The new tech investment fund Nato Investment Fund (NIF) will be set up in the Netherlands. The headquarters of the investment fund will be located in Amsterdam.
With the investment fund being located in Amsterdam the intensive lobbying by the Dutch government and industry associations for tech startups is rewarded. In the process, the Ministry of EZK’s Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), tech startup advocate Techleap and the Ministry of Defense worked closely together.
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NIF
The NIF was created to allow tech startups from member states to develop important (military) technology. In particular, NATO is interested in advanced technology such as AI, biotechnology, space travel and quantum computing. Energy technology is also in the military and political alliance’s interest.
NATO is providing $1 billion in investment for the NIF. This money will be put into young tech startups and other investment funds of the member states. The Netherlands itself is contributing 55 million euros.
Comments EZK and Defense
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) welcomes the arrival of the NATO Investment Fund. It hopes that the technology fund will create a positive effect on other tech startups as well. Hopefully, these startups can also gain greater access to capital and thus initiate the development of innovative complex technologies that offer solutions to society and defense issues.
“The NATO Innovation Fund puts the Netherlands even more firmly on the map among investment funds for innovative companies. This helps start-ups to develop further in the Netherlands. In this way we strengthen what we are good at as a country, namely working on solutions for the future,” said responsible Minister Adriaansens of EZK in reaction to the decision of NATO.
Defense Minister Ollongren is also pleased with the investment fund coming to Amsterdam. Especially since the ministry is keen to innovate in the so-called Emerging & Disruptive Technologies (EDTs) field. “More investment in high-tech is badly needed. This is how we work with our NATO allies on defense against new threats. This is also why the Netherlands has previously decided to substantially increase the budget in the field of research, technology and innovation. That the headquarters of the NATO innovation fund is coming to the Netherlands is an important milestone. It is nice that we as the Netherlands may host this.”
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