Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency

What Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency does

The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) is a Dutch government agency founded in 1978 and headquartered in The Hague that assists foreign companies in establishing, expanding, or relocating operations in the Netherlands. Operating under the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs as part of the Invest in Holland network, NFIA provides free, end-to-end investment facilitation services—from initial market exploration and regulatory guidance to post-establishment support—including location advisory, talent channeling, tax incentive navigation (WBSO, innovation box at 9%, 30% expat facility), and connection to the Dutch knowledge and innovation ecosystem. The agency does not develop proprietary technology products; its core function is institutional matchmaking and advisory services delivered through a national network of regional development agencies (ROMs), Amsterdam Trade & Invest, Holland International Distribution Council, and 11 Expat Centers.

In 2025, NFIA supported 180 foreign company establishment or expansion projects, with R&D accounting for 53 projects (30%) and emerging as the single largest investment category. The Netherlands' positioning as a top-3 EU member state in the 2025 European Innovation Scoreboard, combined with €20 billion in government innovation funding allocated between 2021 and 2025, forms the underlying value proposition NFIA markets to prospects. Key industries served include Life Sciences & Health, Agrifood, IT & Tech, Chemicals, High Tech Systems, Creative industries, Energy, Fintech, Maritime, Water Technology, and Supply Chain Solutions, anchored by Europe's largest port (Rotterdam) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

NFIA's business model is non-commercial: it is publicly funded, offers services free of charge to qualifying foreign companies, and generates no revenue. Distribution is delivered via direct enterprise engagement by NFIA relationship managers and a regional reseller/channel network covering the full national territory. Marketing reach is multilingual (English, German, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese) across the Invest in Holland website, newsletter, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter), supplemented by trade missions, summits, and regional events. The agency's customer base is broad and horizontal across company sizes and source geographies, with no single client dominating.

Name

Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency

Legal name

Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency

Website

https://investinholland.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) is a Dutch government agency, founded in 1978 and headquartered in The Hague, that provides free investment facilitation and advisory services to foreign companies establishing operations in the Netherlands, as part of the Invest in Holland network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

The Hague

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-funded public service: NFIA is a non-revenue-generating government agency under the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. Its operations are funded by public budgets to attract foreign direct investment to the Netherlands. Services are provided free of charge to qualifying foreign companies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) is a Dutch government agency that provides free advisory and facilitation services to foreign companies considering establishing or expanding operations in the Netherlands. It offers tailored location advisory, regulatory and tax-incentive guidance (including WBSO R&D tax credit and innovation box), connection to knowledge institutions and the Invest in Holland regional network, and post-establishment support across 11 key industries such as Life Sciences, IT, High Tech Systems, Energy, and Logistics.

Product overview

NFIA (Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency) is a government investment promotion agency operating under the Invest in Holland network. It is not a technology product company but rather a service organization that assists foreign companies in establishing, expanding, or relocating their business operations to the Netherlands. The agency provides guidance on location factors, regulatory requirements, incentives, talent acquisition, and network connections across key industries including Life Sciences & Health, Agrifood, IT & Tech, Chemicals, High Tech Systems, Creative, Energy, Fintech, Maritime, Water Technology, and Supply Chain Solutions. Services include support for headquarters setup, office operations, advanced manufacturing, research & development, smart logistics, and startups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Invest in Holland Network: A national network of regional partners that supports international companies in establishing operations in the Netherlands

Products and services

• Foreign Investment Advisory and Facilitation
• Research and Development Support
• Headquarters Establishment Support
• Advanced Manufacturing Location Advisory Site selection, regulatory, and incentive advisory for foreign companies establishing advanced manufacturing facilities in the Netherlands, with tailored support from regional development agencies and the Holland International Distribution Council.
• Smart Logistics and Distribution Advisory Advisory for foreign logistics, supply chain, and distribution companies leveraging the Netherlands' strategic position via the Port of Rotterdam and Schiphol Airport, including connection to Holland International Distribution Council and other ecosystem partners.
• Office Operations and Shared Services Advisory Advisory and facilitation for foreign companies establishing back-office, shared services, or operational offices in the Netherlands, including guidance on workforce setup and access to the Invest in Holland regional network.
• Startup Soft-Landing Support Support for international startups establishing a European base in the Netherlands, including ecosystem introductions, access to startup visa and expat facilities, and connection to investors and partners.
• Expat Center Coordination Coordination of soft-landing services through 11 Expat Centers across the Netherlands, providing international employees and their families with housing, schooling, and administrative support during relocation.

