Dear Members,
In the run-up to the 2021 Dutch general election we have been busy getting major startup-related issues on the national political agenda.
A number of important themes were covered during the well-received March 2nd election debate on RTLZ between the Netherlands’ six biggest political parties about the “smart economy” of the future, which we organised together with TechLeap.
Following the election on March 17th, we have continued our work with TechLeap and will strive to jointly influence the incoming Government into putting the interests of Dutch startups and scale-ups high on the agenda. We have four main points that we are advocating for together:
1. Stimulate more investment in startups and scale-ups.
We need fiscal measures similar to those already implemented in the UK and Belgium aimed at making it more attractive for individual and institutional investors to invest in innovative businesses.
2. Make it easier and more attractive for startups to compensate employees in shares and options.
An internationally competitive measure for share options will help Dutch ventures pull in more international talent and better retain valued employees.
3. Leverage the potential of digital training schemes to (re)educate more people into programmers.
Coding and programming schools should be recognised and invested in, so that they can equip more people, including those from disadvantaged groups, with the skills most needed by our startups and scale-ups.
4. Push for more Diversity & Inclusion measures.
More D&I criteria for Government funding for new ventures and innovations should help to both create more opportunities for diverse groups of entrepreneurs, as well as promote innovation and innovation culture. This will benefit startups economically while strengthening a fair and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
In the coming weeks and months we will concentrate our efforts to prioritise these issues in The Hague, and we will continue to build awareness through our press relations and our social channels.
Since we are an organisation by and for entrepreneurs, as always: if you have relevant knowledge, experience or case studies on these key topics, please share your input with me at: [email protected]
Thank you for your continued support,
Rogier Klimbie
Head of Public Affairs