The Netherlands has long been a powerhouse of innovation, but what does the future hold for its tech ecosystem? On February 12th, The State of Dutch Tech 2025, organized by Techleap, brought together some of the most influential minds in the industry to discuss the outcomes of their yearly report.
The event, hosted by our partner Beau-Anne Chilla alongside Prince Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau of the Netherlands, featured key insights from the latest State of Dutch Tech report, high-level discussions on Europe’s role in the global tech race, and, notably, an exclusive interview with Minister-President Dick Schoof.
The State of Dutch Tech 2025, organized by Techleap, served as the annual pulse check for the Dutch tech ecosystem, bringing together policymakers, investors, and industry leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead. With topics ranging from boosting exit potential to building a Dutch strategic value chain in computing, this year’s event took on even greater importance as Europe navigates a shifting geopolitical and economic landscape.
At the heart of these discussions was one crucial question: How can the Netherlands solidify its role as a global leader in deep tech and industrial innovation?
The event gathered crucial insights, along with some worrying numbers, but as Prime Minister Dick Schoof highlighted:
“We should do everything to make sure the Netherlands can keep up […] creating an ecosystem where startups can grow.”
Dirk Beljaarts, the Minister of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands added:
“The Netherlands, and Europe as well, must step up its game. We are lagging behind, even though we have everything we need to take a leading position. The Dutch government must further strengthen the ecosystem that has already been built up. It is crucial to support the ambition of tech leaders who invest in the Netherlands and to ensure that they stay here. Entrepreneurs play an essential role in society, and their contribution should be valued and facilitated.”
Clara Chappaz, France’s Minister Delegate for AI and Digital Technologies, joined the event via hologram. She pointed out a lack of optimism in Europe, despite its ongoing investments in artificial intelligence, and emphasized the need for a shift in mindset. She stated:
“It is crucial to maintain a positive mindset. We must persevere and avoid falling into the trap of believing that something is not possible. Because it is.”
Beau-Anne and Prince Constantijn led a panel discussion on the IPO and exit market, joined by three high-profile guests: Marjut Falkstedt, CEO of the European Investment Fund (EIF), David Bouju, Deeptech Deputy at BPI France, and René van Vlerken, CEO of Euronext Netherlands, the Dutch stock exchange. The discussion emphasized the critical need for late-stage funding to strengthen Europe’s IPO landscape. The panellists also agreed that fostering more local secondaries, exits, and IPOs within Europe–rather than seeing promising companies acquired by U.S. firms–would be a significant step toward a more resilient and self-sustaining European tech ecosystem.
One of the most anticipated moments of the event was our partner, Beau-Anne Chilla’s exclusive interview with Prime Minister Dick Schoof, where Constantijn and Beau asked Mr Schoof’s opinion about the Dutch Tech ecosystem and the Netherland’s place in the global tech race.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof voiced concerns over the report’s findings, particularly the downward trend in investment in critical technologies. He emphasized the urgency of keeping pace with the United States and China in fostering tech startups and attracting venture capital. Schoof stated that the Dutch government will actively explore ways to support the country’s tech ecosystem and strengthen its appeal to investors.
FORWARD.one is at the forefront of investing in deeptech, industrial tech, and energy tech—sectors often overlooked by mainstream VCs due to their complexity and capital intensity. Beau-Anne Chilla mentioned on stage:
“I truly believe that the fastest way to solve all pressing problems of our time, like geopolitical independence and the climate crisis, is through technical innovation, that is why I became a partner at FORWARD.one.”
The State of Dutch Tech report reveals a decline in capital investment for early-stage Dutch startups, as well as a decreasing domestic participation of Dutch investors in large-scale funding rounds. Deeptech is one of the only subsectors that currently attracts increased capital. Beau-Anne Chilla emphasized this momentum, stating:
"It’s great to see deeptech gaining traction. We have been investing in hardware solutions since our first fund in 2018. With a team that combines both financial and technical expertise, we are able to identify and scale the right innovations. We expect the additional capital flowing into deeptech to further strengthen the entire sector and its broader ecosystem."
While this year’s State of Dutch Tech report highlighted challenges–particularly in early-stage investment and IPO activity–it also underscored the immense potential of the Dutch tech ecosystem. With deeptech standing out as one of the few subsectors attracting increased capital, the focus must now be on ensuring long-term growth, strategic funding, and a stronger European innovation landscape.
At Forward.one, we remain committed to bridging this gap by investing early in industrial tech, deeptech, and energy tech—sectors that will define the future. By backing ambitious founders in solving real-world problems, we aim to accelerate breakthroughs that drive a global impact.
The message from this year’s event was clear: The Netherlands has all the ingredients to lead, but action is needed—bold investments, policy support, and a willingness to bet on transformative technologies. As Minister Dirk Beljaarts put it:
“We need to show some guts.”
And that’s exactly what we intend to do.
Follow us as we drive the future of deeptech and industrial innovation—powering breakthrough technologies in the Netherlands and beyond.
