Innovation and business ecosystem

The Rotterdam region boasts strong economic sectors, established industries and an innovative port. The city's fast evolving ecosystem thrives because of the ‘make it happen’ mentality, the drive to innovate and experiment and the willingness to collaborate. It’s a welcoming environment and a ‘living lab’ for forward-thinking companies and entrepreneurs who are eager to help drive change and deliver creative solutions for global challenges, such as the energy transition, circularity and digitalisation. This spirit of innovation is central to the Rotterdam economy and its appeal to international businesses.

What makes Rotterdam stand out is its DNA of entrepreneurship, innovation and experimentation. Rotterdammers are frontrunners, passionate and willing to challenge the status quo, even in more traditional sectors. Collaboration is second nature here, and business networks are very accessible and welcoming to newcomers. This mentality and culture are often cited by international businesses as a key competitive advantage for starting a business in the Netherlands or expanding business in Europe. It’s also what makes Rotterdam a recognised talent hub and a magnet for innovative companies.

The Rotterdam mentality, culture and business climate is increasingly attracting international pioneers, start-ups, venture capitalists and talent. This has given rise to a vibrant start-up scene with a multitude of innovation hubs, co-working spaces and robust support infrastructures provided by incubators and accelerators. Dealroom ranks Rotterdam as a top global tech ecosystem and science hub, thanks in part to the strong linkage between universities and startups—so crucial for technological advancement and business opportunities in the Netherlands.

Rotterdam’s spirit of collaboration extends to research and knowledge institutions, city authorities and the port. The Rotterdam region is home to leading universities ranking in the top 20 in Western Europe: Erasmus University Rotterdam (economics, business, social sciences), Erasmus Medical Centre (medical and clinical research) and Delft University of Technology (technology and engineering). These institutions collaborate with public and private partners in The Convergence, focusing on research and innovation in the fields of climate change, sustainability, pressure on the healthcare system, urbanisation and digitalisation. The Port Authority is the driving force behind the transition to a digital and climate-neutral port. Public-private partnerships and a growing network of fieldlabs where businesses, academic teams, port and government authorities come together to collectively develop and test innovations are further testament to Rotterdam’s spirit of collaboration. 

• Up!Rotterdam
  Up!Rotterdam supports innovative entrepreneurs in scaling up their businesses, by providing them with better access to capital, talent, and new markets and by shaping a community that enhances peer learning.  

• Rotterdam Innovation City  
  Website with all the latest about important developments, innovations, subsidies and more from the city of Rotterdam.  

• Intellectual property protection 
  Governmental website with information about (costs for) protecting your Intellectual Property rights.  

• Innovation in the Port of Rotterdam
  Overview of the innovation ecosystem in the Port of Rotterdam, including a search function to find specific companies per  (innovation process) phase.