THE NETHERLANDS
The 2nd most innovative country
that reclaims its land from the sea
The Netherlands has achieved the no. 2 ranking in Global Innovation Index 2018 (GII), and is overtaken only by Switzerland. According to GII, Holland has a “strong, interlinked business sector that collaborates well with universities.” GII also stresses the fact that the Netherlands’ business sector is internationalized via IP licensing exports. It ranks first in the following categories: logistics performance, cluster development, knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs.
Globally the Netherlands is known for its forward-thinking and innovative culture; the country is credited with the creation of many innovations that are being used widely: microscope, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Fair Trade, to mention but a few.
Holland continues to sustain its leadership position in cutting-edge innovations. It is a result of high-investment into education (especially research and development), and a creation of innovation friendly environment; Dutch Government supports companies that develop innovative products through tax benefits, innovation credit and grants.
Dutch Inventions, Discoveries, and Innovations
- WI-FI
Wi-Fi could be the invention that defines the 21st century. Dutch scientists Victor Hayes and Cees Links laid the basis for WaveLAN, which eventually became Wi-Fi . Cees Links, who is known as a pioneer in the “Internet of Things,” ensured the development of wireless technology based products, which resulted companies like Apple to come to a global stage. Hayes, the father of Wi-Fi, was responsible for widespread, affordable access to internet connectivity through a set of standards known as IEE 802.11. - Levees and Man-Made Islands
Holland has long been known for its expertise in water-related innovation. It was the first country to build levees and man-made islands. A few most known examples: intricate canals of Amsterdam, modern bridges that adapt to rising tides along the Waal River, and the plan for a man-made island wind farm. - Air-cleaning bicycles
The smog is one of the biggest challenges in highly urban areas of the world. Dutch innovator Daan Roosegaarde is working on the idea of creating air-cleaning bikes, to suck the smog. This Dutch innovation works this way: when the person pedals, the bike sucks the dirty air, cleans it and then pushes the fresh air back out. - Amsterdam Energy Arena
Amsterdam Energy Arena applies an innovative technology that allows the stadium to reduce its peak demand on the grid during big matches and events. As for today, it is Europe’s largest commercial energy storage system using old EV batteries. The system is capable of storing 3 megawatts of power, helping the stadium to reduce the cost of electricity. - Microscope and Telescope
The Netherlands is home for both tools, that help us see worlds, which are not visible by the naked eye. Dutch Father-Son team, Hans and Zaccharias Jansen, invented the microscope in the 1590s as spectacle-makers in the city of Middelburg. The original prototype, which magnified between three and nine times an object’s size, was used primarily as a novelty item. 18 years later, in 1608 when Hans Lippershey developed the first telescope, exactly one year before Galileo Galilei mapped the stars with the help of the Dutchman’s early design. Today, Holland continues to reach for the stars with industry leaders in aerospace and aviation consistently inventing new ways to study galaxies and the world beyond.
Sources
https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/Home ||https://investinholland.com/the-netherlands-moves-up-to-no-2-on-global-innovation-index-2018/ || https://dutchreview.com/news/innovation/new-dutch-innovations/
