Health-Holland

Entrepreneurial spirit The Netherlands is renowned for being a nation of entrepreneurs. This is reflected in the fact that some 12% of Dutch workers are self- employed. To this day, the government encourages start-ups as a way of boosting economic vitality as well as competition and innovation among existing businesses. Many leading multinationals got their start in the Netherlands, including Philips, Unilever, ASML and Booking.com. There are also numerous smaller international companies with Dutch roots, including G-Star and eBuddy. There is much creative talent in the Netherlands, as evidenced by its No.2 ranking on the Global Innovation Index, thanks to its test market, open culture and flexible consumers. Leading ICT environment The Netherlands is also an innovator in the field of ICT, thanks to its robust infrastructure, high-level security and advanced research. The country is a major hub for internet traffic, with around one-third of Europe’s traffic with the US routed via the Amsterdam Internet Exchange. The Hague Security Delta, amongst other centres of expertise, reflects the county’s concern for cybersecurity. Foreign investors are taking advantage of the opportunities the country has to offer and a quarter of all FDI projects are ICT-related. 55