North Holland Launches Defence Innovation Team to Unite Startups and National Security
Haarlem, Wednesday 25 March 2026
In March 2026, a new North Holland initiative bridges the gap between regional tech startups and the Dutch Ministry of Defence, unlocking vital funding for civilian-military innovations.
A Strategic Response to Geopolitical Shifts
Against a backdrop of rapidly changing global geopolitics, European nations are being compelled to take greater responsibility for their own security [1][2]. In the Netherlands, this imperative has driven the Ministry of Defence to intensify its collaboration with commercial enterprises and knowledge institutions [1]. To facilitate this strategic shift, the ‘Regioteam Defensie Noord-Holland’ has been established, operating as a consortium that includes the Ministry of Defence—specifically ODIN and MINDbase Amsterdam—regional development agency ROM InWest, the Province of North Holland, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, and local dual-use technology firms [2]. This initiative functions as a reciprocal pipeline: military operational challenges are shared with innovative entrepreneurs, while commercial entities with viable propositions receive structural support to partner with the armed forces [2].
Catalysing Dual-Use Capabilities
Central to the initiative is the advancement of dual-use technologies—innovations designed for commercial markets that possess clear military applications [1][2]. The Ministry of Defence recognises that leveraging technology developed outside traditional military-industrial channels is crucial for maintaining strategic autonomy [1][2]. Niels Blij, chairman of the Business Representation steering group (Bedrijvenvertegenwoordiging), noted that his group acts as the collective voice for regional enterprises [1]. He emphasised the necessity for dual-use companies to unite, ensuring that commercial concepts reach military planners with greater velocity, and declared the newly formed regional team ‘open for business’ [2].
Financial Pipelines and Strategic Milestones
To support the capital-intensive nature of hardware development, the initiative provides direct access to specialised funding mechanisms. René Schmitt, serving as the Business Developer for Dual Use, has been appointed to guide North Holland startups, scale-ups, and innovative small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) through the financial landscape [1][2]. A key component of this support is the SecFund, a dedicated financial vehicle designed specifically for Dutch companies engineering dual-use technologies [2]. This funding pipeline aims to de-risk the research and development phases for ventures operating in critical sectors such as energy transition hardware and defence-related manufacturing [GPT].