Social progress through accelerated innovation from the regions

"The nine ROMs are the driving force behind innovations in regional SMEs," says Wendy de Jong, chair of ROM-Nederland. "By working together effectively, we can make joint progress on current issues such as smart technology for agri-business, innovation for our defence sector, and high-tech that keeps our industry competitive. We utilise knowledge and networks throughout the Netherlands and put innovative SMEs in a better position. In doing so, we accelerate innovations so that they come to market in a timely manner. The ROMs connect the national government with the regions and are an important link between national goals and innovative SMEs that work on these goals day in, day out, together with their people. This is how we help entrepreneurs move forward."

Impulse for supra-regional cooperation from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy

The Multi-Year Strategy for Supra-Regional Cooperation 2024-2027, published by the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy at the end of June, plays an important role in this. This strategy will enable the ROMs to continue their work and support innovative entrepreneurs in the region in their growth and development. To this end, they will make use of the one-off €4 million boost that the ROMs received at the end of 2023 to strengthen supra-regional cooperation. This will bring innovations that are necessary for the required transitions to market sooner and help us work towards the sustainable earning capacity of the Netherlands. The allocation of €2.5 million under the Energy Hubs Incentive Programme for the development of energy hubs as an important link in the Netherlands' energy supply contributes further to this.

Focusing on innovation and enhanced cooperation

"We have taken steps together, but I call on everyone to continue to focus on innovation. Because innovation affects us all. So give entrepreneurs the space to innovate. Regions play an important role in safety, housing shortages and spatial planning. However, building houses, improving the business climate and making industry more sustainable does not happen by itself. We help innovative SMEs in the region navigate this complexity so that they can work smarter and more sustainably. That makes the regional approach essential," emphasises De Jong. "Together with the business community, education and the government, ROMs in the regions work on and from strategic innovation agendas. Supra-regional cooperation is essential to further strengthen the innovative ecosystems that already exist or are currently developing. In this way, the ROMs can make a significant contribution to the earning capacity of regional SMEs in the coming years and, with that, to the earning capacity of the whole of the Netherlands."

Regional development in 2023 in facts and figures:

• Innovation projects: In 2023, the ROMs contributed to 474 innovation projects, with a financial scope of more than €350 million, focusing on areas such as energy transition, food transition, raw materials transition, healthy ageing, safety and key technologies. More than a thousand companies were involved in these projects.
• Investments: The ROMs invested €219 million in 372 innovative SMEs. The ROMs were involved in 50% of the companies that attracted start-up and later-stage capital. The total investment portfolio of the nine ROMs comprises 1,104 companies.
• Foreign companies: 138 foreign companies were supported in setting up new branches and expanding existing ones. These companies will invest €1.1 billion in the Dutch economy over the next three years, creating or maintaining more than 3,330 jobs.
• Trade promotion: Dutch SMEs were supported in the internationalisation of their activities through, among other things, 194 international trade activities, which provided information and foreign contacts for 4,200 participants.
• Total size: With total fund assets of €2.1 billion, more than 600 employees and a broad network of social and intellectual capital, the nine ROMs form regional ecosystems that enable entrepreneurs to excel.

Examples of successful projects:

• BOM - Protix: Insect farming to relieve pressure on the food system.
• Horizon Flevoland - Econowind: Making shipping more sustainable by using wind for extra thrust.
• Impuls Zeeland - Sophyn Greens: Vegetable paste made from fresh vegetables, contributing to the food transition.
• IQ - Healthy Chronos: Data-driven app for better recovery after cancer.
• LIOF - Healix: From discarded ropes and nets from fishing and agriculture to certified circular polymers.
• NOM - Enatom: Virtual dissection room for medical training.
• Oost NL - Tala: Designs and builds ready-made sustainable wooden houses.
• ROM InWest - Lgem: Innovative algae cultivation technology for sustainable food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
• ROM Utrecht - Nordsol: Bio-LNG of the highest quality and with the lowest CO₂ emissions.

View the LIOF project

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