South Holland cities join forces in New Dutch Alliance

By aligning regional expertise and connecting existing networks, the alliance strengthens how the province presents itself internationally. The partnership is supported by the national New Dutch programme, which focuses on promoting the Netherlands as an innovative country addressing key challenges in energy, health and digitalisation.

The following press release was issued by the collaborating cities on Tuesday March 31st.

The Province of South Holland is joining forces with the cities of Leiden, The Hague, Rotterdam and Delft in a new partnership within the national New Dutch movement. Together with the Province of South Holland, these cities form the South Holland New Dutch Alliance, in which each partner contributes to broader provincial collaboration from its own role. With this alliance, the partners strengthen their cooperation and make better use of their collective strengths within the region and beyond.

The partnership is built on the individual strengths of the cities. Each city brings its own profile and expertise: from life sciences & health in Leiden, to maritime innovation in Rotterdam, impact and cybersecurity in The Hague, and high-tech engineering in Delft. These areas of expertise, combined with additional complementary strengths within the province, form the foundation for collaboration in South Holland.

The alliance has deliberately chosen a network-driven approach in which the cities take centre stage. They retain their own identities and positioning while jointly promoting stories and innovations from the South Holland region. By joining forces, they create a powerful and recognisable proposition for talent, businesses and investors.

“The strength of this collaboration does not lie in a single overarching narrative, but precisely in the combination of strong, distinctive cities that reinforce one another. These unique qualities together form the strength of the Province of South Holland,” says Meindert Stolk, Provincial Executive for Economy and Innovation in South Holland.

With the South Holland Alliance, the partners aim to contribute to an attractive business climate, attract international talent, and strengthen innovation ecosystems. By working together within the New Dutch movement, they increase their reach and impact, both nationally and internationally. The added value for South Holland lies in the collaboration itself: connecting urban qualities, networks and narratives into a coherent and powerful whole.

The South Holland New Dutch Alliance consists of Leiden&Partners, The Hague & Partners, Rotterdam Partners, Delft Marketing and the Province of South Holland. The agreement has been signed by the management teams of the participating organisations.

Erik van Essen, Managing Director of Rotterdam Partners:
“The South Holland region plays an important role in our work. With its strong innovation power, entrepreneurship and international connectivity, collaboration is essential. Through this alliance, we not only strengthen each other’s stories, but also position South Holland as a region where innovative companies and talent want to establish themselves and grow.”

Marco Esser, Managing Director of The Hague & Partners:
“The Hague has a strong international position in the fields of impact, cybersecurity and new energy. By linking this strength to that of the other major cities in our province, we can present a much stronger and more complete story nationally and internationally. This collaboration enables us as a region to contribute to an attractive and innovative ecosystem that draws talent and businesses to South Holland.”