Scaling Up Green Chemistry Requires Targeted Investment Fund

03-07-2025

Green chemistry entrepreneurs in the Netherlands face a persistent obstacle: there is insufficient capital and support to scale up from demo to industrial scale (TRL 5 to 9). As long as this 'funding gap' remains unaddressed, fossil alternatives will continue to dominate, hindering the necessary transition.

Research Confirms Bottlenecks

At the request of Green Chemistry, New Economy (GCNE), the Transition Finance Network, in collaboration with ROM-Nederland, Invest-NL, RVO, the Ministry of Climate & Green Growth, and the NGF Biobased Circular, investigated the causes and solutions. The conclusion: the chemical sector is lagging behind when it comes to scaling up. Private investors are not yet sufficiently involved, while entrepreneurs need to make the leap to industrial scale now.

Recommendations from the Report

To truly get green chemistry off the ground, the report advises, among other things:

  1. Ensure strong support mechanisms and demand-driven initiatives.
  2. Establish a single point of contact for entrepreneurs — for knowledge, permits, space, and subsidies.
  3. Focus and develop a clear strategy: determine what belongs to Dutch green chemistry and make conscious choices accordingly.
  4. Create an investment fund specifically for the transition from demo to industrial scale green chemistry.

Entrepreneurs and Partners Emphasize Urgency

"The development of green chemistry is crucial for a future-proof Dutch industry. Therefore, I am glad that GCNE has taken the initiative to address a persistent problem within green chemistry. The report accurately reflects the signals from the sector and is an important basis for the Ministry of Climate & Green Growth to develop effective policies." — Karlo van Dam, Director of Industry Sustainability, Ministry of Climate & Green Growth

"We see daily how promising circular chemistry companies struggle at the transition from demo to industrial scale. A targeted financing solution is essential to kick-start that engine." — Angelique Erkenbosch, Business Developer InnovationQuarter

"As a scale-up in green chemistry, we experience daily how challenging it is to secure investments for scaling up. Without appropriate financing, real impact is lacking." — Ton Vries, CEO BioBTX

"With our technology, we can repurpose waste as raw material, but to make a real impact, we need to operate at an industrial scale. This report precisely shows where the bottlenecks are and where the solutions lie." — Michiel Spits, CEO DOPS Recycling Technologies

Next Steps

GCNE, ROM-Nederland, the Regional Development Agencies (ROMs), Transition Finance Network, Invest-NL, the Ministry of Climate & Green Growth, and the NGF Biobased Circular are proceeding: in the coming months, they will work together to explore and outline an investment fund, so that green chemistry receives the necessary impetus.

"This report underscores that we must act now. From GCNE, together with the Regional Development Agencies, TFN, and partners such as the NGF Biobased Circular, we are working with entrepreneurs, the government, and investors on the conditions and capital needed." — Dina Boonstra, Director NV NOM on behalf of ROM Nederland

Link to report Project Moonshot: Unlocking Capital to Scale Up Green Chemistry Companies.pdf

Want to know more or get involved? Feel free to contact Angelique Erkenbosch | [contact link]