Gabi Helfert

They need to open up more to international concepts, people, ideas. A lot of knowledge-intensive/ innovation work is still very much focused on Dutch collaborations, organizations and the like. The country in itself is too small to play a major role without international collaboration. I can't understand e.g. why a lot of conferences, events etc. ... See Morein the area of innovation are still predominantly held in Dutch - which excludes the majority of other Europeans or players beyond. Even regional networks should be more open to international players, since e.g. the big players in Rotterdam, the harbor etc. are international companies who employ a lot of brilliant international people - who just don't happen to be fluent in Dutch. Just a few examples: Idealize, SenterNovem, openinnovatie.nl, Innovatief Nederland,
Zorg Innovatie Forum, Centrum voor Innovatie Management (CIM) - all exclusively Dutch clubs, with Dutch websites, newsletters, meetings etc. Not very inviting for a large part of the 50% of people with non-Dutch roots living in the area...