The Netherlands - A trading nation throughout history

Doing international business has always been a great part of Dutch history and is deeply intertwined in its culture. In the 16th century, the Dutch were Europe’s main cargo transporters. After which it became the world’s largest commercial enterprise in the 17th century. And even until today, its ports have remained one of the largest in the world. We can easily say that the dutch economy thrives on its export and import. Read more about the Dutch Key Industries here.

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The Netherlands on the map

The Netherlands is a relatively small country, but has a big name on the international scale. However, for some it might be a bit difficult to pin it out on the map. The Netherlands is located in the heart of Western Europe. It directly neighbors Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg and if you cross the Atlantic ocean you will bump into the UK and Ireland. All in all this means it's perfectly connected to the rest of Europe!

 

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The biggest industries in the Netherlands

Dutch companies are in general precursor in innovative concepts and are very open to change. This also reflects in the key industries in the Netherlands. Key sectors in the Netherlands are among others Science, IT, Agri/Food, Energy, Aerospace and High tech systems. Apart from that there is also a large market for Consultancy. International Trade is one of the largest industries in the Netherlands, which makes it a great location to import and export from. Read more about Dutch Key Industries here.  

 

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Doing business in the Netherlands

Doing business with the Dutch is fairly easy. The way of communication is direct and the Dutch are very open to commerce, foreigners (international business), different cultures and technological innovation. The Netherlands has a very interesting business climate that you can benefit from. Read more about why you should invest in the Netherlands here. 

 

If you are thinking about employing Dutch staff, here’s what you should know:

As we mentioned before, the Dutch have a great work mentality, are highly educated, skillful, are eager to learn and grow and often speak multiple languages. Want to know more about recruiting Dutch staff? Check out our blog. 

 

 

The Dutch Startup and Business Growth Ecosystem

Without saying, the Dutch and innovation go hand-in-hand. This also applies to the way the Netherlands treats Startups and innovative business. Both native companies as well as foreign businesses. You can find more than 10 innovation hubs in the Netherlands! The government applies favorable measures for (foreign) Startups to enable their settlement and growth. Recently the Dutch government has adopted a new regulation, called the Startup VISA, that allows foreign entrepreneurs from outside the EU to start an innovative business while getting a temporary residence permit! Want to know more about the Startup Visa or other ways to start your business in the Netherlands? Get in touch!

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Crunching the numbers 

• The Netherlands ranked No. 3 in the EU on the Global Innovation Index of 2019.

• The Netherlands is the most densely populated country in the EU. From the 17 million+ residents, over 3 million have non-Dutch background.

• The Netherlands is 2018 no. 1 in Europe and no. 4 worldwide in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking.

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nOT cONVINCED YET?

Here's 7 reasons why we think you should invest in the Netherlands. Or continue reading in our Business Toolkit!

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