Emmanuel Macron begins a two-day visit to the Netherlands on Tuesday, to confirm a strengthening of the partnership with The Hague. The Dutch excel in the strategic field of electronic microchips. Illustration in the research center of the University of Delft.
The noise behind us is the precise helium pump Amber Van Hauwermeiren, young entrepreneur, by opening the door to its mini laboratory located in the research center of the University of Delft, near The Hague, in the Netherlands. This startuper has developed a machine to test the reliability of future quantum chips. Components that will considerably accelerate the calculation speed of our computers. His dream: to develop his prototype on a large scale. “We need talent and money. The essentials in terms of inventions and research have been well carried out by French, Dutch and European companies”emphasizes Amber Van Hauwermeiren.
“There are plenty of projects. Now we have to change scale and for that, we need investments.”
Amber Van Hauwermeiren, young entrepreneurat franceinfo
At his side, Ulrich Mans, in charge of the international development of this research center, agrees: “This technology is revolutionary, we haven’t found a way to make it work for a concrete application yet, but it’s super important to encourage all entrepreneurs, to help them grow. That’s the key.”
The United States, a formidable competitor
Emmanuel Macron begins a two-day state visit to the Netherlands on Tuesday April 11, accompanied by seven ministers. The Head of State will deliver a speech on “European sovereignty” and must record the birth of a “pact for innovation and sustainable growth” with the Dutch. A joint research program should be signed in the field of quantum physics, in which a global race is underway.
The main challenge for the European continent is to not not let the young inventors of the world of tomorrow, all in their thirties, slip away to the United States. Especially across the Atlantic, they find it easier to find financing. “In research and development, the United States invests 40% more than we do in Europerecognizes Micky Adriaanssens, Dutch Minister of the Economy. In addition, they strongly target key new technologies. In the field of artificial intelligence, they invest six times more than Europeans.”
To fight on equal terms, the President of the Republic has been pleading for months with his European partners in favor of a major investment plan in the industry of the future, with a new debt at 27. The Netherlands, from their side, prefer to start by drawing in the unused funds of the post-Covid plan, this state remains allergic to common expenses even if the positions of The Hague on European industrial sovereignty are in the process of getting closer to those of France.