- Ministers sign UK-Netherlands Innovation Partnership in
London – deepening ties on
AI, quantum and semiconductors
- With leading science and tech companies and top-tier research
talent, both countries are natural partners in science and
technology
- Partnership builds on research UK and Netherlands already
pursue together through Horizon Europe, CERN, and
more
Efforts to develop the next generation of super-powerful
computers, to put quantum products to work in settings from clean
energy to medical research, and to support for the UK's
semiconductor innovators, are all in line for a boost
through a new UK-Netherlands new partnership on science and tech.
The deal has been agreed by Ministers from both countries
yesterday (Tuesday 11 November).
The UK's Minister for AI and Online Safety, , and the Netherlands'
Cabinet Minister for Economic Affairs, Vincent Karremans, signed
the UK-Netherlands Innovation
Partnership at a meeting in London earlier. The agreement
sets out how the 2 countries will forge closer ties in their work
to seize the vast potential for AI, quantum, and semiconductors
to be forces for economic growth and to help tackle major
challenges facing both countries, from climate change to
healthcare.
These are 3 areas which the UK and the Netherlands are
well-placed to collaborate on:
- the UK's semiconductor clusters in South Wales, Scotland and
elsewhere harbour deep expertise in specialised fields like chip
design and compound semiconductors, while the Netherlands is home
to companies like ASML which are critical to the entire world's
semiconductors supply chain
- both countries already work together closely on quantum, with
a joint R&Dscheme worth £1.2
million currently being delivered
- as well as having considerable AI strengths, both the UK and
the Netherlands are exploring new forms of computing, inspired by
the workings of the human brain, to make future AI systems more powerful and
sustainable
UK Minister for AI and Online Safety said:
Breakthrough technologies like AI and quantum are at the heart
of our ambitions for economic growth, better public services, and
national renewal.
These fields are already delivering breakthroughs: from
life-saving medicines to next-gen batteries for clean energy,
these breakthroughs are already changing lives.
By partnering with the Netherlands, we can accelerate innovation
and deliver more impact, faster.
The Innovation Partnership agreed today builds on strong science
and tech ties that already exist between the UK and the
Netherlands. Both countries' researchers work together through
Horizon Europe, the world's largest programme of research
collaboration, which has seen British solar energy firm Oxford
PV work together with the
Dutch Marine Energy Centre, on a £6 million project testing a
floating solar farm on the North Sea.
The UK and the Netherlands are also part of shared international
endeavours like the PIXEurope consortium – a close to €400
million European initiative aimed at advancing photonic chip
technologies. Among its 20 participating research organisations
are the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton
from the UK and Dutch institutes TU Delft, the University of
Twente, and TNO.
While both countries are also part of shared international
endeavours like the Square Kilometre Array Observatory, the
European Space Agency, and particle physics laboratory
CERN –
where breakthroughs in particle accelerator technology have led
to advanced cancer therapies.
