Earlier this week, the UK and the Netherlands signed a new ‘Innovation Partnership’ that will deepen collaboration on developing artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and semiconductors.
Signed in London by the UK’s Minister for AI and Online Safety, Kanishka Narayan, and the Netherlands’ Minister for Economic Affairs, Vincent Karremans, the agreement sets out how the 2 countries will work together on realising the potential of AI, quantum, and semiconductors as forces of economic growth and ways to tackle climate and health crises.
The goal? To improve Europe’s reputation as a tech leader at a time when the continent is under pressure to keep pace with the US and China.
Two Leaders Coming Together
The partnership isn’t just about improving each country’s standing on the international stage, it’s about using their combined expertise to push forward global research in areas like:
Semiconductors
The UK already has strong expertise when it comes to chip design and compound semiconductors, anchored in areas like South Wales, Scotland and the North East. The Netherlands on the other hand is home to ASML, one of the key players in the global semiconductor supply chain.
Quantum
The UK and the Netherlands are already working together on quantum, with £1.2 million joint R&D scheme already underway. Both countries are also exploring new forms of computing (systems inspired by the human brain) to make future AI more powerful and energy-efficient.
AI
Both countries also have strong research capabilities when it comes to AI.
The UK is home to AI companies like DeepMind, Synthesia and hundreds of other AI startups. The Netherlands is also seeing a lot of growth in AI, but the Dutch Prime Minister Dirk Schoof warned earlier this year that Europe is falling behind in the AI race.
Speaking to Reuters he said: “As Europe, we are let down, and we cannot keep up with the United States and China. We have to do something about it.”
And now, it looks like they are.
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Why Now?
Europe’s tech sector is growing but also seems to be limited to certain regions. According to BVCA, there was £29 billion of private investment into UK businesses in 2024. This is considerably more than Dutch startups and scale-ups, which raised a total estimated amount of €2.5 billion in 2024. (Golden Egg Check & Dealroom).
But neither of these can compete with the US, where VC funding hit $190 billion in 2024. (Techloy)
This new partnership can help close this gap by leveraging both economies to build even stronger infrastructure and research around AI, quantum and semiconductor development.
The Projects Already In Motion
The new agreement builds on projects that are already in motion including:
Floating solar farms in the North Sea
Through Horizon Europe, British solar firm Oxford PV is working with the Dutch Marine Energy Centre on a £6 million floating solar farm in the North Sea. This tech can help Europe meet sustainability targets faster.
Photonic chips
Both countries are part of the PIXEurope consortium, a near-€400 million project designed to speed up the development of photonic chip technologies. Among the 20 research organisations participating in the project are UK based University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton and Dutch based TU Delft, the University of Twente, and TNO.
Space, science and medicine
Both countries are also involved in projects like the Square Kilometre Array Observatory, the European Space Agency, and world-famous particle physics laboratory CERN.
The UK and the Netherlands have already shown their alliances, and this new partnership only deepens that.
What Leaders Are Saying
The UK’s Minister for AI and Online Safety, Kanishka Narayan, spoke about how the new partnership could have a global impact. He said:
“Breakthrough technologies like AI and quantum are at the heart of our ambitions for economic growth, better public services, and national renewal.
“These fields are already delivering breakthroughs: from life-saving medicines to next-gen batteries for clean energy, these breakthroughs are already changing lives. By partnering with the Netherlands, we can accelerate innovation and deliver more impact, faster.”
Making Europe A Tech Powerhouse
The new UK-Netherlands partnership comes at an interesting time, one where countries are racing to solidify themselves as tech powerhouses on the global stage.
For the UK, it allows it to continue pressing on as Europe’s leading tech and startup hub. For the Netherlands, it allows it to continue strengthening its reputation as a leading research centre.
For Europe as a whole, this type of partnership might be exactly what it needs to stay competitive in the global tech race.
