The Netherlands falls behind in global tech race, new initiative aims to close gap

The Netherlands is falling behind in global tech competition, with too few start-ups successfully scaling into international players. In response, TNO, Techleap, and Invest-NL have announced a collaboration aimed at accelerating technological innovation and strengthening the competitive position of Dutch tech companies. The organizations plan to help start-ups scale and drive economic growth in both the Netherlands and Europe.

Of the 50 largest technology companies worldwide, only four are European. According to TNO, Techleap, and Invest-NL, the Netherlands lacks a strategic focus on creating the right conditions for tech businesses to expand internationally. This is problematic, as technology firms play a critical role in addressing major global challenges such as the circular economy and the energy transition.

The numbers highlight the issue: for the first time, the number of new start-ups in the Netherlands declined last year, dropping from 197 to 128. While the country’s scale-up ratio—the percentage of start-ups that grow to at least 10 million euros in financing—has improved from 13 percent to 21.5 percent over the past five years, it still lags behind the European average of 23 percent and significantly trails the U.S. average of 54 percent.

To reverse this trend, TNO, Techleap, and Invest-NL will initially focus on three key technologies where the Netherlands already has a strong research and talent base: quantum computing, semiconductors, and photonics. The organizations will provide the most promising companies in these sectors with guidance, funding, and strategic support to help them scale into global players. Once the partnership gains traction, the focus will reportedly expand to other technological fields with high potential for innovation and economic impact.