Innovative entrepreneurship thrives in an environment where knowledge, networks and capital come together - a vital ecosystem that truly accelerates growth. In North Holland, different initiatives, funds and programmes still often work side by side, while entrepreneurs would benefit from more cohesion, cooperation and flow.
Within an ecosystem, businesses, governments, knowledge institutions and other stakeholders collaborate to accelerate innovation. This is because where knowledge, networks, entrepreneurship and capital converge, opportunities for innovation and economic growth arise.
Together with our partners We build strong networks and coalitions. We create conditions that ensure innovation translates into innovative entrepreneurship. We then support entrepreneurs to become fundable and to grow. In doing so, we guide entrepreneurs through the world of investors and also invest ourselves in innovations that we see as promising.
Since 2 April 2024, the fund management of the Participatiefonds Duurzame Economie Noord-Holland (PDENH) has been transferred to ROM InWest. PDENH is a fund of the province of North Holland that has been investing in sustainable and innovative companies and projects in the region since 2014. When the fund became a closed-end fund in September 2023 and started focusing on exits and follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies, North Holland now had, with ROM InWest, its own development company. This made it a logical step to transfer PDENH's fund management to ROM InWest.
For entrepreneurs, this is good news: they can now turn to one-stop shops for (subsequent) financing around energy transition and circular economy. At the same time, outsourcing strengthens ROM InWest's management and implementation expertise, and knowledge about innovative entrepreneurship in the region is better secured. In this way, we are working together towards a stronger, smarter and better connected entrepreneurial climate in North Holland.
The province of North Holland and ROM InWest are joining forces for the new edition of the GO!-NH programme, which helps entrepreneurs bring their sustainable innovations to market faster. From mid-2025, the programme will be jointly implemented by the province, ROM InWest and the specialised implementation partners GRIDT and Tekkoo. This marks an important step towards a coherent approach, in which accelerator programmes in North Holland are better aligned and entrepreneurs receive unambiguous support. This creates a clear growth path where coaching, networks and funding opportunities reinforce each other — and more innovative companies can grow within the region.
The Programme for Investment-Ready Innovative SMEs (PIM) is a programme run by the province of Noord-Holland that has been supporting entrepreneurs with growth and financing challenges since 2016 through tailored advice, masterclasses, and online guidance. As of 1 January 2026, the execution of the programme, commissioned by the province, will be managed by ROM InWest. This means that innovative SMEs will now have a single point of contact for both financing and support in making their business investment-ready. A tender process is underway to select a market party for the tailored advice.
Entrepreneurs benefit from good cooperation, coordination and clear coherence between institutions, initiatives, funds and programmes in North Holland. We are committed to improving existing ecosystems so that entrepreneurs can more easily find the support, knowledge, or funding they need to bring their innovation to market more quickly.
National and international developments call for new ecosystems. Consider solutions for grid congestion. Or the Defence sector's need for dual-use technology, where Defence makes use of innovative technology developed outside the armed forces. We are helping to build these new ecosystems and ensure that opportunities are optimally exploited.
To stimulate innovative entrepreneurship, ROM InWest works closely with various partners in North Holland. Together with the Amsterdam Economic Board, the Ontwikkelbedrijf Noord-Holland Noord, knowledge institutions in Amsterdam, industry associations, funds such as the Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland and AKEF, other financiers and governments, we are building a powerful ecosystem in which entrepreneurs can innovate, scale up and make an impact. This cooperation creates connections, knowledge exchange and opportunities that contribute to sustainable economic growth and social value in the region.
