This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. Includes a market overview and trade data.
Last Published: 8/16/2019

Overview

The Dutch software industry has demonstrated consistent growth over the last few years.  In 2018, the sector grew by five percent in volume and is expected to grow by three and a half percent in 2019, and three percent in 2020.  This growth has been spurred by the increased use of cloud computing and the digitization of business models.   The Dutch Government has also made a significant push towards the digitization of public services in recent years.  

The government and financial sectors have traditionally been major end-users of software products.  The commercial market, with an increasing need to streamline business processes, has also become a significant user.  More recently, the SME market has begun to emerge as an attractive new market for ICT suppliers. 

Local software development concentrates on business applications and custom products.  Exports of Dutch software is limited.  Nevertheless, many Dutch software startups are poised to increase their software exports over the next few years.  The Dutch software market now depends primarily on imports from the United States and Europe, and the total market is divided into applications software (67 percent) and systems software (33 percent). 

Windows is the standard software in the business market, although use of Mac OSx is also significant especially in the design sector.  Android and iOS have a combined market share of nearly 90 percent in the Netherlands, with Samsung and Apple being the most important players.


Leading Sub-Sectors

There are opportunities in the following areas: standard software applications, mobile software, cloud based software, networking software and network security products, intrusion detection, prevention products, augmented and virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence, storage management software, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), application management, and content management products.  VR gaming software for the consumer market is also expected to offer good prospects in the coming years.

The demand for smartphone, television, and tablet applications continues to grow across the board in both public and private sectors as well as among private users.


Opportunities
 

The U.S. Mission to the European Union regularly reports major procurement opportunities in the ICT sector that are open to U.S. companies.


Web Resources 
 

Market Analyses:               ICT Markt Monitor
This offers an English summary of an ICT market report.
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Trade Events:                      Integrated Systems Europe
InfoSecurity
October 30 - 31, 2019 | Jaarbeurs Utrecht, The Netherlands
InfoSecurity Website
                                                 
Association:                         Nederland ICT
Trade association for the Dutch IT and telecommunications industry.

SME Resources:                   Posted on the website of the Global Information and Communications
Team.
                                               
Contact:                                Philip Hammerstein, Commercial Specialist                                             
U.S. Commercial Service – The Netherlands
Philip.Hammerstein@trade.gov | +31-70-310 2416

 

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.


More Information

Netherlands Software Trade Development and Promotion