{"id":490862,"date":"2024-10-23T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=490862"},"modified":"2024-10-23T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-23T10:00:00","slug":"dutch-deep-tech-scale-ups-seek-attention-from-politicians-and-investors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/dutch-deep-tech-scale-ups-seek-attention-from-politicians-and-investors\/","title":{"rendered":"Dutch deeptech scaleups seek attention from politicians and investors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The contrast was impossible to ignore: while the top Dutch deeptech scaleups made a desperate plea to get the much-desired attention from politicians and investors, the interest in that message in the small room at Nieuwspoort was so great that there wasn’t even a seat for everyone. There were politicians, investors, government officials, entrepreneurs, and journalists, who were precisely the audience for which the NTS Tech Champions<\/a>‘ message was intended. And yet, to all present, it felt like these were not the people who needed convincing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NTS Tech Champions <\/h2>

Ten CEOs of leading Dutch scaleups representing the ten critical technologies of the National Technology Strategy (NTS) have drafted a manifesto to shake up the country. According to the initiators, technologies essential for the future of the Dutch economy are currently not given enough space to develop fully. This manifests partly because the scaleups crucial to developing these technologies are not sufficiently successful in growing into fully-fledged commercial companies in the Netherlands. To change this, the initiators are asking the government for a more consistent policy, a shared entrepreneurial risk, and a higher speed of action. Read the manifesto here.<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, the meeting in Nieuwspoort had a high \u201cpreaching-to-own-parish\u201d content. Everyone addressed each other by first name; no one needed an introduction. We saw politicians and EZ employees who were already sympathetic to the desire for a consistent, innovation-friendly policy. We heard investors who had already demonstrated extensively that deeptech scaleups were high on their list of priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Techleap was there with Constantijn van Oranje and VNO-NCW with Ingrid Thijssen: they have been propagating the core idea of the manifesto for many years. And the entrepreneurs present were mainly the senders of the message themselves and their direct network. So, it will depend, to a large extent, on the assessment of the journalists present to determine whether the so-fervently advocated desire of the Tech Champions reaches the intended audience. All the more so because chairman Eline van Beest left no misunderstanding that there is no need to count on extra money for lobbying or marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Meeting
Meeting NTS Tech Champions with Constantijn van Oranje, Mattijs Slee, and Elise de Reus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was shouting with a gag in the mouth, boxing with hands tied behind the back; the discrepancy between the immense importance of the message and the powerlessness of the performers expressed several times was palpable. Above all, let it be clear that the NTS Tech Champions are fighting a crucial battle, especially in the current political climate. In times when internationalization is being fiddled with, higher education is being drastically cut back, and potential unicorns are threatening to leave for the U.S. because they can get their funding there, it feels extra sour that the very companies that can offer solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges are barely keeping their heads above water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Technology strategy <\/h2>

These 10 technologies – followed by their representative in the Tech Champions – make up the National Technology Strategy determined in early 2024:
Optics and integrated photonics<\/strong>:\u00a0SMART Photonics<\/a>\u00a0
Quantum:<\/strong> QuantWare<\/a>\u00a0
Green chemical production processes:\u00a0<\/strong>Battolyser Systems<\/a>\u00a0
Biotechnology focused on molecules and cells:\u00a0<\/strong>Leyden Labs<\/a>\u00a0
Imaging technology:<\/strong> Nicolab<\/a>\u00a0
(Opto)mechatronics (industrial systems\/machines and equipment):<\/strong> Nearfield instruments<\/a>\u00a0
Artificial intelligence (AI) and data:\u00a0<\/strong>Cradle<\/a>\u00a0
Energy materials:\u00a0<\/strong>LeydenJar<\/a>\u00a0
Semiconductors:<\/strong>\u00a0Axelera AI<\/a>\u00a0
Cyber security:\u00a0<\/strong>Eclectic IQ<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Then, we get to the need for movement on all those issues rightly raised by the ten scaleups and their supporters. According to the initiators, this boils down to three desires:<\/p>\n\n\n\n