This decision appears to sit uneasily with the government’s own innovation ambitions. These include reversing cuts to higher education and research, working towards the 3% target for research and innovation, and the intention to establish a National Agency for Disruptive Innovation (NADI) and a National Investment Institution (NII).
NWO has responded with disappointment. Board Chair Marcel Levi stated that the programme plays an essential bridging role between fundamental research and the commercialisation of developed products, and that ending it runs counter to the new government’s innovation policy. He also points out that Perspectief demonstrably attracts, trains and retains talent for the Netherlands, while contributing to strong ecosystems around key enabling technologies.
Holland High Tech calls on the government to continue investing fully in innovation through public-private collaboration, closely connected to the priority key enabling technologies of the National Technology Strategy.