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2025, 180 foreign companies established or expanded operations in the Netherlands with support from the Invest in Holland network, with R&D accounting for 53 projects (30%)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Amsterdam Trade & InvestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmsterdam Trade & Invest collaborates with NFIA to support foreign companies establishing operations in the Amsterdam region. It provides local market intelligence, networking, and soft-landing services. Supported AEVO Innovate's European hub establishment.
• Holland International Distribution CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHolland International Distribution Council (HDC) supports foreign companies in logistics, supply chain, and distribution sectors. Partnered with NFIA to assist Arvist's European headquarters establishment in Rotterdam.
• Amsterdam Trade & InvestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmsterdam Trade & Invest worked with NFIA to support TETMET's first fully vertically integrated ASLM production facility at SEGRO Park Amsterdam Airport.
• Invest in Holland Network (Regional Development Agencies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNFIA is part of the national Invest in Holland network which includes regional development agencies (ROMs) across the Netherlands. These agencies provide localized investment facilitation and post-establishment support to foreign companies.
• Expat CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Netherlands has 11 Expat Centers across the nation that provide soft-landing services to international employees and their families, including assistance with housing, schools, and administrative procedures. Part of the Invest in Holland support ecosystem.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IDA Ireland: Ireland's national investment promotion agency, directly comparable to NFIA: a government-backed entity that provides free advisory and facilitation services to attract foreign direct investment into Ireland, with a strong pitch on tax and EU market access.
• Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI): Germany's federal investment promotion agency. Closely matches NFIA's mandate — advising foreign companies on establishing operations in Germany, with sector-specific promotion across R&D, manufacturing, and tech — and competes for the same pool of EU-bound FDI.
• Business France: France's national agency for international business development and foreign investment attraction. Operates the same 'attract FDI + facilitate establishment' mandate as NFIA, with comparable services, regional partners, and sector pitches (tech, industry, life sciences).
• Business Sweden: Sweden's national investment promotion agency, jointly owned by the Swedish government and the private sector. Provides the same mix of foreign investment advisory, location consulting, and ecosystem matchmaking that NFIA offers in the Netherlands.
• Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE): Switzerland's official investment promotion body. Directly comparable in function to NFIA — attracting foreign companies, supporting market entry, and providing location advisory — though operating from outside the EU.
• Invest in Spain (ICEX): Spain's national investment promotion unit under ICEX. Provides comparable FDI advisory and facilitation services targeting foreign companies considering Spain as an EU base — competing for the same European gateway decisions as NFIA.
• Invest in Canada: Canada's national investment promotion agency under the federal government. Provides parallel FDI advisory, location consulting, and aftercare services for foreign companies evaluating Canada — directly comparable to NFIA's mandate in the Netherlands.

Regional players

• Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT): The investment promotion agency for Belgium's Flanders region. Operates the same FDI-attraction mandate as NFIA but focused on a Belgian sub-jurisdiction rather than a national gateway.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Singapore: Singapore's statutory board supporting enterprise development and foreign company establishment. Comparable to NFIA as a government investment facilitation agency, with a broader enterprise-development mandate beyond pure FDI attraction.
• Department for Business and Trade (UK): The UK government's department responsible for investment promotion (successor to the Department for International Trade). Offers overlapping FDI-attraction services to NFIA but as part of a much broader economic policy portfolio rather than as a single-purpose agency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nfiaholland
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NFIAtube
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/21794

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency