Technological leadership is becoming an increasingly decisive factor in both economic and strategic strength. As countries like China, the United States and South Korea channel massive investments into key enabling technologies such as quantum and photonics, TNO warns that the Netherlands risks falling behind.
In a newly published paper, TNO advocates for the development of high-tech megaclusters: large-scale innovation hubs where companies, knowledge institutions, governments and investors collaborate intensively on strategic technologies. By scaling up existing ecosystems, these megaclusters can strengthen the Netherlands’ earning capacity and contribute to the national ambition of investing 3% of GDP in R&D.
Megaclusters offer shared infrastructure and facilities, lower the risks for companies, and accelerate the scale-up of innovations. As such, they are a powerful lever for private investment, international positioning, and economic resilience – essential not only for our competitiveness but also for national security. Key enabling technologies are inherently dual use, serving both civil and defense-related purposes.
Read the full article and download the paper via TNO:
To the paper
