Amsterdam: The home of media, tech and startup success

The city prides itself on its close-knit community of change makers, top-notch infrastructure and an excellent connection to other major European hubs.

International companies, talented professionals and world-class events - including IBC - have chosen Amsterdam for those reasons. In turn, they add to a flourishing industry and an open, international business environment.

Competitive advantage
Amsterdam consistently scores top marks in global rankings. In 2017, Hubspot ranked Amsterdam as the best city for tech professionals, while Startup Genome placed the city in its top twenty startup ecosystems around the world. Of course, there’s much more to the Dutch capital than its thriving tech scene. Other indexes mention Amsterdam’s work life balance, health, safety and happiness.

Amsterdam is also one of the most well-connected cities in the world – both digitally and physically. The city’s digital infrastructure has some of the fastest broadband speeds, while its residents are early adopters of the newest tech and trends, providing one of the best test-beds in Europe. Of course, the business and people these factors attract add massive value to the region in turn, further growing the international appeal.

Media home
So what makes Amsterdam a great location for media and broadcasting?

Amsterdam is a haven for companies from the broadcasting and online media sector, with a lively and extensive network across the region. It’s an exciting mix of both big names (Netflix, Viacom, CBS, Warner Bros., Endemol Shine) and young disruptors (Zoomin.TV, Cabture and Autheos). All these companies are dotted across both the inner city and the spacious Media Park outside of the city limits, with its many TV studios and offices.

All these companies are all part of a bustling ecosystem that includes producers, national and international broadcasters, content creators, app developers, music agencies, pre- and post-production companies.

Those companies came here for a reason: talent, of course, is an important factor for media companies. And attracting young, internationally oriented people that come from around Europe is perhaps a little bit easier, thanks to Amsterdam’s world-class connectivity, accessibility, English proficiency and high quality of life.

Plus, it’s not just the working population that finds a home in the region: Amsterdam is home to leading schools such as the Netherlands Film Academy and the Abbey Road Institute that attract a large number of local and international students each year.

Amsterdam attracts both tech and creative talent, a situation that won’t change any time soon: the city’s international students are encouraged to stick around after graduation, there are numerous initiatives that up-skill graduates and match them to their future employers, while several programmes encourage young people to try out the world of entrepreneurship.

The city’s scenery is often used as a backdrop for film and TV productions, several of the world’s most watched programmes were created here and many companies have found that Amsterdam is an ideal home for the industry.

Of course, the fact that Amsterdam has been hosting IBC since 1992 is another solid connection to the media & broadcasting industry.

IBC Chief Executive Michael Crimp said: “People come from over 160 countries, so for us it’s about having the hub that can provide the best venue, the best support, the best facilities - and Amsterdam has always managed to provide that. It is a fantastic city with an even greater atmosphere.”

Thriving scene
The high number of tech companies in the city speaks for itself, and many world renowned tech giants themselves have set up shop in the city, including Google, Uber, Salesforce, Optimizely and Tesla. Naturally, there’s a whole host of world-class home-grown companies, too: TomTom, Booking.com, Adyen, WeTransfer and The Next Web, just to name a few.

Amsterdam’s startup scene has been thriving for some time now. The city’s startups collectively received a whopping €322 million in funding in 2017. And it wasn’t just tech startups that dominated this round. Companies across a wide range of sectors also secured substantial capital to enable further growth.

Whether it’s in tech or in broadcasting, it’s exciting to see the synergy between Amsterdam as an attractive place to start a business and innovative startups pushing to be the next big thing - they truly make each other stronger.

If you want to know more about Amsterdam’s startup and tech scene, or the broadcasting and media sector in particular, make sure to contact StartupAmsterdam - your ultimate guide into Amsterdam’s buzzing startup ecosystem. And of course, enjoy the IBC Conference and Exhibition September 13 – 18. Amsterdam is happy to welcome you.