Dutch science is doing very well. Our researchers, universities and institutes score remarkably high on global rankings. In this essay, José van Dijck and Wim van Saarloos, president and vice president of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, investigate how our small country could become big in science. However, they also show how reaching for higher peaks has sometimes come at the expense of a strong and indispensable foundation. Investments in knowledge, science and innovation are lagging behind, and typical Dutch success factors such as cooperation, trust, a strong civil society and a great intertwining of education and research are under pressure. They conclude with schools of thought that can help success of Dutch science, and to secure its major contributions to society for the future.