Small and large Dutch companies continue to invest heavily in innovation through the WBSO. This allows them to reduce their wage costs and other expenses for research and development (R&D). In 2024, this amounted to € 8.36 billion, the second highest score ever. Nearly 19,000 companies made use of the WBSO last year. 97.2% of these companies come from SMEs: a record.
Entrepreneurs invested in 2024 via the WBSO primarily in innovations in quantum technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), smart machines & systems (mechatronics), and clean energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydrogen. This is stated in the annual report published by Minister Dirk Beljaarts (Economic Affairs). According to Minister Beljaarts, investing in innovation is of great importance:
Innovation is not a side issue, but a main issue. For a safe, resilient, healthy country and for our jobs and income. It is therefore essential that entrepreneurs, from small to large, invest in research and development themselves. It is good to see that this has been done extensively, despite economic challenges, with the help of our largest innovation scheme WBSO. The lagging private investments in the Netherlands in the field of innovation remain a concern. That is why the cabinet has structurally increased the WBSO budget starting this year.
WBSO Scheme in 2024
Of the € 8.36 billion invested in innovation projects through the WBSO scheme, € 5 billion is for wage costs and € 3.3 billion for non-wage costs. The invested amount in 2024 is slightly lower than the record score from 2023, but is now nearly € 2 billion more than 10 years ago. Approximately 19,000 companies received WBSO. The funding thus created nearly 91,437 high-quality jobs (full-time positions). The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) implements the WBSO scheme on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
“It is good that the cabinet continues to focus on innovation as a driver for a resilient and future-proof Netherlands. Entrepreneurs can count on us. For over 30 years, RVO has been helping innovative companies forward with the WBSO, from start-up to multinational. These figures show how much innovation power there is in the Netherlands, and how important it is to continue to stimulate it. Innovation often starts small, but can have a big impact. And with the right support, a good idea can grow into social or economic impact. That is what we at RVO work for every day.”
View all highlights in the WBSO Annual Report 2024: