Strengthening national security is an urgent societal task that also offers economic opportunities. Technology and geopolitical relations are changing rapidly and often go hand in hand. At the intersection of security, innovation, and entrepreneurship, the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) plays a unique role.
We build bridges between business and Defence. We accelerate the development and application of technology that contributes to a safe society. We create opportunities for entrepreneurs. We do this together with other regional development agencies (ROMs) and with Defence. Here’s how and why.
In recent years, cooperation with Defence has resulted in a number of concrete initiatives. In this piece, we explain the three pillars: BITS, DIANA, and the SecFund.
Increasing Innovation Power
The Security Fund (SecFund) was officially opened at the beginning of this year. This is a €100 million investment fund from the Ministry of Defence, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the ROMs.
With the SecFund, we support startups, scale-ups, and innovative SMEs working on dual-use technologies—applications that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. This strengthens the Netherlands’ innovation capacity and speeds up the development of strategically relevant technology. BOM manages the fund, and the ROMs collectively play an active role in selecting, financing, and supporting promising companies.
“We never invest through the SecFund alone, but always alongside co-investors,” says Ernst Coolen, investment director at BOM. “This clears the way for more investment in dual-use technology companies that might otherwise fall through the cracks. We close the funding gap and strengthen the overall financing chain.”
Putting Defence on the Agenda
The SecFund is not an isolated initiative. It is part of BOM’s broader commitment at the intersection of security, technology, and entrepreneurship. In close cooperation with Defence, we are building an innovation ecosystem in which tomorrow’s security and today’s economy are central. This collaboration goes back many years.
“As BOM, we’ve put Brabant more firmly on Defence’s radar,” says Roland Grimm, program manager at BOM. “We saw that Brabant holds a unique position with the technology hotspot Brainport on one side and an F-35 maintenance centre in Woensdrecht on the other.”
10,000 jobs in Brabant
In between are numerous other Defence locations, such as the Gilze-Rijen airbase and the Oirschot barracks. More than 10,000 jobs in Brabant are directly related to Defence, making Defence the second-largest employer in North Brabant. Grimm adds: “We want to build on that. We want to strengthen the economy and make technology usable for Defence.”
This cooperation is, of course, about security and strategic autonomy: we must ensure we are less dependent on other countries. But it’s also about business opportunities. European member states will collectively spend hundreds of billions more on Defence. During the NATO summit in The Hague, all countries agreed to increase Defence spending to five percent of gross domestic product (GDP) per country.
Internet and GPS
Researchers at the Kiel Institute think tank previously predicted that European economic growth could increase by about one percentage point due to significant additional Defence spending. According to RaboResearch, rising Defence budgets could even contribute 3.4 percent extra growth to the European economy by 2045.
A condition for this growth is that Europe develops and produces more Defence equipment. If production lags behind demand, extra budgets will mainly lead to price increases. To date, about 80 percent of Defence purchases take place outside the EU.
We must therefore develop and produce more ourselves. This offers not only strategic and economic benefits but also societal opportunities. In the past, Defence research has led to numerous innovations that later found their way into everyday life—think of the internet, GPS, and advanced prosthetics.
Training: Working with Defence
The question is: can Brabant play a role in realising such innovations? BOM believes so and is working hard to make it happen.
A key condition for success is that entrepreneurs and Defence can find each other. “But working with Defence is a bit different from what most entrepreneurs are used to,” says Mariëlle van Bijsterveld, venture developer at BOM. “Defence, for example, wants to test everything itself in its own context. And you have to deal with complex matters such as export controls and procurement. The good news is that Defence highly values cooperation with innovative companies.”
This was demonstrated when Defence, together with BOM and other development agencies, launched an information campaign this year: “Working with Defence.” The goal is to make cooperation with Defence more understandable and accessible for companies.
In three sessions, we teach entrepreneurs everything about working with Defence. How does the Ministry of Defence operate? What is the relevance of dual-use for Defence? What routes can an entrepreneur take? What are the practical requirements, procedures, and conditions? Van Bijsterveld: “The aim is for entrepreneurs to make a well-founded decision on whether or not to pursue a dual-use strategy.”
BITS and Blue Magic
Another great example of cooperation is Blue Magic, in which BOM and the Ministry of Defence are involved. Blue Magic is an annual innovation event focused on dual-use technologies. It provides a platform for innovative Dutch companies to present their dual-use technologies to an audience of Defence partners, knowledge institutions, investors, and industry. The event is organised by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence and the BITS initiative (Brainport Innovation & Technology Security).
BOM is one of the initiators of BITS. Within BITS, we work with Defence, Brainport Development, the Province of North Brabant, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. We connect innovative companies with Defence so that companies active in the civilian market can adapt their innovations for Defence.
Regional Hubs as Catalysts
BITS was the first but is no longer the only regional hub in which Defence collaborates with industry, knowledge institutions, and ROMs. These hubs form a nationwide network. Through this supra-regional cooperation, development agencies collectively create more clout.
