Key enabling technologies are technologies in which the Netherlands excels scientifically and for which scientific and economic growth is expected in the coming years. They change the way we will live, learn, innovate, work and manufacture in the future. They offer solutions to the social challenges we face and simultaneously make a major contribution to our economy, increase competition and strengthen the labour market.
At the start of 2023, the core list of key enabling technologies from 2018 was recalibrated based on the current developments in society and science and technology globally. The recalibrated list comprises 8 categories with a total of 44 individual technologies and is part of our mission-driven innovation policy. The recalibrated list comprises a description per cluster and technology with attention for common ground and coherence between key enabling technologies. In the ordering, the focus was placed on the technology rather than the application.
Energy materials
Optical, electronic, magnetic and nanomechanical materials
Meta materials
Soft/bio materials
Thin films and coatings
Construction and structural materials
Smart materials
Photovoltaics
Optical systems and Integrated photonics
Photonic/Optical detection and processing
Photon generation technologies
Quantum computing
Quantum communication
Quantum sensing
Artificial intelligence
Data science, data analytics and data spaces
Cyber security technologies
Software technologies and computing
Digital Connectivity Technologies
Digital Twinning and Immersive technologies
Neuromorphic technologies
(Bio)Process technology, including process intensification
(Advanced) Reactor engineering
Separation technology
Catalysis
Analytical technologies
Electricity-driven chemical reaction technologies
Nanomanufacturing
Nanomaterials
Functional devices and structures (on nanoscale)
Micro- and nanofluidics
Nanobiotechnology / Bionanotechnology
Biomolecular and cell technologies
Biosystems and organoids
Biomanufacturing and bioprocessing
Bio-informatics
Sensor and actuator technologies
Imaging technologies
Mechatronics and opto-mechatronics
Additive manufacturing
Robotics
Digital manufacturing technologies
Micro electronics
Systems engineering
Key Enabling Technologies have a wide range of reach across innovations and/or sectors
Key Enabling Technologies enable groundbreaking process, product and/or service innovations
Key Enabling Technologies are essential in solving social challenges and/or make a major potential contribution to the economy, through the creation of new activities and new markets
Research into Key Enabling Technologies can be fundamental, but with a view to application in the medium/long term
