The Netherlands Ranks Among Top Innovators in the European Innovation Scoreboard

The Dutch innovation ecosystem remains amongst Europe’s leaders

The Netherlands has once again reaffirmed its status as a pioneering force in the realm of innovation, ranking a fourth place in the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) published by the European Union. The latest rankings have placed the country at the forefront of the innovation landscape, reflecting the country’s commitment to research, development, and technological advancements.

The Netherlands has managed to maintain its status as a European innovation leader, demonstrating continuous progress in the 2023 EIS. The annual assessment evaluates 32 performance indicators for EU member states, measuring their innovation prowess. Remarkably, since 2016, EU member states have collectively improved their overall performance by an average of 8.5%, a testament to the region’s commitment to fostering innovation.

At the top of the list, Denmark secured the first position, followed closely by Sweden at second and Finland at third, with the Netherlands proudly taking the fourth spot. The countries were categorized into four groups based on their performance relative to the EU average, distinguishing them as Innovation Leaders, Strong Innovators, Moderate Innovators, or Emerging Innovators.

The role of Netherlands’ robust innovation ecosystem

The Netherlands robust innovation ecosystem has been a driving force behind its success in the EIS rankings. The collaborative efforts between academia, industry, and the government have led to groundbreaking research and the development of innovative solutions.

By consistently investing in research and development and nurturing an environment conducive to experimentation, the Netherlands creates an ecosystem where innovation can thrive.

Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Micky Adriaansens: “This position is a great recognition for all innovative entrepreneurs, researchers, and scientists, but it is not taken for granted. That’s why we are increasingly encouraging the preservation of knowledge in the Netherlands at a high level, and more importantly, ensuring that it leads to concrete innovations. Therefore, there are abundant additional private and government investments taking place in research and innovation to ensure sufficient jobs and income in the Netherlands in the long term. This includes areas such as quantum, photonics, hydrogen, as well as biomedical innovation.”

About the European Innovation Scoreboard

The European Innovation Scoreboard, an annual report released by the European Commission, evaluates and compares the innovation performance of EU member states, along with selected associated and neighboring countries. It ranks countries on the basis of a wide range of indicators, including investments in research and development, patent applications, scientific publications, and technology-based exports.

Source: European Union