With the National Growth Fund, the government is investing in projects that will ensure long-term economic growth. New and promising research will continue to feed the innovation infrastructure. On behalf of the aviation sector, the 'Aviation in Transition' programme is setting up an open innovation think tank within the 'knowledge development' area, from which a broad vision for an ecosystem and roadmap will be developed for research and development of innovations for climate neutral aviation. The first supporting research programmes to be set up will result in technology and knowledge for future developments, with which the Dutch aviation sector will position itself firmly in the international playing field.

The larger objective is twofold:

1. To draw up an overarching and guiding vision, together with an industrial partner - an OEM - which will give research more focus and enable the Dutch aviation sector to connect better with international developments and with the end users of the technology.
2. By developing and demonstrating pioneering innovations/technologies, entice market parties to invest in further developments of these new sustainable solutions.

Thanks to the ecosystem proposal 'Aviation in Transition', the Dutch aviation sector will not only be ready for the national and international obligations that will be imposed on it, but will also convert these obligations into an opportunity to make full use of this emerging market. Moreover, innovations that make aviation more sustainable will enable Dutch airports to further improve the quality of the working, living and everyday environment at and around airports, by increasing the benefits (employment, regional earning capacity) and reducing the burdens (noise pollution, air pollution). Dutch knowledge institutions provide an even stronger proposition to attract companies and capital. This in turn contributes to innovation and new business activity. Thus, sustainability and earning power go hand in hand in this proposal.

National Growth Fund

The National Growth Fund is an initiative of the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Climate Change and of Finance. They jointly manage the fund on behalf of the government. An independent committee has been set up that assesses the projects and gives advice. The government decides whether or not to allocate money to projects.

With the National Growth Fund, the government allocates €20 billion to projects for the next 5 years. It concerns targeted investments in three areas with the greatest potential for structural and sustainable economic growth. The three areas where the government sees the most opportunities for structural and sustainable economic growth are:

• Knowledge development
• research, development and innovation
• infrastructure