, photonics, nano and quantum) and economic earning capacity.

Many new partners are more regionally oriented and therefore make it easier for SMEs to join in with research and development. SMEs are indispensable in the innovation process: they ensure that research finds its application in concrete products and services.

Key technologies

The key technologies mentioned above form a separate theme within the KIC. The total investment in these promising technologies for 2020 is expected to be around €1 billion. This amount offers possibilities for filling in the National Agendas for AI, quantum, photonics, composites and nanotechnology that have already been presented, as well as for other initiatives that fall under key technologies (for example battery technology).

Exactly how the amount for key technologies is distributed depends on the needs of companies and the opportunities that researchers see. That will become clear in the course of the coming year.

With these plans, the support for innovation in The Netherlands is guaranteed for the coming years. This offers various possibilities for Dutch companies and further improves the Dutch business and R&D-climate for foreign R&D-companies. If you want to stay informed, please contact one of the Alfa grant experts.