Peace and security are essential conditions for a thriving society and a strong economy. Current geopolitical developments emphasize that the Netherlands and its allies will face complex challenges in the coming decades. Investments in new and improved technologies and methods are necessary to enable security organizations to continue fulfilling their tasks. Additionally, the Netherlands aims for more certainty in the production and delivery of defense products and open strategic autonomy through a stronger position in international supply chains ("control points"). This is important both from a security perspective and for the economic earning capacity of the Netherlands.

Programme duration: 3 years | 2025 - 2027

Problem statement

The current Dutch security market is relatively small and has a limited number of OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), but it does include various high-quality suppliers. There are also several specialized knowledge institutes, universities, and colleges active in this domain. The (inter)national security market is experiencing significant growth, which is expected to continue in the coming years. However, with a small domestic market, it is not easy for Dutch companies to gain a position. Through innovation, Dutch companies can distinguish themselves internationally. The central problem statement is: For Dutch companies, it is not easy to gain an international position without innovation due to the small domestic market, which is necessary for more production certainty and open strategic autonomy for the Netherlands.

Objective

The strategic programme Security Market focuses on strengthening public-private cooperation for research and innovation in the security market. This should lead to a stronger knowledge and industry position for the Netherlands and new (dual-use) solutions for military and security issues, including cooperation with the Dutch industry that can convert these solutions into products and services (valorization).

Approach

The strategic programme Security Market strengthens the Dutch security ecosystem by stimulating targeted public-private partnerships that focus on knowledge and innovation for security issues where there is also a demand from security organizations domestically or abroad.

Submitters

The knowledge consortium consists of 18 knowledge institutions: TNO, NLR, MARIN, Dutch Institute for Public Safety (NIPV), TU Delft, TU Eindhoven, NWO-I, Radboud University Nijmegen, University of Twente, Avans Universities of Applied Sciences, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Fontys Universities of Applied Sciences, Hanze Universities of Applied Sciences, Leiden University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, NHL Stenden, Police Academy, and Saxion Universities of Applied Sciences.

Relation with urgent transitions, KIAs and technologies

The strategic programme Security Market has a strong relationship with the Digitalisation transition and the Key Technologies transition. The need for digitalisation (automation) is strongly felt in the security sector. This is not only due to personnel shortages but also due to the changing nature of (inter)national threats, the increasing complexity of these threats due to historically unprecedented geopolitical interconnectivity, and an operational tempo that is no longer manageable by humans alone. The focus of the strategic programme Security Market is on autonomous systems, sensors, and materials, which generally depend on knowledge and product development in several of the prioritized key technologies in the National Technology Strategy for their further development.

The programme's focus in terms of needs is on the missions "Maritime High-Tech for a Safe Sea" and "High-Tech Land Operations." The innovation areas that the strategic programme focuses on within these frameworks are autonomous systems, sensors, and new materials (common threads from the two mentioned missions), with facilitating elements such as cybersecurity and human capital. All KIA-V missions have dual-use application possibilities.