Dutch cabinet members have been discussing starting a large investment fund to boost long-term economical growth, De Telegraaf first reported. Taking advantage of historically low interest rates, the government would borrow billions of dollars to set up the fund, which would be used to support scientific research and development of AI technology, among other things. The exact amount of money has not been decided on, but according to De Telegraaf, it could be up to 50 billion euros. The fund may or may not be included in the Budget Memorandum (Miljoenennota) that will be presented next month, but if it is, it’s unlikely to be very detailed.
In June, another fund called Invest-NL got the go-ahead. This is aimed at supporting companies that work on technology to tackle societal issues. Many high tech sectors stand to benefit, although the initial focus will be on energy transition.
