6 key stakeholders, including these Dutch cities, join forces to drive innovation and entrepreneurship in Zuid-Holland

The Province of Zuid-Holland, the Metropolitan Region of The Hague Rotterdam (MRDH), and the cities of Delft, The Hague, Leiden, and Rotterdam have agreed to work more closely together to enhance the environment for startups and scale-ups.

On November 13, they signed a letter of intent to create a programme focused on developing startups and scale-up in the region by early 2025.

Other stakeholders, including educational institutions, are also encouraged to participate.

The province of Zuid-Holland has been named number one in the Netherlands for startups working on innovative technology and making a positive impact.

However, the main challenge is to adopt smart working methods, as noted by expert Ruben Nieuwenhuis. He explored how Zuid-Holland can become a prosperous area for innovative entrepreneurs.

“The world is in transition and Zuid-Holland wants to stay at the forefront of this. Entrepreneurs working on tomorrow’s solutions are a huge part of this. They contribute to broad prosperity, for example by creating jobs and overcoming societal challenges.”

“We need to look beyond The Hague’s city limits in order to support them as best we can,” Saskia Bruines explains, Councillor for Economic Development in The Hague and Chair of the MRDH’s Economic Establishment Climate Executive Committee.

Collaborating to encourage innovative entrepreneurship

The collaboration should lead to less fragmentation of knowledge and effort and economies of scale by pooling activities. This will improve the impact.

“We are facing some major joint challenges, for example, the energy transition in our Rotterdam port, one of the region’s major economic drivers. The innovative power of startups and scale-ups is essential for accelerating this process and strengthening our competitive position. This collaboration will ensure we, as a region, are better prepared for the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow,” says Robert Simons, Rotterdam Councillor for the Port, Economy, Hospitality and Administration.