Rotterdam is a city of continuous transformation. Innovation is therefore in our DNA. Like many European cities, Rotterdam faces urgent challenges such as climate change, the energy and materials transition, health and wellbeing, social inequality, economic resilience, and security. They tackle these challenges by developing our city as an open laboratory for research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Their vision, ambition and strategy are laid down in the Roadmap Next Economy (2016). Rotterdam focusses on becoming the digital gateway of Europe and a strategic hub for energy transition and circular economy, supported by an excellent entrepreneurial climate and social innovation.
The City as Facilitator
Rotterdam’s innovative approach is rooted in a pioneering mentality, a focus on accelerating transitions and co-creation. The city of Rotterdam acts as a booster, facilitator, coordinator, and launching customer, providing physical room, legal, and financial support. For instance, the City supports the innovation ecosystem through the Up!Rotterdam program, helping start-up and scale-up companies access talent, funding, and international markets. Next to this, the MKB010»Next program assists SMEs in adopting digital, sustainable, and circular practices. This commitment is yielding significant results, with startups and scale-ups securing a record €437 million in 2024.
Co-creation
Urban development is done in co-creation with citizens, entrepreneurs and researchers, such as the transformation of former port areas, like Merwe-Vierhavens and RDM Campus, into the Rotterdam Innovation District. Here, start-ups develop and test innovations in digitisation, robotics and genomics. Recently, the port authority inaugurated the Drone Port, a regulation-free site for innovations with drones. Rotterdammers are actively engaged in policy making through innovative initiatives like the Citizen’s Climate Council and the CityLab010 programme, that has supported over 200 citizen and entrepreneur-led initiatives since 2016. The Resilient BoTu 2028 programme, in which residents, businesses, and public organizations work together on social cohesion, safety, and climate adaptation in their neighbourhood, experiments with participatory budgeting.
Key Role of Knowledge Institutes
Their leading knowledge institutes, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus Medical Center and Delft University of Technology, play an indispensable role in strengthening Rotterdam’s innovation ecosystem. Key initiatives like Rotterdam Square and Convergence boost Life Sciences and Health innovation. Erasmus Enterprise, in collaboration with Tech Incubator YES!Delft and regional investment fund UNIIQ, has formed a lively entrepreneurial community bringing together knowledge, resources, and networks from Delft and Rotterdam. Today 29% of all Dutch deep tech startups are located in their region.
Ripple
RIPPLE One city may not change the world, but they can start a ripple. As the European Capital of Innovation, they believe the lessons and innovations that they draw in Rotterdam can help accelerate the transition to strategic autonomy, social and economic resilience and sustainability in Europe.