The UK and the Netherlands have signed a landmark Innovation Partnership to deepen collaboration across artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, and semiconductors. The agreement, signed in London on 11 November by the UK’s Minister for AI and Online Safety, Kanishka Narayan, and the Netherlands’ Cabinet Minister for Economic Affairs, Vincent Karremans, represents a significant step forward in bilateral science and technology cooperation.
The UK–Netherlands Innovation Partnership aims to accelerate research and innovation in three high-impact areas that are central to the digital economy. Both countries are already established leaders in AI and advanced computing, and this new framework will help drive forward joint initiatives that support digital transformation, clean energy innovation, and health technology development.
Driving collaboration in AI, quantum, and semiconductors
The partnership provides a formal structure for two nations already working closely across major research platforms such as Horizon Europe, CERN, and the European Space Agency. It also supports the UK and the Netherlands’ shared ambition to become global centres for deep tech innovation.
In semiconductors, the UK’s strong regional clusters in South Wales and Scotland bring world-class expertise in chip design and compound semiconductor manufacturing. These capabilities complement the Netherlands’ industrial strengths, notably the presence of ASML, a global leader in lithography technology critical to the semiconductor supply chain. Joint efforts will help enhance semiconductor resilience, support supply chain diversification, and boost R&D into next-generation materials and fabrication processes.
In the field of quantum technologies, collaboration is already underway through a joint R&D programme worth £1.2 million, supporting research into quantum computing, communications, and sensing. Both countries are investing heavily in quantum infrastructure and commercialisation, with the partnership expected to stimulate further industry and academic exchange in this rapidly evolving area.
Meanwhile, in artificial intelligence, both nations are developing new forms of computing inspired by biological systems to make AI models more powerful and energy efficient. The partnership will encourage joint exploration of neuromorphic computing, AI safety, and the responsible deployment of AI in critical sectors such as healthcare, transport, and energy.
A foundation for European research leadership
The agreement builds on existing collaboration between UK and Dutch research institutions and businesses. For example, Oxford PV and the Dutch Marine Energy Centre are partnering on a £6 million floating solar project in the North Sea under Horizon Europe, advancing clean energy solutions that could transform offshore generation.
Both countries are also key participants in large-scale European projects such as PIXEurope, a €400 million consortium driving innovation in photonic chips. Leading universities including Cambridge, Southampton, TU Delft, and Twente are all contributing to this initiative, which aims to advance the integration of light-based components into next-generation computing systems.
Beyond these efforts, the UK and Netherlands continue to collaborate in global research infrastructures such as the Square Kilometre Array Observatory, the European Space Agency, and CERN, where advances in particle accelerator technologies have contributed to new cancer treatment methods.
Strengthening innovation for economic growth
Speaking at the signing, Minister Narayan highlighted that technologies such as AI and quantum are central to achieving long-term economic growth and improving public services. By aligning expertise and investment, the partnership will accelerate the translation of research into commercial applications that benefit society and industry.
The UK–Netherlands Innovation Partnership represents a strategic commitment to strengthening the digital construction and technology ecosystems across Europe. It will help researchers, startups, and industry leaders harness the potential of emerging technologies to drive sustainable growth and address shared challenges, from energy transition to healthcare innovation.
As the global race for technological leadership intensifies, this partnership positions both nations at the forefront of scientific and industrial collaboration, shaping the future of digital innovation across Europe and beyond.
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