Growth fund wants to invest 1.3 billion in technology

The National Growth Fund will invest around 4 billion euros this year, of which 1.3 billion euros should go to technological progress. This is according to the committee appointed by the cabinet to help determine where the investment money should be invested. In the short term, 520 million euros will already be invested in artificial intelligence and quantum and hydrogen technology.

A total of ten projects have been selected, including: green hydrogen, AiNed (artificial intelligence), QuantumDeltaNL (quantum technology), two educational projects, Health-RI (data networks for hospitals) and RegMed XB, a new form of medicine based on gene and cell therapy.

The growth fund focuses on three spearheads: knowledge development, physical infrastructure and research, development and innovation. A total of 20 billion euros will be available between 2021 and 2026. In total, 646 million euros will be paid out directly from the Growth Fund in this first phase. For 3.5 billion euros in reserves, applicants must provide additional substantiation before a final decision follows. Read the full advice of the committee on the website of the central government.

MKB-Nederland and VNO-NCW respond satisfactorily on the advice: “The investments announced today from the Growth Fund of 4 billion euros give innovation, the energy transition and the development of the infrastructure in the Netherlands the wind in its sails and are an exceptionally good thing. In precisely these areas, an extra step was really needed for a healthy and sustainable knowledge economy. The growth fund is an important strategic investment in the future of the Netherlands.”