Fast-lane from idea to commercial product

The Dutch acknowledge the importance of innovation for sustained growth, and invest accordingly in our innovation infrastructure. The extensive network of fieldlabs in our region provides a real-life testing ground for new innovations, in which many corporates are committed partners. Our region is home to a number of world-renowned industry clusters and our 3 universities, all in the world top 100, are avid collaborators with industry. To further promote innovation, there are many subsidies and tax reductions available for R&D activities.

Tap into our advanced multi-faceted innovation infrastructure

Develop, test, demonstrate and scale up innovations in real-life circumstances

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Co-create, test, and demonstrate with your launching customer

Proximity to your customer is a real advantage for businesses wanting to co-create, test or demonstrate their innovations in a real-life setting. It gives the unique opportunity to pivot and optimise your innovation to reduce time to market while maximizing Return on Investment

  • Horticulture

    75% of Dutch horticulture R&D takes place in our region, home to the highest concentration of advanced cultivation in the world. This community has a great appetite for collaboration.

  • Life Sciences & Health

    Our region is home to world-class (academic) research institutes and a large, diverse community of life sciences & health companies. This mix has proven to be the ideal foundation for innovative entrepreneurship and is welcoming new initiatives and ideas.

  • Maritime & Port

    Our region is renowned for its leading maritime & port business community and excellent port infrastructure. The community is continuously looking for collaborations and co-creation opportunities.

  • Aerospace

    Our region is home to a unique aerospace cluster, including the complete chain of academic research – knowledge applications – OEM’s – first, second & third-tier suppliers. The major OEM’s in the industry acknowledge our region’s innovation potential and look this way for collaboration.

A diverse concentration of OEM’s

Our region is home to an exceptionally diverse concentration of world-leading OEM’s and manufacturers, that are constantly on the look-out for innovative solutions to keep their position at the forefront of their industry. On top of that, we have the Dutch government and several intergovernmental organisations, looking for innovative ways to optimize their operations or make society a better place to live, work and do business.

Cross-industry innovation

The variety of industries in our region makes cross-industry innovation accessible. Participation in cross-industry innovation initiatives is high, as public and private organisations alike recognise the importance of looking for breakthrough innovation outside their own sector.

A selection of large, globally operating companies in our region:

 

Fieldlabs

In fieldlabs, hundreds of companies of all sizes work intensively with knowledge and education institutes and with commitment and support from the Dutch government. Each fieldlab has its own specific focus, for example on applications of robotization, additive manufacturing or Quantum technology.

Innovation facilitated from A to Z

The fieldlab provides (sometimes funded) collaboration programmes, shared R&D and testing facilities, access to (academic) knowledge and often appropriate exemptions on regulations, to enable the testing of innovative applications that don’t fit into the current regulatory context. When appropriate, fieldlabs can also facilitate the commercialisation and implementation phase, for example by providing training programmes for future service engineers.

Innovation network

The fieldlabs are connected through a close-knit network. Various theme-based innovation programmes such as health-tech and energy&climate facilitate access to and provide funding for programmes at multiple fieldlabs.

Read about the innovation infrastructure works for companies in our region

 

Business growth support

Incubators provide business growth support to startups in the form of office space, coaching, courses, access to funding, network and community. The incubators in our region have received increased support and funding from regional stakeholders in the effort to enhance the innovation infrastructure in our region. As a result, we have several leading business incubators and accelerators, who have brought forth an impressive amount of highly successful alumni companies

The high quality of our innovation infrastructure is underscored by several renown rankings

We rank #2 in the EU on the Global Innovation Index

(source: Global Innovation Index)

We filed 2nd most patents per ratio of inhibitants of all European countries

(source: European Patent Office)

We have the EU’s best industry – university collaboration

(source: WEF)

Our R&D tax incentives are most extensive in the world

(source: EY)

The genius in our region is fueled by our excellent talent pool

The innovative nature of our business community stems from the internationally renowned academic universities, prominent academic medical centres and many universities of applied sciences in our region. Each with its own specific profile, from engineering to business and medicine, these universities attract and deliver international top talent and provide knowledge and research facilities.

 
 

Rulings to facilitatie attracting highly skilled talent

  • Highly skilled migrant visa

    The Highly Skilled Migrant Visa allows businesses to bring uniquely qualified international talent to live and work in the Netherlands for a maximum of five years.

  • 30% tax ruling

    The 30% reimbursement ruling is a tax advantage for highly skilled migrants moving to the Netherlands for a specific employment role. The employer can grant a tax-free allowance equivalent to 30% of the gross salary subject to Dutch payroll tax.

A great place for attracting international talent

Talent shortage is a problem that technology companies around the world are confronted with. To enable their growth ambitions, talent must be attracted from abroad. Greater Rotterdam – The Hague ranks at the top of expats’ lists of favourite places to live and work, and we have regulations in place to facilitate their relocation to the Netherlands. In our region, both attracting and retaining talent is relatively easy, people just love to live here!

Taxes, subsidies and exemptions

Various national and regional financial instruments are available in our region to stimulate innovation

Innovation programmes

Examples:

  • ZorgTech is a programme that supports collaborative projects with health-technology related solutions with funding and support.
  • The Energie en Klimaat programme offers vouchers to support cleantech innovations.
  • SMITZH provides knowledge, network, facilities and vouchers to help manufacturers with digitizing and automating their processes.

Subsidies

Examples:

  • Innovation Credit is a direct loan to finance part of the R&D project costs for a technical or clinical development project of at least €150,000
  • Proof-of-concept funding is available for established SMEs, innovative startups and academics in the Netherlands for the development of a working prototype, to conduct market research or to devise a business plan.

Tax exemptions

Examples:

  • Innovation Box: Companies can benefit from an effective tax rate of 9% for profits derived from self-developed intangible assets for which an R&D declaration has been obtained.
  • R&D tax credit, or WBSO: offers startups and innovative companies compensation for part of the research and development (R&D) wage costs, other costs, and expenditures.

Investors

Examples:

  • UNIIQ is a proof-of-concept fund to support innovative companies in the pre-seed phase
  • IQCapital invests in all phases of innovative companies with a relatively high risk profile
  • ENERGIIQ invests in innovations that lead to CO2 reduction
Get in touch for tailored advice about available financial support!

Discover more about our region:

Get in touch!

We are happy to answer your questions or make an appointment.

IQ ArifeKaraosmanoglu

Arife Karaosmanoglu – Aker

Senior Account Manager High-Tech & Maritiem
Call me: +316 824 44 887
Mail me