Innovatiespotter's analysis, based on data from over half a million companies, shows that nearly half of the approximately 60,000 identified innovative enterprises do not make use of the thousands of available programs and networks. Only a small proportion, about 5,200 companies, actually utilize subsidies. (Micro) enterprises with fewer than ten employees that have been in existence for a longer period lag behind in particular: only about 4% make use of schemes through the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
The gap between innovation and support
According to Innovatiespotter, the cause lies not so much in a lack of interest, but rather in the complexity and fragmentation of the available schemes. Entrepreneurs can no longer see the wood for the trees, and it simply takes too much time to delve into constantly changing regulations. At the same time, it appears that sectors such as high-tech, sustainable energy, and the circular economy are better at finding their way.
It is precisely at this intersection that Holland High Tech explicitly positions itself. In recent years, Holland High Tech has actively focused on better reaching SMEs, particularly through targeted calls and accessible programs and schemes. Holland High Tech does this together with partners: trade associations, Regional Development Agencies (ROMs), and other parties in the high-tech ecosystem. The goal: to narrow the gap between innovative capacity and the use of support.
Leo Warmerdam, Executive director Holland High Tech:
Through targeted financial instruments, such as our SME High-Tech Call and SME Defence Call, and the deployment of Innovation Brokers, we make innovation more accessible to entrepreneurs. We help SMEs not only with financing but also with access to knowledge, partners, and networks. Especially for micro-enterprises in the high-tech sector, this can make the difference between a good idea and a successful innovation launch.
Targeted instruments for SMEs
A concrete example is the SME High-Tech Call, introduced in 2024. This call specifically targets SMEs working on technological innovations within high-tech systems and materials. For two years, entrepreneurs collaborate with research organizations on innovative projects that align with the innovation domains of Holland High Tech. The call supports industrial research aimed at the development and application of key technologies. Entrepreneurs can count on grant amounts reaching up to approximately €300,000 per project, depending on the scope and collaboration. The emphasis is on applicable innovations with market potential.
Since 2025, the SME Defence Call has been added, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, focusing on innovations that contribute to security and strategic autonomy. This call addresses the growing need for technological solutions within the defence domain and focuses on the NLD areas of Space, Quantum, and Smart Materials from the Defence Strategy for Industry and Innovation 2025-2029. Here too, the subsidy amount is in the order of several hundred thousand euros per project, with room for consortia in which SMEs play a central role.
From reach to impact: unlocking innovation power
What distinguishes these instruments is not only the financial support, but also the guidance that Holland High Tech offers. By staying close to the target group and approaching entrepreneurs specifically, the threshold is significantly lowered. This aligns with the observation in Het Financieele Dagblad (FD) that entrepreneurs in the high-tech sector, in particular, find their way to support more easily, a development that Holland High Tech is deliberately focusing on.
The core message of the Innovatiespotter study and the FD article is clear: innovation power resides not only with large companies or start-ups, but precisely with small-scale, experienced entrepreneurs operating close to their market within a complex supply chain. The challenge lies in unlocking this power. Holland High Tech demonstrates that targeted, accessible, and well-communicated financial instruments can make the difference in this regard.
The next step for the Netherlands is to scale up this approach further. For if one thing becomes clear from the research, it is that the Netherlands still has enormous untapped innovation potential, and that often starts with the smallest players.
