The Dutch high-tech equipment sector is calling for a long-term successor of the Nxtgen Hightech program. The call comes as the cabinet has announced an additional 375-million-euro funding round for the National Growth Fund (NGF), but has yet to provide a lasting successor to the fund.
The NGF launched in 2020 to fund public-private R&D projects, only to be wound down in 2024. Despite the one-off additional funding round, programs like Nxtgen Hightech are left in the dark about future support mechanisms.
A TNO Vector study commissioned by the program recommends a semi-permanent successor to sustain large-scale innovation partnerships, with a horizon of 10-15 years. The planned National Agency for Disruptive Innovation and national investment institution won’t fill the same role, the authors argue: They support technological breakthroughs and commercial scaling, respectively. A Growth Fund successor would sustain the broader networks needed to turn research into products and businesses.
