Invest-NL prioritises alleviating the coronavirus crisis

Dear entrepreneur, fellow financier or other associate of Invest-NL,

The coronavirus has us in its grasp, here in the Netherlands, in Europe and throughout the world. Dutch citizens, companies and government bodies: none of us have remained unaffected. These are uncertain and unsettling times.

Let me take this opportunity to tell you about the efforts we at Invest-NL are making to deal with this unprecedented situation and the measures we have taken in the interests of our employees and associates.

We are still very much open for business. Our work goes on and we have no intention of slowing our pace. By doing our Quickscan, entrepreneurs and financiers can find out simply and efficiently whether Invest-NL is an organisation they can talk business with. All applications submitted are picked up without delay. Meetings can be held remotely using online technology if necessary.

Other parties are far better equipped than we are to help SMEs with credit to see them through these difficult times. They are rising to this challenge. But of course, those ‘other parties’ also need financing themselves. That’s where we can help. We are therefore prioritising these kinds of applications with immediate effect. Discussions are already underway with several organisations.

Innovations in healthcare have always had our attention, but have now become even more of a priority. These include investments in and/or the financing of entrepreneurs who offer an innovative product or service designed to combat or alleviate the effects of the coronavirus crisis. They include drugs to treat the coronavirus symptoms or scaling up the production or purchase of critical medical devices. Of course, we are in close contact with the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport on this matter. Its advice on where our help can be most useful is very important to us.

We are also in direct contact with Brussels and Luxembourg and our approach is well-aligned with the crisis measures now being put in place by the EU, including through the European Investment Bank (EIB). Standing shoulder to shoulder with the government, the EIB, banks and private financiers, we can rapidly establish funds and financing instruments to curb the crisis. Past experience tells us that in practice many of these support measures are rolled out through institutions such as ours across the Member States. We are ready to play our part.

Last but not least, we ourselves purchase the services and products of small and medium enterprises. We know how vital it is for them to have their bills paid promptly. That’s why we have taken action to speed up the payment of the invoices we receive from our suppliers.

These days, you will not often find us at our new office location in Amsterdam Sloterdijk. Like so many others, we are working primarily from home and seeking to strike a healthy balance between caring for family and loved ones, home schooling the kids, limiting the risk of infection and keeping our professional activities up and running. So far, so good! Rest assured that we, the entire Invest-NL team, will continue to do everything in our power to maintain this positive balance on all fronts.

I wish you good health and all the very best in these complex times!

Best regards,

Wouter Bos
CEO Invest-NL