Digital learning technology has become an indispensable pillar for future-proof learning and a driving force behind social progress. AI is rapidly changing how we work, learn, and live: jobs are disappearing, new roles are emerging. This requires a fundamentally different way of learning and rapid development of new skills, and EdTech plays a key role in this.
EdTech delivers measurable results: students achieve an average of two months of extra learning gain per year with EdTech solutions*, teachers experience lower workloads, and professionals are supported with AI tools. EdTech also helps with major transitions: from reducing staff shortages and accelerating the energy transition to strengthening our knowledge position.
Limited application
"Yet proven EdTech solutions are still only applied to a limited extent in the Netherlands," says Ewoud de Kok, board member of the Dutch EdTech Foundation. "The technology is there, and the urgency is greater than ever. But the current system - from laws and regulations to tender structures, financing, and long adoption processes - hinders scaling. As a result, innovations often remain small-scale, while they are precisely essential now to train people, develop talent, and make our knowledge economy future-proof."
Growth stagnates at scaling
The figures from the report underline both the growth potential and the challenge. The sector now counts nearly 475 companies, accounting for over 13,000 jobs in 2025 (+18% since 2023). With 239 startups, the Netherlands has one of the most innovative EdTech ecosystems in Europe. Especially the segment around Lifelong learning and corporate training shows strong growth, as organizations there adopt new technology more quickly. Yet no startup has grown into a scale-up according to the European definition.
The investment climate is also under pressure: the average deal size fell from around 6 million dollars in 2021 to 1 million in 2024, while the European average remains around 3 million. Large Series B and C investments have virtually disappeared, making it difficult for promising companies to grow. More than half of the startups now cite system blockages, such as long adoption processes and complex tenders, as the biggest challenge.
Risk for knowledge economy and social transitions
The consequences of this stagnation extend beyond the classroom. While countries like Singapore, India, and China are investing heavily in digital learning innovations, the Netherlands risks falling behind, with direct consequences for the energy transition, healthcare, and the labor market. Additionally, artificial intelligence is rapidly rewriting the foundation of countless professions. If our learning and education system does not adapt, we will lose talent, necessary skills will remain untapped, and our competitive strength will shift to countries that do accelerate.
Call for leadership and collaboration
The researchers are therefore calling on educational institutions, companies, and governments to actively learn from pioneers who have successfully scaled and to remove barriers to broad implementation. Policymakers must develop policies that accelerate scaling rather than hinder it.
"The solutions are ready and we know they work," says Jitske van Os, director of the Dutch EdTech Foundation. "What is needed: leaders who dare to invest and a government that enables growth. Only then can we harness the potential of EdTech and maintain our knowledge position."
