2025: Making an impact in a world of change

5 years Invest-NL,CEO Rinke Zonneveld looks ahead

Invest-NL is the national financing and development institution that supports sustainable and innovative enterprises with funding, knowledge, and collaboration. Our goal: accelerating societal transitions by resolving financing bottlenecks. Focusing on the themes of Energy Transition, Circular Economy, Agrifood, Life Sciences & Health, and Deep Tech, we contribute to a sustainable and innovative Netherlands. Today, on 16 January 2025, we proudly celebrate our five-year anniversary.

To mark this anniversary and to kick off the new year, we spoke with CEO Rinke Zonneveld about the role Invest-NL envisions for 2025. “We have become more aware of our systemic role: how do we ensure that others' money moves in the right direction? That’s how we create impact,” says CEO Rinke Zonneveld.

From start-up to systemic role

“Although we are still a very young organisation, we are no longer to be underestimated. And that’s a great compliment to the organisation, to all colleagues, and to everyone we work with. It also shows the importance of our role.” begins Rinke. “In the first years, we mainly focused on how we could best deploy our capital. Now, we have become more conscious of our systemic role. So, not just: how do we put our own money to work? But also: how do we ensure that others’ money moves in the right direction? That’s how we create impact.”

This development is reflected in concrete results. Invest-NL has now made investments of over a billion euros and built collaborations with other investors and European partners.

The distinctive role of Invest-NL’s development arm has also become more visible. “Something I find very beautiful. We are increasingly able to bring this to the forefront. We are not about transitions, we are about the financial bottlenecks within transitions.”

Ambitious in a turbulent 2025

Invest-NL’s plans for 2025 include broadening its product offerings and further professionalisation. New initiatives such as project financing, blended finance and smaller investment tickets are being explored. “We are moving towards smaller tickets because it’s your pipeline for larger investments in later years. But at the same time, we need to realise the bigger ambitions,” Rinke explains.

Therefore, Invest-NL also focuses on companies in a next growth phase and mature companies. “In project finance or debt, you are partly dealing with more mature companies, which is a different target group than start-ups. These companies may not quickly identify with Invest-NL. So, we definitely have a challenge in reaching that group. Naturally, they must be able to demonstrate that the market cannot or does not want to provide that financing. We are not here to compete with banks. When banks can only finance part of the project or when a company needs an additional high-risk component, we can step in.”

Rinke remains realistic about the challenges. “I believe it will be - and I say this with a smile - a turbulent year. A lot is coming our way. The question you need to ask yourself in my role is: does all of this need to happen now? And does it all need to happen at once? My answer is still: yes. Not because that’s best for Invest-NL. But because it’s necessary, given the scale of the transition challenges and the rapid changes in the world. Change is the only constant.”

The power of collaboration

The strength of Invest-NL lies in its unique position between the public and private domains. The urgency for this is high, Rinke states. “We face enormous challenges in climate, circularity, keeping healthcare affordable. This also applies to our labour productivity, competitiveness, and our innovation capacity, as well as how we position ourselves in the geopolitical power play, especially between China and the US.” Collaboration remains crucial. “We can only address this together. We are an important piece of the puzzle, but just a small one.”

Impact with institutional capital

An example of collaboration is the initiative Invest-NL has undertaken to establish an impact fund together with pension funds. “Pension funds are not on earth to stimulate the Dutch economy. At the same time, a large portion of our savings is in pensions. You want that money to flow into the real economy. Pension funds exist to ensure we have a reasonably inflation-proof pension. I believe this can be combined.”

“I am very positive about the conversations we’re having with pension funds. You notice that impact, alongside risk and return, is becoming an increasingly important consideration for many pension funds. If we can create that impact in the Netherlands, they prefer that over achieving it elsewhere.”

Internally, Invest-NL is also taking steps. “As an organisation, we will continue to evolve. We do have a lot to do. Improving internal professionalism, refining processes, and hopefully simplifying them at the same time. This also relates to growth. So, we have a very large change agenda for the coming year. Both in our offerings and within the organisation,” Rinke explains.

Investing for future generations

Invest-NL is on the brink of a new phase. The organisation is ready to play a larger role in the transitions the Netherlands faces.

Rinke concludes with the message: “We can only do this together. The challenges we face in Europe and in the Netherlands are enormous. And we shouldn’t underestimate how urgent they are. Ultimately, this isn’t just about the economy. It’s about the wellbeing of future generations.”