Jointly investing more in key enabling technologies: contributing to solutions to social challenges and creating new earning potential.
Key enabling technologies contribute to the future of the Netherlands
Key enabling technologies are technologies in which the Netherlands excels scientifically and for which scientific and economic growth is expected in the coming years. They change the way we will live, learn, innovate, work and manufacture in the future. They offer solutions to the social challenges we face and simultaneously make a major contribution to our economy, increase competition and strengthen the labour market.
Key Enabling Technologies 2023
Rapport TNO-NWO recalibration Key Enabling Technologies 2023
44 key enabling technologies
At the start of 2023, the core list of key enabling technologies from 2018 was recalibrated based on the current developments in society and science and technology globally. The recalibrated list comprises 8 categories with a total of 44 individual technologies and is part of our mission-driven innovation policy. The recalibrated list comprises a description per cluster and technology with attention for common ground and coherence between key enabling technologies. In the ordering, the focus was placed on the technology rather than the application.
Advanced materials
- Energy materials
- Optical, electronic, magnetic and nanomechanical materials
- Meta materials
- Soft/bio materials
- Thin films and coatings
- Construction and structural materials
- Smart materials
Photonics and optical technologies
- Photovoltaics
- Optical systems and Integrated photonics
- Photonic/Optical detection and processing
- Photon generation technologies
Digital and information technologies
- Artificial intelligence
- Data science, data analytics and data spaces
- Cyber security technologies
- Software technologies and computing
- Digital Connectivity Technologies
- Digital Twinning and Immersive technologies
- Neuromorphic technologies
Chemical technologies
- (Bio)Process technology, including process intensification
- (Advanced) Reactor engineering
- Separation technology
- Catalysis
- Analytical technologies
- Electricity-driven chemical reaction technologies
Nanotechnology
- Nanomanufacturing
- Nanomaterials
- Functional devices and structures (on nanoscale)
- Micro- and nanofluidics
- Nanobiotechnology / Bionanotechnology
Life science and biotechnologies
- Biomolecular and cell technologies
- Biosystems and organoids
- Biomanufacturing and bioprocessing
- Bio-informatics
Engineering and fabrication technologies
- Sensor and actuator technologies
- Imaging technologies
- Mechatronics and opto-mechatronics
- Additive manufacturing
- Robotics
- Digital manufacturing technologies
- Micro electronics
- Systems engineering
What are key enabling technologies?
Key Enabling Technologies have a wide range of reach across innovations and/or sectors
Key Enabling Technologies enable groundbreaking process, product and/or service innovations
Key Enabling Technologies are essential in solving social challenges and/or make a major potential contribution to the economy, through the creation of new activities and new markets
Research into Key Enabling Technologies can be fundamental, but with a view to application in the medium/long term
