Rotterdam Partners

Rotterdam in top ten large European cities of the future for investment climate

Rotterdam has made it into the top ten large cities in Europe that have the best investment climate. On the Foreign Direct Investment Index, the authoritative fDi Index compiled by The Financial Times, Rotterdam occupies a shining ninth place among the ‘Large European Cities of the Future 2016/17’. The city’s FDI strategy is highly acclaimed. Rotterdam even achieved Europe’s best score on ‘connectivity’ in its category. The region of South Holland occupies tenth place in the category ‘mid sized European regions of the Future 2016/17’.

“It’s a fantastic acknowledgement of all the efforts our city made to establish an appealing investment climate,” says Maarten Struijvenberg, Alderman for the Economy and Employment. “Rotterdam is a popular location for foreign entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. The business climate and the rapidly developing innovation ecosystem in Rotterdam are attracting an accelerating influx of foreign investments and innovative young entrepreneurs from the Netherlands and abroad. This high ranking on the authoritative fDi Index affirms that our city is on the right track and offers extra encouragement to stay the course.”

The fDi Index is a biannual ranking by fD Intelligence, published by the Financial Times. It ranks the cities that offer the best prospects for foreign investment, economic development and corporate expansion. Factors taken into account include the FDI strategy, infrastructure and economic potential. Rotterdam ranks number one in Europe in connectivity thanks to its seaport, airport, high-quality infrastructure, connections to the rest of the world, and ICT infrastructure. In addition to its top ranking in connectivity, Rotterdam also does well in terms of FDI strategy, achieving sixth place.

Rotterdam’s strategy focuses on six key economic sectors: Maritime & Offshore, Agro-food, Clean Tech, SmartIndustry, Life Sciences & Health, and Insurance & Risk. In 2015 Rotterdam was pleased to welcome various prominent companies, including drone manufacturer DJI, Ezra and Tendrill. The city’s success in attracting direct foreign investment is the result of solid, intensive collaboration between national and local authorities, the business community, the international education sector, and regional service providers like relocators, notaries, lawyers, estate agents and accountants. In recent years, such advantages as good accessibility (within the city and through connections to the Dutch and European hinterland), a wide range of offices at affordable prices, an international city that values quick and decisive action, and the multilingual workforce have been key factors in helping international investors to come to Rotterdam and remain there. The city’s housing options and livability also have a positive impact when deciding whether to base business operations in Rotterdam. It was announced last week, based on figures released by the European Commission, that Rotterdam has the happiest inhabitants in the Netherlands.

“The business climate in the greater Rotterdam region is a permanent priority for us. We discuss it with companies of all sizes – big and small – on a daily basis. We are currently working with the private sector, education and research institutes, and the municipality to map how we can improve Rotterdam’s business climate to make it even more attractive for foreign investors to come to Rotterdam,” says Ron Voskuilen, managing director of Rotterdam Partners and responsible for acquiring international investors.

Amsterdam and Eindhoven occupy 7th and 16th places respectively in the top 25 European Cities of the Future 2016/17 overall.

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