These choices are not easy. The Cabinet emphasizes that budgetary room is limited and that prioritizing is necessary, despite an expected economic growth of 1.4% in 2026. At the same time, there is a strong focus on investments in defense and the broader economy, which offers opportunities specifically for the high-tech sector, for example at the intersection of security, digitalization, and technological innovation. Themes such as AI and technological sovereignty also remain explicitly on the agenda. As does the deployment of locally sourced sustainable energy, with nuclear energy, hydrogen, and offshore wind energy, for a sustainable and energy-independent Netherlands.
Tight choices call for targeted investments in innovation and technology
Against this backdrop, concerns about the innovation ecosystem are growing. The discontinuation of the NWO Perspective programme directly impacts the structural collaboration between knowledge institutions and the business community. As Holland High Tech previously emphasized, precisely these types of long-term programmes are crucial for maintaining innovation capacity. The Spring Budget Memorandum thus underscores the importance of consistent investments to continue strengthening the competitive position of the Dutch high-tech sector.
