1. Dutch green technology production gets €148 million boost
The Dutch government has introduced a €148 million fund to stimulate the production of high-quality green technology. The Investment Subsidy Industry Climate Neutral Economy (IMKE) supports setting up production lines for electrolysis plants, innovative solar panels, and batteries. The fund, part of the National Growth Fund Project GroenvermogenNL, marks the first significant government support for large-scale production in the high-tech manufacturing sector. Applications can be submitted from Oct. 1, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025, to promote a climate-neutral economy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels and foreign energy sources.
2. 20Face raises €1.3 million euros for privacy-proof facial recognition
20Face, the Dutch scale-up focused on privacy-proof facial recognition, has successfully completed a financing round of €1.3 million. The investment comes from both existing shareholders, including Value Creation Capital and Oost NL, and from Twinning Participaties, which joins as a new shareholder.
The Enschede based scale-up was founded in 2017 and develops facial recognition software that prevents privacy violations. The technology is now mostly used at companies in the healthcare, recreation and corporate housing sectors.
3. €6.5 million for materials in a greener future
VSParticle (VSP), a supplier of tools for the synthesis and deposition of nanoparticles, raised an additional €6.5 million in August. In July, the company also announced it had raised €14.5 million.
VSP’s technology enables materials to be reduced to nanoparticles and produced at the touch of a button. This allows universities and commercial R&D teams to experiment and develop new materials that will power future products. Normally, it can take up to 10 years to discover new materials in a lab and another five years to bring them into mass production. However, thanks to VSP’s technology, teams can reduce the time for material development to just one year.
4. Dutch Heart Foundation awards €3 million for cardiovascular research
The Heart Foundation has awarded over €3 million in Dekker grants to eight leading researchers to support innovative research into cardiovascular disease. These grants are designed to accelerate research and improve treatment options for the 650 daily hospitalizations and more than 100 daily deaths due to cardiovascular disease in the Netherlands. These are the eight honored projects.
5. €3.5 million for Watermeln’s plug-and-play hydrogen generator
Amsterdam-based Watermeln, the provider of hydrogen fuel cell generators, has raised over €3.5 million. The company offers sustainable solutions for power supply at locations without (or with limited) grid connection, such as festivals, construction sites, and loading docks.
Watermeln is investing more than €4 million in scaling up and purchasing hydrogen generators, strengthening its position as a market leader in sustainable power supply. Last year, the company already raised over €1.5 million.