Sci/tech

Dutch start-up Thorizon has signed an agreement to build Europe’s first commercial molten salt reactor in Zeeland, with plans to have it operational by 2034. Unlike traditional nuclear plants, this technology uses liquid salt as both fuel and coolant, which CEO Kiki Lauwers describes as a safer alternative that can even repurpose existing nuclear waste. The project, which has already secured tens of millions in funding from investors and regional authorities, is expected to cover an area the size of several football pitches and provide enough energy to power 250,000 households once connected to the grid.

TSMC posted record first‑quarter profits in 2026, driven by relentless global demand for AI chips. The world’s largest advanced‑chip manufacturer raised its full‑year outlook and said the Middle East conflict has not disrupted its supply chain or slowed investment in AI infrastructure.

Last November, security guards at Princess Beatrix’s Drakensteyn Castle estate and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee at a nearby gold vault both reported sightings of unauthorised drones. While the operators and their motives remain unknown, similar sightings were recorded at several Dutch air bases that same weekend. Although the Finance Minister maintains that the national gold reserves are secure deep underground, the incidents have prompted calls for increased investment in anti-drone technology to protect high-security sites.

The Dutch manufacturing sector faces the risk of disappearing unless it rapidly adopts robotisation and automation to counter an ageing workforce and rising labour costs. According to research institute TNO, the industry’s productivity has stalled, leaving it vulnerable to international competitors like South Korea and Germany, which use significantly more robots. TNO warns that without a national agenda to increase robot density, the Netherlands could see widespread factory closures and job losses within the next decade, shifting the country from a global producer to a dependent consumer.

Former ASML CEO Peter Wennink and KPN CEO Joost Farwerck warn that the Netherlands’ digital infrastructure is falling behind. They argue that rapid technological developments demand new investment, European collaboration, and government procurement that values digital sovereignty.

Prime Minister Rob Jetten has met with ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet to discuss the future of the Dutch semiconductor industry. The talks focused on maintaining a world-class business climate and the strategic importance of the Eindhoven region.

The Dutch Cabinet has approved a new bill granting police expanded powers to collect and monitor personal data from public social media accounts to prevent public order disturbances. Minister David van Weel argued the legislation "brings the police into the 21st century," pointing to recent violent riots at the Malieveld as evidence that authorities need better tools to track online-organised unrest. While current rules only allow officers to view public information, the new law will permit the formal extraction and use of this data; however, the powers do not yet extend to private or closed groups, though future plans to include them are already under consideration.

Six vocational colleges in the southern Netherlands are offering 500 euro vouchers to help new engineering and technology students buy necessary laptops. The initiative is part of a wider national plan to train thousands of new professionals for the growing microchip industry. This financial support aims to remove barriers for students entering a sector with a high demand for skilled workers.