Government presents MedTech 2035 policy agenda: the Netherlands aims to have the strongest MedTech ecosystem in Europe

By 2035, the Netherlands will have the strongest MedTech ecosystem in Europe, in which research, healthcare and industry work together seamlessly to create a future-proof and appropriate healthcare system, whilst also generating economic impact. This ambition is central to the MedTech 2035 policy agenda, which Ministers Heleen Herbert (Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, EZK) and Sophie Hermans (Public Health, Welfare and Sport, VWS) have today submitted to the House of Representatives. The government is investing € 102.5 million up to and including 2036. Invest-NL and institutional investors today announced a further €150 million in private funding, on top of the € 50 million already committed by Philips in July.

“This policy agenda gives the MedTech sector exactly what it needs: a single shared ambition, national coordination and the resources to take decisive action. The Netherlands’ strength lies in the synergy between world-class healthcare institutions, knowledge institutions and a high-tech manufacturing industry that supplies key technologies, ranging from imaging and photonics to chips and robotics. Holland High Tech positions this high-tech sector – from research institutions to large corporations and SMEs – to contribute to the MedTech of the future. In this way, we are working together to improve healthcare, increase job satisfaction for healthcare professionals and boost the Netherlands’ earning potential.” 

Leo Warmerdam, Managing Director of Holland High Tech

Successful first strategic working session of the National Agenda for Cognitive Robotics

On Monday 19 October, more than fifty executives and experts from the high-tech and manufacturing sectors, knowledge institutions, regional authorities and central government gathered at Nieuwspoort in The Hague for the first Strategic Working Session of the National Agenda for Cognitive Robotics (NACR). At the invitation of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK) and Holland High Tech, they provided feedback on the outline of the agenda and shared their ambitions for cognitive robotics in the Netherlands. The outcome: widespread recognition of the urgency, incisive insights into bottlenecks and areas for intervention, and a wealth of offers to help shape the agenda’s further development.

With its government-wide Quantum Strategy, the Cabinet is committed to Dutch leadership by 2035

By 2035, the Netherlands must be at the forefront of quantum technology, be less dependent on quantum applications from outside the EU, and be well protected against the security risks posed by the technology. This is set out in the Government-wide Quantum Strategy (RQS) which the government has submitted to the House of Representatives. This sends an important signal to the Dutch high-tech ecosystem: the government is committed to innovation and economic growth, as well as to strategic autonomy. Leo Warmerdam, Managing Director of Holland High Tech: “This strategy highlights the Netherlands’ strengths. It is not a single party doing everything on its own, but a chain of strong research institutions and Dutch companies – starting with start-ups and scale-ups – which together are developing the building blocks for quantum technology across the entire spectrum of the field.”

National Action Agenda Batteries presented 

The Netherlands has entered a new phase in the development of its battery ecosystem. What began as an ambition to secure a position in the global battery value chain has evolved into a strategy focused on acceleration, industrialisation and sustainable economic impact. The updated National Action Agenda for Batteries (NAB) provides a joint roadmap for government, industry and research institutions to transform Dutch battery innovations into scalable solutions that contribute to competitiveness, sustainability and strategic autonomy.

National Agenda for Cognitive Robotics at the Brainport Industries Annual Conference

Cognitive robotics is developing at a rapid pace and is changing the way we work and manufacture. For the Dutch manufacturing industry, this is not just a distant concern: innovations must not only be conceived, but also developed, produced and scaled up. It is precisely in this regard that our ecosystem plays a crucial role. This is why Brainport Industries has dedicated its Annual Conference on Thursday 8 October at the Brainport Industries Campus in Eindhoven to the theme Cognitive robots: from potential to productivity. Managing Director Leo Warmerdam attended on behalf of Holland High Tech.

“A national agenda is needed to increase labour productivity and create new earning potential, with the aim of establishing Dutch control points in the European robotics value chain. Cognitive robotics is therefore a driver of productivity and contributes to resilient autonomy.”

Leo Warmerdam, Managing Director of Holland High Tech 

Semicon Board NL discusses progress on Semicon Vision 2035

On 7 October, the Semicon Board NL met in The Hague, chaired by Heleen Herbert, Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK). Chairman Peter Stolk attended the meeting on behalf of Holland High Tech. Representatives from the Ministries of Defence, Education, Culture and Science, and Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, together with experts from the business community and interest groups in the semicon and deep tech sectors, discussed, amongst other things, the progress of the Semicon Vision 2035. This vision was published in April this year and forms the basis for the Semicon programme. Peter Stolk, Chair of Holland High Tech and Chair of Key Technologies: “The Semicon Vision 2035 is increasingly taking shape. Through Holland High Tech and the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda (KIA) for Key Technologies, we remain closely involved in the innovation agenda of the Semicon programmes, as well as a number of other innovation agendas."

