Dutch companies make high-tech equipment for semiconductor production, for medical instruments, data communication and other markets that increasingly push the boundaries of technological capabilities, for example. High-tech equipment is a crucial pillar of the Dutch economy and accounts for a large share of Dutch exports. Further growth contributes substantially to the growth of the economy. Moreover, high-tech equipment forms a basis for (European) manufacturing and technology sovereignty, the need for which became apparent during the corona crisis.
The Netherlands is a champion in high-tech equipment
Our strength in high-tech equipment is due to the expertise and entrepreneurship of the players and their close cooperation: companies, knowledge institutions, governments, financiers together ensure the success. Dutch companies and their ecosystems are top international players. But this position cannot be taken for granted. Competition from other continents is growing, partly due to political interests.
Six areas of application that will strengthen the position of the Netherlands
BGP High Tech Equipment will develop new equipment in six areas with a common basis in key enabling technologies. Examples of the intended leap forward:
Clean energy: clean hydrogen by producing efficient electrolysers with thin film technology
Data communication: moving from radio to light. Communication via laser beams, safely and with much greater capacity
Health devices: production technology for new chips that mimic organs and accelerate the search for new drugs without animal testing
Stacked microchips: the step towards even faster and more economical chips that also switch partly with light
Compact, flexible and robotised production lines for lightweight composite structures
The food chain: introducing fast and precise robots in agriculture and horticulture
From High Tech Equipment to NXTGEN HIGHTECH
The Broadly Supported High Tech Equipment programme was further developed into an application for the National Growth Fund under the name NXTGEN HIGHTECH. This was awarded in the second round.
