Noord-Brabant remains one of the strongest provinces in the Netherlands, according to the 2023 report by the Brabant Development Agency (Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij, BOM). With economic growth of 1% – the national average is 0.1% – and a focus on social transitions, the province has maintained its success despite the challenging geopolitical situation, disruptions in global supply chains, a tight labor market, lagging digitalization, and nitrogen and grid congestion problems. hold. Southeast Brabant accounts for a growth of 2.2%, which can mainly be attributed to ASML and its supply chain.
BOM’s strategy to focus on health, climate, nutrition, and technology, aligns with its mission-driven innovation policy. “The themes that BOM focuses on are more relevant than ever. Accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship is now the key to solutions for various challenges. This creates an impact, not only for Brabant but also for the Netherlands and beyond,” said Brigit van Dijk – Van de Reijt, CEO of BOM.
More collaboration, more impact
BOM focuses on intensive regional and national cooperation with governments, businesses and knowledge institutions to achieve better results. The collaboration with Philips, DeepTechXL, and Invest-NL in the HealthTechXL startup program is an example.
In 2023, BOM celebrated its 40th anniversary and made significant strides towards its goals. The organization initiated 26 new ecosystem projects, invested in 52 new and follow-up ventures, and expanded its reach with 20 international branches. Notably, six out of nine National Growth Fund applications it participated in were approved. BOM also played a pivotal role in advancing Smart Energy Hubs, crucial for alleviating grid congestion.
Furthermore, Dealroom.co recognized BOM as the most active investor in Dutch startups and scale-ups, which included successful exits like the sale of Synaffix to Lonza. Internationally, BOM led delegations on impactful trips, such as the Medtech excursion to Minnesota and the high-tech mission to Vietnam and Malaysia. These endeavors fostered new relationships and business opportunities for participating companies. Additionally, BOM’s ‘Brabant is Bright’ strategy earned the prestigious fDi award from The Financial Times for promoting growth in midsized regions.
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