AIMIRA can help surgeons operate with greater precision using a digital twin of the patient

Surgeons can benefit enormously from new computer technologies, enabling them to work more accurately and efficiently during minimally invasive surgery – commonly known as ‘keyhole surgery’. In the AIMIRA project, the University of Groningen (RUG) and the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG) are jointly developing a personalised digital twin of the area around the rectum. In the long term, this application could help a surgeon to operate more accurately and quickly in a dynamic environment with fewer operating theatre staff. This will enable better and more efficient care to be provided.

The AIMIRA project receives support from Holland High Tech under the PPP Innovation Scheme (PPS-I) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. This article is the fifth in a series of articles on the impact of innovation through PPS-I projects.

* Photo source: University of Groningen

Virtual ultrasounds as a testing ground for new medical technology

Can you still tell the difference between a computer-generated ultrasound image and a real one? Even experienced ultrasound specialists find this almost impossible. Daniek van Aarle recently completed her PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) with research into such virtual ultrasound images of blood vessels. Her work forms part of the PISANO and PICASSO projects, which receive public-private partnership (PPP) support from Holland High Tech.

PPS Innovation Scheme: 2027 submission dates announced

Over the past year, Holland High Tech has once again had the opportunity to support some excellent public-private partnership projects through the PPP Innovation Scheme. We hope to build on this success next year. The submission deadlines for 2027 have now been announced. Would you like to launch a project in 2027 in collaboration with research institutions and businesses? If so, please keep a close eye on these dates. Applications for the PPP Innovation Scheme are submitted via the strategic programmes.

Applications are now open for the euRobotics Technology Transfer Award 2027

Since 2004, euRobotics has been recognising successful collaborations between research and industry in Europe with the euRobotics Technology Transfer Award. This recognises robotics research that has developed into a product, application or service. The aim is to demonstrate how important knowledge transfer is to keeping European robotics at the forefront globally. Has your organisation successfully brought robotics research to market? If so, you could be in with a chance of winning the euRobotics Technology Transfer Award 2027. The deadline for applications is 17 January 2027. The finalists will present their pitches in early March at the European Robotics Forum in Birmingham.

CALLS

Reminder: SME Hightech call 2026 opens on 23 November

The third edition of the SME Hightech call opens on 23 November 2026 at 12:00. With this call, Holland High Tech is once again giving innovative SMEs the lead in determining the direction of industrial research. New this year is the specific focus on Cognitive Robotics, within the Smart Industry innovation domain. Prepare your application thoroughly and apply for a user account now via the Holland High Tech portal.

On 30 September 2026, a webinar was held on the call and the submission process. You can watch it here (YouTube).

New round of the National Growth Fund: update

In September 2026, it was announced that the government intends to launch a new round of the National Growth Fund (NGF), with €375 million earmarked for projects focused on strategic industrial policy. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK) has shared further details about the grant scheme and the (draft) timetable. Projects must contribute to the four domains and six targeted programmes of the strategic industrial policy. Funds will be allocated via a tender process: projects will be assessed and ranked, with the highest-scoring projects receiving grants until the budget is exhausted.

New NWO call: how can AI and (cognitive) robotics make SMEs smarter and stronger?

NWO is currently preparing the KIC call ‘Human Capital and Digital Innovation in the Netherlands’. This call focuses on research into the use of AI and (cognitive) robotics, particularly within SMEs, and is expected to have a budget of 7 million euros. This is a KIC crossover call: a call that brings together diverse areas of research and innovation to address a societal challenge.

Quantum technology: new TechBridge call for collaboration with the United Kingdom

Are you working on second-generation quantum technology and looking for partners in the United Kingdom? If so, the new TechBridge call may be of interest to you. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, is making €1.2 million available for joint R&D projects with British partners. Applications can be submitted from 2 November 2026 to 9 February 2027 inclusive.

Upcoming and open calls

• TechBridge call for proposals, United Kingdom 2026 – Quantum Technologies | opens 2 November 2026, 09:00, closes 9 February 2026, 17:00. Online information session 11 November 2026, 12.30–13.30.

• Call for Proposals: Security and Resilience in a Quantum Era | deadline for full applications: 3 November 2026, 14:00

• KIC Call: Demand-Driven Research by Consortia – XL | deadline 12 November 2026, 14:00

• EU Call: AI Gigafactories | deadline 12 November 2026

• SME Call thematic track: Labor-saving Technology | closing date 20 November 2026

• SME Hightech call 2026 | opening 23 November 2026

• HTSM Call 2026 | expected opening Q4 2026

• AI-Native Chip Design | closing 30 November 2026, 11:00 am

• LiT Open Calls – Four temporary funding modules | various closing dates in December 2026

• New round of the National Growth Fund | opens at the end of January 2027, closes

• KIC call for Human Capital and Digital Innovation in the Netherlands | closing date 18 May 2027, 14:00 (subject to change)

View the overview of both our own calls and those from national and international partner organisations. 

CALENDAR