Chapter 14: Study on Investment Climate in Bio-based Industries in the Netherlands¹

This chapter presents the results of a short study that investigated the barriers faced by small companies active in bio-based economy when they want to acquire investment for their businesses. The study was conducted from January to May 2014 in the form of interviews with start-ups or other SMEs in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium and was complemented by selected literature. The focus was exclusively on bio-based chemicals and materials, not on food, feed or energy produced from biomass. The objective of this study was to assess the investment climate for bio-based industries in the Netherlands in comparison to other countries. The main research questions were: which reasons move investors to provide money for bio-based entrepreneurs? What are the advantages of the Netherlands as a location for bio-based industries? Which hurdles might prevent investors from placing their funds in the Netherlands and which conditions make other locations potentially more attractive for investing?