The Hague: A Global Hub For Innovation And Entrepreneurship

The City of The Hague holds tremendous expertise in key industries and is known as a frontrunner in clusters such as peace and justice, legal and finance, cyber security, renewable energy, IT & tech. The Hague is home to some of the most impactful international organisations in the world and has hosted renowned global events and conferences. At the same time, The Hague is an ever-growing hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.

In The Hague, more than 200 international organisations, knowledge institutions, startups and NGOs are working towards building a better, safer and more just world every day. Its municipality facilitates easy access to networks, capital, talent and markets and hereby creates a climate that’s highly favourable for young businesses. This has led to a constant influx of dynamic impact entrepreneurs and the build-up of the ideal ecosystem for putting the city’s motto “doing good and doing business” into practise.

The event highlight for the global start-up scene is the annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES). Held in the European Union for the very first time in history, it was an honour for The Hague to host the summit in June 2019. Around 1,800 of the most inspiring entrepreneurs from all over the world gathered here to present their ideas and showcase their enterprises in front of a selected group of top investors, founders, funders, experts and policymakers. This year’s edition evolved around the theme “The Future Now” and focussed on entrepreneur-led innovation in scalable tech, from artificial intelligence and robotics to blockchain, big data and new science in Agriculture, Connectivity, Energy, Health and Water. Furthermore, the access to capital, job creation, and women’s economic empowerment were overarching aspects. 



The GES is a great example of an event that reflects The Hague’s ethos and the belief that economic success has to go hand in hand with solutions for a better world. In line with this belief were the many side events, complementing GES 2019s programme. Organised by The Hague & Partners, ImpactCity, Humanity Hub and other local partners side events included a special edition of The Hague Talks on How To Connect Business To The Global Good or an investment seminar on Future Green Energy.

Are you looking for an event destination that has an open-minded and entrepreneurial spirit and yet knows exactly what it’s doing? At The Hague Convention Bureau we connect you to the innovative minds that will make your next event truly inspiring. You’d like to get to know our beautiful city a bit better first? Let us show you around from 5 till 7 July and learn how people in The Hague Catch The Wave.

For more info:

conventionbureau.thehague.com