Invest-NL: worrying lack of private funding for Dutch quantum sector

Dutch quantum startups need 1-2 billion euros in investment to reach profitability, according to a study conducted by Invest-NL. Up to 300 million euros is required within the next 1-1.5 years. So far, the nascent sector has only seen an estimated 10 million euros in private investments. “We recognize that quantum technology remains an enigmatic and unfamiliar territory for many,” the public investment bank writes in a press release.

Invest-NL, which also runs the 250-million-euro Deep Tech Fund, is a big believer in the potential of the Dutch quantum ecosystem. As a public entity, however, it needs to get private investors on board before it can fund a company. “We’re committed to informing both private and public (co-)investors about the opportunities and potentials this technology holds. By dispelling myths and uncertainties surrounding quantum technology, we aim to lower the barriers to investments in this sector.”

Quantum companies – there are currently 14 in the Netherlands – so far have been running on a mix of subsidies, sales to academic groups, seed funding from their parent universities or research institutes and various participations. In 2021, the Dutch government provisionally awarded 615 million euros to Quantum Delta NL, a public-private partnership of tech companies, government agencies and all major quantum research centers in the Netherlands.