The Netherlands’ Innovation Landscape

In a world that runs on advanced technologies and where the competition to lead in these technologies is intense and distributed around the world, a robust innovation system is a national security imperative. In this fiercely competitive environment, the Netherlands has developed a pragmatic strategy that develops its research and development infrastructure, leverages its leadership in advanced semiconductor technologies, and builds new global networks for cooperation.

A nation of 18 million people, the Netherlands has long exercised outsized influence within the European Union, the international community, and the global high-technology ecosystem. This influence is built on the excellence of the country’s technical universities and numerous research organizations, as well as on the dynamism of its large and small companies. These assets are arguably reinforced by the liberal, cosmopolitan character of Dutch society and the country’s centuries-old collaborative innovation culture.

This report is made possible by general support to CSIS. No direct sponsorship contributed to this report.