Netherlands Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in netherlands, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Information and Communication Technology
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The Dutch ICT sector benefits from a growth-friendly ecosystem. The Netherlands ranks among the top EU countries with the largest share of inhabitants, who are proficient in using the internet, computers, and software. It ranks second worldwide for online connectivity, with 98.3% of the population being connected to high-speed internet, well above the EU average of 78.8%. All Dutch households are covered by at least one 5G network.

The total turnover for the Dutch digital sector – excluding the semiconductor industry – was estimated to be in the range of $80B - $90B in 2024, with approximately $34B generated through digital services and roughly $50B through digital goods. In 2024, the Dutch tech ecosystem maintained $3.5 billion in venture capital investment, contrary to the European average which saw a 5% decrease over the same period. This makes the Netherlands the fourth-largest venture capital market in Europe.

In 2023, 92% of all Dutch consumers made an online purchase for private use. The contribution of eCommerce to the average company turnover increased from 14% in 2019, to 19% in 2023. Spending on advertising more than doubled from $2B to $4.2B over the same period.

The Dutch government supports the ICT sector with its Digitalization Strategy and the Digital Agenda, which promotes education, knowledge and innovation, fast and open infrastructure, security and confidence, scope for enterprise, and digitalization of industry, healthcare, energy, and mobility.  

Leading Sub-sectors  

The Dutch government launched the Strategic Action Plan for AI in 2019, which introduced three pillars:  the capitalization of societal and economic opportunities of AI, advancing AI through R&D and human capital development, and safeguarding the public interest by establishing ethical guidelines in AI. The NL AI Coalition unites government, industry, knowledge and civil society to accelerate AI developments in the Netherlands.

Additional leading sectors include augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, storage management software, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning, application management, and content management products. VR gaming software for the consumer market is also expected to offer good prospects in the coming years.

Opportunities  

Despite significant staff shortages, the economic outlook of the Dutch ICT sector is good. The market benefited from the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the digital transformation of the workplace. The first quarter of 2023 accounted for over 552.000 ICT-professionals, which is 39% more than before the pandemic. However, the staff shortage remains. In 2023, the Dutch ICT sector’s output was approximately €98 billion, and growth is projected to be about 2.8 % in both 2024 and 2025. Growth is mainly impeded by labor shortages. The ICT industry however, is thriving in the Netherlands and ICT companies showed stronger growth in gross value added than the Dutch economy as a whole.

Resources  

Market Analyses
Artradius Market Monitor Report  

Trade Events

InfoSecurity Netherlands
Trade show, seminars, and online matchmaking for IT professionals.

Associations  

NLdigital - Trade association for the Dutch IT and telecommunications industry.

Contact

Philip Hammerstein, Senior Commercial Specialist                                         
U.S. Commercial Service – The Netherlands  
Philip.Hammerstein@trade.gov | +31 70 310 2416  

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