Interview with Tjark Tijn-A-Tsoi, CEO of TNO with Het Financieele Dagblad

In an interview with Het Financieele Dagblad, Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi, CEO of TNO, emphasizes the critical need for innovation to maintain Europe's economic and geopolitical standing. He highlights that Europe, including the Netherlands, lags behind the US and China in terms of R&D spending and the creation of globally competitive companies. The innovation chain in Europe is particularly weak in the stages following fundamental research, often referred to as the "valley of death." This gap hinders the growth of startups into successful, competitive enterprises.

Tjin-A-Tsoi points out that only 4 of the 50 most prominent technology companies are from Europe, and none have a valuation of $1 trillion or more, unlike several US companies. He stresses the importance of focusing on areas where Europe has a strong position and the potential for growth, such as the automotive sector. The goal is to transform more startups into unicorns and globally competitive companies, similar to ASML, which emerged from the strong Philips ecosystem with early government support.

To address these challenges, TNO's new strategy includes focusing on areas where the Netherlands has a "right to play," supporting the transition from science to market, and actively assisting startups in overcoming the valley of death through collaborations with venture capital funds and government subsidies.

These themes will also be addressed at the upcoming Drive Forward 2025 conference, focusing on key themes such as connected and autonomous vehicles, electrification, and smart logistics, providing a platform for sharing ideas and strategies to enhance Europe's competitiveness in the automotive sector.

Check out the full program and be part of the conversation.

See the program here and register