News item | 23-09-2025 | 16:00
Innovative companies must not only start, but also scale up here. This is necessary for our earning capacity of the future and important for the large social tasks that we stand for. The cabinet will therefore further fill in the announced deployment on a stronger Dutch start-up and scale-up company climate. Among other things, more risk -bearing capital will be available, a new tax regulation for employee participation that applies from 1 January 2027 and the temporary boost program Techleap The government will continue for another 3 years until 2029.
The cabinet deployment is in the action agenda ‘Building the tech champions of tomorrow‘ from Minister Karremans (Economic Affairs). This makes the earlier established ambitions in areas such as financing, talent, tech courts, growth into scale-ups and focus on knowledge-intensive startups (Deep Tech) Further completed.
Taking extra steps is more than necessary. Other countries catch up on our left and right with investments in research and innovation. The Netherlands recently dropped from place 4 in 2022 to place 10 in 2025 on the list of most competitive economies in the world. We also lag behind countries such as the US and China when it comes to technological developments. If we want to secure our earning capacity and our public facilities in the future, we must ensure that innovative companies grow here.
Minister Karremans (Economic Affairs): “We must now invest in the earning capacity of tomorrow. Start-ups and scale-ups are the engine for economic growth and for solutions that make our society stronger and more sustainable. If we want the Netherlands to continue to pay our care, education and safety in 10 years, then we need this new generation of the Netherlands, but that is not the Netherlands, but that is the Netherlands, but that is the Netherlands, but that is not the Netherlands, but that is not the Netherlands, but that is not a lot of us. Ensure that these types of companies continue to develop here in the future and cannot continue to grow without new tech companies. ”
Building the tech champions of tomorrow
This new action agenda for start-ups and scale-ups must contribute to the fact that at least 10 new technology and market leaders will be produced in the Netherlands in the coming 10 years. That is why we focus on 6 priorities:
- A strong ecosystem: the financing of the temporary, successful boost program TechleapThe government is extended by the government by 3 years with a renewed focus on scaling up DeepTech companies. Keeps Techleap At least until 2029 driver of a strong ecosystem.
- Find and hold talent: A new tax scheme for employee participation is being worked on that must start on January 1, 2027.
- Money to grow: more risk -bearing money will be available, such as € 200 million on top of the earlier € 100 million for participation in the European Tech Champions Initiative (etci) . And one Blended finance instrument of € 250 million. Work is also being done on establishing a national investment institution and there is an exception for shareholders of start-ups in box 3.
- Convert knowledge into solutions: Translate faster and easier research into companies and products, with support for spin-offs From knowledge institutions. The government is also exploring the establishment of a national agency for disruptive innovation, as has also been successful abroad.
- Space to grow: The physical space for start-ups and scale-ups to grow is scarce. That is why the government has decided that the physical space for the economy should not decrease.
- The world market: We offer extra support for international breakthroughs, such as start-up missions, international events and the extension of the Scalenl-Program towards the US.
Future earning capacity
This action agenda also builds on the national technology strategy (NTS) launched in 2024 and the cabinet ambitions for growth companies that has been worked out in 2023. With the action agenda, a solid step forward is being taken to improve the ecosystem for start-ups and scale-ups. At the same time this is only the beginning. It is very important that we will build on this in the coming years and make the Netherlands even more innovative and entrepreneurial. Because only by investing in technology and entrepreneurship can we secure our prosperity and our future earning capacity.