[RTS] The Netherlands Is One of the Most Innovative Countries in the World – What Can Serbia Learn from Its Example
The development of science and technology parks is one of the key steps toward establishing cooperation between innovators and clients. The Netherlands is an example of a country where places in which ideas are born have produced successful companies, making it one of the ten most innovative countries in the world.
Representatives of Serbian state institutions, science and technology parks, and research institutes had the opportunity to visit the Netherlands and learn about the ways communication, cooperation, and support for startup projects are organized there. Through the use of innovation, technology, and science, the country has become one of the global leaders in food production and exports.
“We have a very strong impact on the world and on society. Artificial intelligence is now present in many industries, and we also have a major impact in healthcare and logistics. I must say that quantum technology is making a comeback, and I believe it represents the next step forward,” said Femi Gerats, Director of Startup Village Amsterdam.
Đorđe Šundrić from the Belgrade Science and Technology Park notes that Serbia is keeping pace with the Amsterdam park.
“However, they are at a higher level, primarily due to their access to European funds and funding sources that enable them to finance the establishment of such laboratories,” Šundrić added.
Cooperation Is Key from the Moment an Idea Is Born
Beyond food production, innovation in the Netherlands is evident in healthcare, public administration, and education. Hosts in Amsterdam emphasize that it is crucial for scientists, innovators, and investors to collaborate from the very moment an idea is conceived.
“In our system, a researcher may work on a topic for a very long time and only later consider whether it has commercialization potential. Only then do we think about whether there is room for the private sector to get involved. Here, researchers and industry work together from the start and jointly explore commercial potential,” said Irena Đorđević Šušić from NALED.
“I think it is very important that they have clear legal frameworks for this, and that from the very beginning—starting with the creation of inventions and later innovations—commercialization is taken into account,” added Oskar Marko from the BioSens Institute in Novi Sad.
The Netherlands Has More Than 2,600 Startups with Investments of USD 3.5 Billion
Examples of good practice show how investments can also be made in Serbia to encourage and leverage the capacities and ideas of young people, resulting in the transformation and improvement of small and medium-sized enterprises.
“It is important to understand that a young person has a positive mindset about what is possible or what can be changed, while someone with decades of industry experience understands how systems function,” emphasized Cosimo Radler, Director and Co-founder of Mindstash.
Tamara Bresjanac from the Republic Secretariat for Public Policies points out that Serbia’s task is to raise awareness and guide both the private sector and the state toward innovative ideas.
Today, the transfer and support of knowledge is the most important investment. With nearly USD 3.5 billion invested, the Netherlands now has more than 2,600 startups and continues to invest.
Source: Radio Television of Serbia (RTS)
