Eight National Growth Fund initiatives join forces to strengthen the Dutch Life Sciences & Health ecosystem

On December 2, representatives of Biotech Booster, Health-RI, HOLOmicrobiome, NXTGEN Hightech, Ombion, Oncode Accelerator, PharmaNL and RegMed XB officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen collaboration across their programs.

By joining forces, these initiatives aim to improve the health and quality of life of people in the Netherlands and beyond. This collaboration will help deliver better diagnostics, treatments and preventive solutions to patients more quickly and more efficiently. It also strengthens the country’s position as a frontrunner in developing future-proof medicines and health technologies that benefit society at large.

Jakob van der Waarden, Director of the National Growth Fund: “This collaboration clearly demonstrates the added value of the National Growth Fund. Strong ecosystems of scientists and entrepreneurs are being built not only within the individual initiatives, but also across their boundaries. As the National Growth Fund, we wholeheartedly encourage our initiatives to actively identify and shape opportunities for collaboration.”

Under the joint banner “Samen groeien in Life Sciences & Health” (Growing together in Life Sciences & Health), the initiatives aim to build a more connected, resilient, and internationally competitive Dutch ecosystem. Their shared ambition is to ensure that scientific breakthroughs and technological innovations more effectively translate into societal and economic impact: improving health outcomes and contributing to structural economic growth and sustainable earning capacity in the Netherlands.

“This collaboration embodies the essence of the National Growth Fund: by connecting expertise, infrastructure, and talent across initiatives, we create lasting value for the Netherlands,” says Conny Helder. “Together, we are laying the foundation for a more cohesive and powerful Life Sciences & Health sector.”

From shared vision to joint action

The eight initiatives will collaborate on key areas that are essential for the long-term vitality of the Dutch Life Sciences & Health ecosystem, including:

• Biotech and pharma alliance
• National health data infrastructure
• Policy advocacy and regulatory collaboration
• Network, training and expert knowledge exchange
• Education, training, and talent development
• Valorization and innovation-to-impact partnerships
• Joint public communication and outreach

This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizes existing informal collaborations and sets the stage for deeper alignment and joint implementation in 2026 and beyond. By working together, these organizations aim to maximize the impact of the investments made by the National Growth Fund, for the economy, science, and society.

About the initiatives

Each of the eight programs contributes a unique piece to the national innovation puzzle — from advanced therapeutics and regenerative medicine to health data infrastructure, biotech valorization, and next-generation technologies:

• Biotech Booster – Accelerating the commercialization of early-stage biotech findings through financial support, mentorship and network.
• Health-RI – Building a nationwide infrastructure to enable the secure and efficient re-use of health data for research, policy, and innovation.
• HOLOmicrobiome – Unlocking microbiome science for health and sustainability.
• NXTGEN Hightech – Building the next generation hightech equipment.
• Ombion – Generating safer and more effective treatments, while reducing animal testing.
• Oncode Accelerator – Collaboratively optimizing and accelerating the development of ​new cancer therapies for the benefit of patients of all ages.
• PharmaNL – Building future pharma by strengthening the pharmaceutical R&D ecosystem in the Netherlands with life long learning (human capital) and shared development infrastructure.
• RegMed XB – Curing chronic diseases and establishing a competitive and sustainable regenerative medicine (RM) industry. 

Together, these initiatives form a vibrant cluster that connects biotechnology, data science, and high-tech innovation contributing to sustainable, structural growth that strengthens society.