For example, this year saw the official launch of the “smart materials” innovation hub at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Limburg. Here, Defence works with the province and LIOF, Limburg’s regional development agency. This regional collaboration model ensures that Defence innovations are developed close to regional expertise.
This close cooperation between all ROMs is crucial and unique: all nine ROMs join forces with Defence, giving the partnership full national coverage.
From Region to National Policy: BOM as Connector
BOM actively connects regional initiatives with national strategic policy, for example, by aligning with national agendas and programmes. We ensure, for instance, that regional drone developments are included in the National Technology Strategy (NTS) agenda and the Defence Drone Ecosystem, which aims to accelerate drone production and make the Netherlands a leader in this field.
Our involvement goes further. We ensure the region stays engaged in national initiatives involving industry, knowledge institutes, governments, and Defence. Topics include technology development, security, and international cooperation, such as strengthening economic collaboration with Ukraine.
We also make sure the regional industry gains insight into opportunities from national policy. We help entrepreneurs become part of national value chains, for example, within Defence’s innovation priorities (NLD areas). We do this by maintaining direct contact with policymakers in the dual-use domain and actively leveraging our position in national forums.
This is how we link Brabant’s innovative power to the strategic goals of the Netherlands—strengthening both security and the economy.
From National to International: Accelerating via NATO
We also look beyond our national borders. With dual-use innovations, Brabant companies can stand out internationally and develop technology with global market potential.
Many NATO countries jointly purchase military equipment under the Smart Defence label. The Netherlands, for example, often works with Germany. For a Dutch dual-use startup to be part of that value chain can be invaluable.
We encourage cooperation with international industry players from NATO areas that can help strengthen the regional dual-use economy, through matchmaking, aligning specific expertise, and exploring opportunities around intellectual property.
An International Defence Network
Since early 2024, BOM, together with Brainport Development and The Gate, has been part of an important international Defence network. The Brainport region was selected as one of the accelerator locations within DIANA: the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, NATO’s innovation programme.
DIANA has a similar goal to BITS but on a global scale: to identify and accelerate groundbreaking technologies useful for both civilian and military purposes. Companies that successfully pass the selection process receive intensive guidance, mentorship, and access to an international network of test facilities.
Popular Programme
So, what do we do? Together with The Gate and Brainport Development, BOM runs a specific accelerator programme focused on Defence and our strengths: Brainport is internationally renowned for its high-tech innovations, manufacturing industry, and strong cooperation. Development agencies such as BOM have extensive experience in early-stage financing and startup development.
Startups participating in the program at one of the 13 international accelerators can initially receive a grant of €100,000, with a possible extension of €300,000 later on. However, the admission requirements are strict. For the current round, no fewer than 2,600 applications were submitted, says Van Bijsterveld. “Ultimately, only 74 companies were admitted, including three Dutch startups.”
The demand for such a programme is high, and its popularity is growing. Van Bijsterveld: “Companies that are not selected still have another chance next year. The number of companies admitted will double.”
Quickly in the Field
In various ways, we are building an innovation ecosystem for the Defence sector: we invest via the SecFund, develop a national network through training and regional hubs such as BITS, and position our region internationally as a hotspot for Defence innovation. Through our role as connector, accelerator, and investor, we contribute to strengthening Brabant’s position.
We do this together. The cooperation between regional development agencies and Defence is an example of how public parties can jointly address societal challenges.
The ultimate goal is clear: to create opportunities for entrepreneurs and ensure that Defence gains faster access to innovations that safeguard our security, reduce our strategic dependencies, and offer economic opportunities for Brabant entrepreneurs.
LiveDrop
LiveDrop
The collaboration with Defence has already borne fruit. Several concrete investments have been made. In April, Tective from Delft became the first company to receive an investment from the SecFund. Later, LiveDrop from Eindhoven followed. That company recently raised €2.5 million in a Defence-focused seed round. The SecFund is involved as a co-financier.
LiveDrop is developing a fully secure and offline digital communication tool. By scanning a type of QR code on a screen, people can transmit information. “It’s entirely optical,” says co-founder Patrick Moreu. “The only requirement is that you can see each other. This can be over a few hundred metres, and in the future perhaps even via satellites.”
Interception, Disruption, and Manipulation
The potential benefits for Defence are easy to imagine. Currently, communication takes place within the radio spectrum. “And radio communication ‘behind enemy lines’ can be destructive,” says Moreu. “The enemy may be able to see where you are, intercept the communication, disrupt it, and manipulate it. They could turn a ‘yes’ into a ‘no’.”
Moreu believes it is a very good thing that BOM is creating fertile ground for cooperation with Defence. “As a startup, we can now knock on doors, and they actually open.”
The Defence market is traditionally tough, Moreu says. “Doing business with Defence is very different. But as a civilian company, we also feel a social obligation to stick our neck out. That’s why we are embracing the Defence market.”
And that is by no means a given. Normally, a startup focuses on one market and one innovation. Broadening the scope is therefore often new and uncharted territory for young companies.