Innovation Opportunities Await in The Netherlands
The world-renowned entrepreneurial mindset of the Dutch has long been documented. Inventors of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and electrocardiogram, it should come as no surprise that the Netherlands’ innovation accolades are among the best in the world. New technologies come to life in the Netherlands thanks to an innovation ecosystem that promotes collaboration between companies, research institutes and public organizations.
Forward-thinking culture
Open to cross-disciplinary ideas, the Dutch foster a forward-thinking culture that helps innovators break the mold time and again. The Netherlands is not just planning for the future, but also investing in it. Between 2021 and 2025, the Dutch government has allocated 20 billion euros to future-forward innovation. For this, among many reasons, the Netherlands was recognized as a Global Innovation Leader by the Global Innovation Index and is among the top five countries, which noted that the Netherlands’ innovation is leading on the continent.
Encouraging innovation
Promoting collaboration between private and research sectors, the Dutch government provides fertile ground for innovation to sprout and grow. Besides policy, forming partnerships and fostering an innovation-friendly business environment is one of the top priorities of the Dutch government. Funding is available for public-private partnerships in which government organizations are typically involved to help solve potential regulatory bottlenecks. In addition a growing network of Field Labs serve as real-life testing grounds for new innovations, and are complemented by a wide range of business services such as incubators, accelerators and subsidized internationalization programs.
Strengthening knowledge and skills
Known as a hub of research and development for global companies, clusters of research and education across the country provide that the latest knowledge and technology is available.
For example, Wageningen University and Research is a world leader in agrifood innovation and pioneering solutions for global challenges. Meanwhile, Delft University of Technology is changing society for the better, advancing a number of industries such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and medical technology. Furthermore, Eindhoven University of Technology and Brainport Eindhoven lead high tech innovation for photonics and battery technology.
