The IT and Technological Industry

Updated on 24 November 2024

Directly opposite farming and agriculture is the highly advanced Dutch IT and tech sector. Due to the large amount of citizens living on a small space of land, the Netherlands is the most wired country in the entire EU. This proves to be a fantastic environment for tech innovators and IT businesses due to it being an ideal testing ground for new ideas. But it’s not just the large amount of connected people that makes the country an interesting option for your start-up or expansion. Since tech is a hot subject in the country, the entire workforce itself is tech-savvy and, in almost every case, bi- or even trilingual. Next to that, you can expect high-quality digital infrastructure, a very innovative way of thinking and culture, and many subsidies granted by the government and semi-governmental organizations.

Dutch consumers are digital pioneers and front-runners in general; a large portion of all citizens enthusiastically embraces new technology and digital applications. If there is something that can be managed, done or analyzed by an app, the Dutch will find a way to make this happen. Due to its high-quality digital infrastructure, the Netherlands currently holds 2nd place worldwide regarding online connectivity. This is mainly because a staggering 98% of all households have broadband internet. Furthermore, the Netherlands houses the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX). This is considered to be a worldwide leader in digital data distribution. Below, we will elaborate more on some noteworthy current topics in the Dutch IT and tech industries.

Home to many existing tech and IT giants

The Netherlands is an extremely popular country for IT companies of all shapes and sizes, from start-ups and small entrepreneurs to already existing multinationals. Did you know that Holland houses multiple branch offices and even headquarters of companies like Microsoft, Google, Oracle, IBM and NTT? This makes for a highly innovative blend of already existing knowledge and experience, next to new pioneers who can add value with inventive solutions and interesting concepts.

Cybersecurity in the Netherlands

With The Hague as an international city of Peace and Justice, the Netherlands are considered pioneers in cybersecurity and thus; also leaders within this sector in the European Union. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is considered to be the center of expertise for cybersecurity in the Netherlands. This organization highly encourages an active cooperation between businesses within this sector and the government. This doesn’t only add to the safety of the network, but also to the digital resilience of the country as well.

Many international organizations, such as the International Criminal Court, Europol, NATO and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia chose to base their operations here for this exact reason. Next to these organizations, the Netherlands also houses the largest security cluster in Europe, which is named The Hague Security Delta (HSD). The HSD is a national network that consists of more than 300 member organizations, from the public as well as the private sector. These companies and organizations work together to promote and accelerate new cybersecurity solutions, following the ever-changing digital market. If you are interested in cybersecurity, the Netherlands would be a perfect place to start your enterprise.

Artificial Intelligence is constantly evolving

During the past decade, technology has become more and more advanced, ultimately resulting in the creation of AI. The Dutch are again pioneers within this field, as they recognize the massive opportunities big data driven AI can offer in the 21st century. Two years ago, the Dutch launched the Strategic Action Plan for AI, which aims at integrating AI in several layers of society in order to reap maximum benefits. To this end, three separate pillars were introduced:

• The capitalization of economic and societal opportunities for AI
• The advancement of AI knowledge through research & development and human capital
• The safeguarding of the public interest through the establishment of ethical AI guidelines [3]

Next to the action plan, the NL AI coalition exists in order to unite all partners, such as the government, the entire AI and tech industry, civil society itself and a wide plethora of knowledge institutions, such as universities. The unification is based on the purpose of accelerating developments in the field of AI in the Netherlands and internationally. This inherently attracted many international companies within this sector, such as Brain Corp., ABB and Wonderkind. The quickly growing sector and industry will provide interesting business opportunities for decades in the future.

Crossovers between the tech sector and other sectors

Since the tech and IT sectors are so prevalent in the Netherlands, there are also many crossovers between this sector and many other sectors. Collaboration is a huge subject in the country, as it sets the base for constant evolution within the entire business sector. This can clearly be seen in several intersections between the tech industry and sectors such as smart farming, the Dutch gaming industry, the entire medical and health industry, and the chemical and pharmaceutical sector. The aim is to build a sustainable, stable economy with maximum potential.

Accelerating digitalization even further

The Dutch government established the Dutch Digitalization Strategy in 2018, which is aimed at accelerating digitalization in various sectors. These include (but are not limited to) mobility, energy, healthcare, agrifood and also the laying of a firmer foundation of digitalization in sectors such as privacy, cybersecurity, fair competition and digital skills. The Dutch want to make it possible to become Europe’s digital leader by basically equipping all Dutch citizens with proper digital skills. With a connection rate of 98%, this is entirely possible.

Read more about the fastest growing industries in The Netherlads