Investing in technology and collaboration: the key to future prosperity

The Netherlands is at a crucial juncture in its technological and economic development. The insights from Peter Wennink's report and the geopolitical shifts, in which China increasingly dictates the international rules of the game, demonstrate that our future prosperity cannot be taken for granted.

The technology sector faces significant opportunities, but also structural barriers that can only be overcome through collaboration. It is precisely this collaboration that holds the key to strategic autonomy, increased productivity, and continued international relevance.

Wennink Report

The Wennink report emphasizes with great urgency that the Netherlands must invest heavily in technology, innovation and productivity to remain economically healthy in the coming decades.[1] Current investment appetite is lagging behind, not due to a lack of ambition, but due to structural barriers such as slow permitting processes, high energy costs, complex regulations, and a tax climate that discourages rather than attracts investors. At the same time, the report emphasizes that the technology sector can now become the engine of future prosperity, provided the Netherlands succeeds in investing more effectively in critical domains such as digitalization, AI, life sciences, biotechnology, and energy and climate technology. The Netherlands boasts strong knowledge institutions, a high-quality manufacturing industry, and internationally recognized innovation power, but it is not yet fully utilizing this potential. To change this, stable policies, clear framework conditions, and a strong national strategy are needed, but equally important is that the players in the ecosystem are better able to connect with each other.

China is expanding

This need becomes even more pressing when we consider the geopolitical reality. China is rapidly expanding its global influence by investing in innovation, technology, and trade relations.[2] The way China increasingly dictates the rules of both geopolitical and economic affairs has direct consequences for Europe, and therefore for the Netherlands. The technological dominance of countries outside Europe makes it clear that we must strengthen our own resilience. Dependence on foreign technology, raw materials, or infrastructure poses a risk that will only increase in the coming years. The Netherlands cannot afford to sit back in a world where major powers are strategically positioning themselves around technology, data, and industrial chains. That is precisely why strengthening our own technological ecosystem is essential: collaboration, investment, acceleration, and creating scale within Europe.

Crossroads

This places FHI and WoTS 2026 at a natural intersection of strategy and practice. FHI combines the strengths of four technology sectors, facilitates knowledge sharing, and encourages cross-sector collaboration. The federation thus forms the backbone of an ecosystem that would otherwise remain too fragmented. WoTS 2026, as the largest technology trade fair in the Benelux, brings this ecosystem to life and enables technical experts not only to see innovations but also to understand, test, and apply them. At a time when the Netherlands is facing enormous technological and economic transitions, WoTS 2026 offers the platform where vision, technology, and collaboration converge.

The common thread between the Wennink Report, WoTS 2026, and the geopolitical shifts is clear: the future of the Netherlands depends on collaboration. Not only between businesses and government, but also between engineers, innovators, researchers, policymakers, suppliers, and end users. No single player can tackle the technological challenges of the coming decades alone. The necessary waves of investment will only materialize when businesses strengthen each other, knowledge is shared rapidly, innovation practices are scaled up, and technical expertise is made widely accessible.

United technology front

The Netherlands must therefore think beyond sectoral interests. The future demands a united technological front, in which companies collaborate to accelerate innovation, stimulate investment, and increase productivity. WoTS 2026 serves as a meeting and acceleration platform, while FHI provides the long-term structure necessary to make collaboration sustainable. In a world where speed, technological dominance, and geopolitical shifts dictate the rules of the game, collaboration is no longer an option but an absolute requirement.

[1] WoTS 2026 shows the Netherlands how we are working today to create the world of tomorrow: The road to future prosperity. – FHI, federation of technology industries

[2] China increasingly determines the rules of the geopolitical game