5 Reasons Why the Netherlands is the Perfect Place to Develop Your Software
Business globalization strengthens international cooperation and gives companies more flexibility in choosing partners and places for software development. Today entrepreneurs are not interested in low prices at the expense of quality. Instead, they are looking for a reliable technology partner who can act in their interests and generate maximum value in the long-term perspective.
Among many software development regions that offer diverse combinations of price-quality ratio, the Netherlands seems to be a perfect option for project launch.
With this in mind, Softensy has recently opened a representative office in the Netherlands, Amsterdam. We made this choice after a deep market analysis, which included prices, competitors, and legal base research. After weighing all the for and against, we highlighted six reasons to expand business to the Netherlands.
Reason 1. The Netherlands is a global tech hub
The number of companies in the IT industry in the Netherlands grows exponentially. Every year more technological firms are registered in this country, contributing to the digital transformation of various industries from retail to aircraft manufacturing. A huge number of technological events held in the Netherlands promote experience exchange, ideas sharing, and innovation adoption. By communicating with colleagues from all over the world, conference participants not only learn something new but also promote their products, thereby developing their business and increasing brand awareness.
The growth of the IT community and the high quality of life in the Netherlands encourage many IT professionals to live and work in this country. Additionally, graduates from 50+ Dutch universities create an extensive talent pool and minimize recruiting efforts of the companies. Considering that educational establishments in the Netherlands are on the top world universities lists, the skills of Dutch developers are hard to overestimate.
Reason 2. The Netherlands is home to many international companies
The Netherlands offers international companies something that other countries cannot: a combination of a highly-skilled workforce, great infrastructure, and access to European markets.
In addition, the Dutch government is very business-friendly and provides a wide range of incentives for companies that set up business in the Netherlands. This includes tax breaks, subsidies, and the option to hire foreign workers without the need for a work permit. All these factors make the Netherlands an attractive place to do business, especially for software development companies.
Currently, world-known corporations with headquarters in Amsterdam are Microsoft, Google, Oracle, Philips, Cisco, Netflix, Nike, Fujitsu, IBM, NTT, SABIC, and many others. Working in the Netherlands and partnering with companies worldwide, they are constantly growing their business through instant access to skilled developers and innovations.
Reason 3. The Netherlands is an attractive destination for international investment
The Netherlands has a great business climate, with a stable economy and low taxes. The World Economic Forum ranked it fourth in the Global Competitiveness Index list, which defines institutions, policies, and factors that determine the level of a country’s productivity. In different years, the Netherlands was second only to such countries as the USA, Switzerland, Singapore, and Hong Kong. It stably holds its position despite various external economic factors, which indicates a strong Dutch economy and significant resources for running the business.
Additionally, the Netherlands has a well-educated workforce and excellent business infrastructure. Whichever city you choose, there are plenty of modern business centers which can satisfy the most demanding customers. Remarkably, almost at any time, you can find free places to rent. For example, at the time of this writing, there were 412 business centers available for rent in the Netherlands and 87 business centers available in Amsterdam itself.
The Dutch region also has a lot of startups in various IT fields. According to Statista, there are over 4,000 novice businesses in the Netherlands, and nearly 700 of them are active in enterprise software. The rise of Dutch startups can be explained by enormous resources available for beginner companies, including funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities. The Dutch government is also very supportive of starting businesses and offers a number of grants and subsidies to help them get started.
The Netherlands also has a very strong engineering culture, with a large number of talented engineers and extensive IT expertise. Given the Netherlands’ strategic location and exceptional quality of life, it’s no surprise that this country is the perfect place to develop innovative solutions.
Reason 4. The Netherlands has a favorable business environment
When expanding internationally, no matter the destination, businesses address a lengthy list of considerations. The top reasons that encourage companies to do business abroad are
- entering new markets
- attracting fresh talents
- lowering strategic risks
- using a wider network of contacts
- working towards long-term success
With this in mind, the Netherlands is a perfect place to globalize an existing brand or start a project from scratch. Unlike many countries where companies face bureaucracy when setting up a business, the Netherlands simplifies the registration procedures and does everything possible to attract foreign talents and investment.
Additionally, the Dutch government is actively promoting incubators and accelerators that offer support to entrepreneurs. It offers various funding opportunities to help businesses start, grow, and expand and uses loyal tax-differentiating policy.
Considering that the Netherlands is also a member of the European Union, companies immediately gain access to a market of over 500 million people. And the fact that the Dutch government has signed many free trade agreements makes it easier to do business with other countries.
Reason 5. The Dutch are known for their open and welcoming culture
The Netherlands is a land of equal rights, highly-educated workforce, and effortless communication. Historically, this country united multicultural and multilingual society. 90% of the Dutch are fluent in English. This enables productive cooperation between foreign partners without misunderstanding, confusion, or omission.
According to the World Happiness Report, the Netherlands ranks sixth in the list of the world’s happiest countries. Also, the Dutch bypass the Danes in the work-life balance ratio, proving that their country is a perfect place not only for working but also for living and relaxing.
We have already mentioned that the Dutch government strongly supports startups and international companies which launch their businesses in the Netherlands. However, another great thing is that it also helps immigrants who come to work here from other countries. Currently, 11 Expat Centers in the Netherlands help foreign employees with different questions such as the residence permit, healthcare, education for kids, etc.
Have a project idea? Let’s meet at our office in the Netherlands
Softensy has been on the market since 2016. Over five years, we have developed various software projects for corporations and startups, all the while adhering to our mission — to define and develop digital solutions that let businesses thrive.
At the moment, our close-neat team is expanding rapidly. We are actively hiring new people to respond to our clients’ requests, attract new projects, and meet the most challenging deadlines.
A physical office in the Netherlands is our first step towards building an international, intercultural, and super flexible team. If you want to develop a software product and want to discuss it in person, get in touch. We’ll be happy to discuss your idea and turn it into a full-fledged and profitable solution.
This article was originally published at Softensy
