Share of R&D within foreign investment rises in 2025

In 2025, 180 investment projects by foreign companies were supported by the Invest in Holland network. For the first time, research and development (R&D) is the largest category: 30% (53 of the 180 projects) had R&D as their primary activity. This shows that, despite pressure on the business climate and a complex international investment environment, the Netherlands remains attractive to companies that drive innovation and future-proof economic growth.

The Minister of Economic Affairs, also on behalf of the State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, wrote to the House of Representatives when presenting the annual results of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) and the Invest in Holland network.

Vincent Karremans (Minister of Economic Affairs): “In a challenging international investment climate, it is an important result that foreign companies choose the Netherlands because of our strong ecosystems and innovative strength. The growing share of investments in research and development and other knowledge-intensive activities shows that our efforts to attract projects with innovative activities are paying off.”

State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Aukje de Vries: “Foreign companies are indispensable to a strong economy in the Netherlands. By working together in a targeted way—across our overseas network, in The Hague, and with Dutch regions through the Invest in Holland network—we ensure that investments land in the best possible locations.”

Focus on what the Netherlands needs

The 2025 results should be viewed against a challenging business climate. Globally, companies are more cautious about investing amid geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainty. In the Netherlands, bottlenecks such as space, labor, and grid capacity constraints also play a role.

Against this backdrop, attracting foreign investment has increasingly become demand-driven. It is not only about what the market wants, but also about what the Netherlands needs and where there is space and energy capacity. By making more targeted choices, the Invest in Holland network can focus its efforts on investments that align with the Netherlands’ strategic priorities. In 2025, all 180 supported projects contributed to this.

Investments that strengthen ecosystems

The supported investments show how foreign companies contribute to strengthening Dutch ecosystems. The British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca expanded its production site in Nijmegen, reinforcing the Dutch life sciences & health ecosystem. At the High Tech Campus Eindhoven, Japan’s Dai Nippon Printing opened its first R&D hub outside Japan, focused on new semiconductor technologies. In Rotterdam, Canadian climate-tech company CoeusAI established its global headquarters, from which it develops AI solutions to accelerate the energy transition.

In the coming years, the Invest in Holland network will continue to focus on high-value investments for the Netherlands. This will align with industrial and innovation policy and also take into account opportunities in sectors such as defense and raw materials.

Invest in Holland

The Invest in Holland network is a nationwide partnership of the national government, regions, major cities, and Netherlands Distribution Land (NDL), focused on attracting and retaining foreign investment in the Netherlands. Within this network, the NFIA represents the national government. NFIA is an implementing organization within the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). NFIA falls under the responsibility of the Minister of Economic Affairs and is co-directed by the State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.