KnowBe4 Recognized for Global Cybersecurity Efforts in Collaboration with the Netherlands

Dutch Ambassador Birgitta Tazelaar presents KnowBe4 with 2024 Holland on the Hill Freddy Heineken Award

On April 10, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands presented the 2024 Holland on the Hill Freddy Heineken Award to Florida-based cybersecurity company KnowBe4 in a ceremony at the residence of Dutch Ambassador Birgitta Tazelaar in Washington, D.C. Stu Sjouwerman, founder and CEO of KnowBe4, accepted the award on behalf of the company.

The Holland on the Hill Freddy Heineken Award, named for Freddy Heineken, honors an entrepreneur or organization that has made a substantial and positive impact on the economic ties between the Netherlands and the United States. Today, transatlantic cooperation remains vital in creating innovative solutions to address global challenges, including cybersecurity threats to companies, organizations and society as a whole.

While presenting the award, Tazelaar acknowledged, “KnowBe4 and Stu Sjouwerman are industry leaders who combine entrepreneurial drive with a transatlantic focus. The company is noted for its innovative and wholistic approach to IT security, focusing not only on technology, but also the human side of it.”

Upon receiving the award, Sjouwerman reflected, “I am very honored to receive the Freddy Heineken Award this year. When I moved to the United States years ago to live and work here, I never dreamed that its impact would be appreciated in this way. Despite major differences, I have also experienced many similarities between the U.S. and the Netherlands. It is precisely these similarities that are the secret to successful collaboration. Cybersecurity in particular is a domain in which international cooperation is the basis for success. Together with my colleagues at KnowBe4, I remain committed to making people worldwide aware of the dangers of cybercrime and protecting them against it.”

An American company with Dutch roots – and growing Dutch presence

Born in the Netherlands, Sjouwerman launched KnowBe4 in Florida in 2010. The firm has grown to become the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform. More than 65,000 organizations around the world use KnowBe4’s industry-leading products to help protect themselves from cyberattacks.

In 2023, KnowBe4 opened its new EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) headquarters in Utrecht – a strategic location for growing its business in the EMEA region. Complementing Sjouwerman’s Dutch roots, KnowBe4’s expansion in the Netherlands is a testament to the country’s reputation as an innovative tech gateway to Europe with robust, advanced digital infrastructure.

Together at the forefront of cybersecurity

Grounded in the belief that a strong human firewall is the last line of defense against cyberattacks, KnowBe4’s security awareness platform gives businesses the tools to train their employees to recognize and defend against cybersecurity threats. The company’s mission strongly aligns with the ethos of the Dutch cybersecurity ecosystem.

As cyber threats continue to evolve, the Netherlands is playing a critical role in securing the digital future of organizations across Europe and beyond. The country is home to Europe’s largest security cluster, The Hague Security Delta (HSD), as well as Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre and NATO’s Communications and Information (NCI) Agency. With its “triple-helix” approach, the Netherlands fosters collaboration between businesses, government agencies and knowledge institutes to enhance digital resilience for society.

Together at the forefront of cybersecurity, KnowBe4 and the Netherlands will continue to focus on one of the most challenging aspects of the field: mitigating human error. In an ever-evolving threat landscape, KnowBe4’s goal of educating and training people to recognize and thwart potential cyber threats is more critical than ever.

Source: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands & Dutch IT Leaders (Dutch)

11 April 2024