Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi, CEO of TNO: “We structurally spend too little on R&D.”

Due to strong international competition, the Netherlands is at risk of losing ground in the field of R&D. This alarming news comes from TNO and is mentioned in the publication ‘The Future of Dutch Industry’. “The chemical industry is the foundation of almost everything you use every day. Unfortunately, many people do not realize this,” says Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi, CEO of TNO. “Our strength lies in the high-end, in complex knowledge-intensive products. For this, innovation must be an intrinsic part of the business model. Yet, in the Netherlands, structurally too little is spent on research and development. The goal is three percent of the gross domestic product, but we have not been meeting that for years. We are currently at 2.3 percent.”