February 16, 2024

Prinsjesdag 2022: Budget day 2022 from a startup perspective

Every year, on the 3rd Tuesday in September, the Dutch government presents its spending plans for the coming year to parliament and the public during Budget day (Prinsjesdag). In this overview, we have summed up the most important plans and budget changes for 2023 that impact Techleap and the tech community.

In general, the importance of startups and scaleups is emphasised several times, by the King in the Troonrede, as well as in the budget plans of the different ministries. In the Troonrede, the King addressed the importance of startups and the fact that this administration invests in the future earning power of our country. Importance was placed on an attractive business climate, room for top sectors, innovative startups, and utilising every opportunity offered by digitalisation.

In the miljoenennota (budget plans), the importance of these factors as well as the role of startups and scaleups in economic growth was emphasised. Within this innovative policy, specific attention was given to:

valorisation of knowledge at public institutions;
increasing innovative applications through effective collaboration in innovation ecosystems;
integral support for startups and scaleups as an important booster of innovation;
and realising an excellent application-oriented knowledge system aimed at social and economic progress.

Relevant policy changes for startups and scaleups

Employees will be able to defer the moment of taxation on their stock options until the moment the stocks can be sold (e.g. at exit). If the Senate approves the bill this fall, the proposal will come into effect as of January 2023.
The 30%-scheme will be austered as of 2024.
The customary wage scheme will be stopped. This scheme allowed startup founders to pay out a lower allowance. Because the scheme was rarely used, the Government decided to stop funding it altogether.
The government wants to reduce the shortage of technical and IT employees with the action plan Green and Digital jobs.
More budget will be available to participate in European programs, like Horizon Europe. 4 mln. will be available for participating in the IPCEI Health aimed at stimulating MedTech-initiatives in the private sector

Upcoming policy plans

EZK is working on new policy plans which will include valorisation, venture capital and startup policy.

Implementing these plans

On Wednesday and Thursday after the formal presentation of the budget, members of parliament will discuss the main plans with Prime Minister Rutte and the Minister of Finance in the so-called Algemene Politieke Beschouwingen. In the following weeks, each ministry’s spending plans will come under the spotlight in a two-day debate with each individual minister in the hot seat. The debate about the budget of the Ministry of Economic Affairs will be at the end of November.

We will keep you updated on the progress of these debates.

Photo credit: Unicef Netherlands

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Techleap is a non-profit organisation, funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, helping to quantify and accelerate the tech-ecosystem of the Netherlands. Constantijn van Oranje is Special Envoy of Techleap.