Netherlands' promotional institution, a joint venture between Invest‐NL and Invest International, is set to be established as the country's first national institution.
The Netherlands is set to establish a larger sovereign investment fund, tentatively named "Invest XL," following the merger of Invest-NL and Invest International. This move aims to enhance the financing capacity for Dutch companies, providing support for bigger investment rounds and covering companies throughout their entire lifecycle, both nationally and internationally.
Melanie Maas Geesteranus, CEO of Invest International, announced that the integration of the two organizations increases their impact and global relevance, giving entrepreneurs more room to grow. The merger is expected to help Dutch businesses scale internationally and contribute to sustainable global development.
Until the merger is completed, the Dutch cabinet will allocate €250m to Invest International from future Invest-NL budgets, starting with €150m next year, followed by €100m in 2027. The new organization will focus on accelerating major societal transitions such as energy and digitalisation, and improving access to finance for entrepreneurs.
The new institution will combine public capital, expertise, networks, and finances in areas where the market is still insufficiently involved. By consolidating resources, the new body will address challenges in the Dutch business climate by attracting larger capital pools and co-financiers, serving as a one-stop shop for companies looking for investment.
This consolidation aligns with strategic autonomy goals by reinforcing the Netherlands' capacity to internally finance critical innovation projects and reduce dependence on external capital markets. The merger is a response to long-time calls from politicians and business leaders for a powerful public investor to match European frontrunners.
The new organization will be the first national promotional institution in the Netherlands. It aims to boost innovation, strategic autonomy, and international impact. By providing venture capital and long-term loans, the merged entity will strengthen the ability to support innovation, stimulate business growth, and facilitate international expansion of Dutch firms.
Companies in capital-intensive sectors and companies in a later funding phase, such as scale-ups, have insufficient access to risk-bearing funding, leading some to move abroad. The merger of Invest-NL and Invest International will provide Dutch entrepreneurs with a wider range of financing options, including venture capital and long-term financing, across all stages of growth, both domestically and internationally.
The merger is expected to improve the attractiveness to co-investors by offering larger, more comprehensive investment packages. This will strengthen the Dutch innovation ecosystem by enabling greater venture capital flows into sustainable and strategic sectors. In summary, the merger seeks to consolidate resources, support companies through their entire lifecycle, improve the attractiveness to co-investors, strengthen the Dutch innovation ecosystem, and enhance economic and strategic autonomy.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world, collaborations such as The People's Partnership and Good Things Foundation in the UK are addressing digital and financial exclusion, while Spain's Regional Resilience Fund is backing urban development and sustainable tourism. The new organization will also be able to raise funds independently on the capital market thanks to a state-backed guarantee. The merger of Invest-NL and Invest International is set to start working together from next year, and complete their merger in 2028, subject to parliamentary approval and European regulations.
- The establishment of Invest XL in the Netherlands, resulting from the merger of Invest-NL and Invest International, will focus on enhancing the financing capacity for Dutch companies, specifically by providing support for larger investment rounds and covering businesses throughout their entire lifecycle, both nationally and internationally.
- By consolidating resources, Invest XL aims to address challenges in the Dutch business climate by attracting larger capital pools and co-financiers, serving as a one-stop shop for companies looking for investment.
- In addition to strengthening the ability to support innovation, stimulate business growth, and facilitate international expansion of Dutch firms, Invest XL seeks to accelerate major societal transitions such as energy and digitalization, and improve access to finance for entrepreneurs.
- political discussions and policy-and-legislation worldwide, collaborations like The People's Partnership and Good Things Foundation in the UK are focusing on digital and financial inclusion, while Spain's Regional Resilience Fund is backing urban development and sustainable tourism.
- The merger of Invest-NL and Invest International will also allow Invest XL to raise funds independently on the capital market thanks to a state-backed guarantee, contributing to general news and development finance discussions globally.
