The dutch digital economy is growing fast and is - when seen as a separate sector – already larger than many of the traditional sectors in our economy. Recent research by the national statistics bureau (CBS) found that this digital economy provides 345.000 jobs with an estimated annual growth of 7-9%. The digital infrastructure is one of the key enablers of the digital economy and allows Dutch companies to grow both nationally and on an international scale. In addition, the digital infrastructure is one of the main reasons for international digital companies to locate in the Netherlands and these companies bring substantial activities and jobs to our country.
The Amsterdam Economic Board now proudly presents the third edition of the digital infrastructure research report together with 11 partners active in digital infrastructure.
It shows how the Dutch digital infrastructure and the digital ecosystem as a whole are rapidly evolving and expanding. With internet traffic growing 22% annually, the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) still being one of the largest internet exchanges in the world, and a colocation market that grows almost 15% annually, the Dutch digital infrastructure is the foundation of a strong national and international internet economy. Of wich nearly 70% of the infrastructure is located in the Amsterdam area.
Although well positioned as a first mover and differentiator internationally, this does not mean the current growth and high desirability of the Dutch digital infrastructure sector will continue unabated. A combination of factors need to be aligned in order to sustain and expand our leading position. As the recommendations of this report show, there is still a lot that can and must be done to maintain and safeguard our position.