The Netherlands provides an attractive environment for startups with its competitive tax system, highly skilled workforce, strong digital infrastructure, and business-friendly policies. The country invests significant funds to support startup growth through innovation credits, seed capital, and venture funds. Key startup hubs have emerged in areas with innovative cultures and access to talent. The Netherlands ranks as one of the most enterprising countries in Europe according to international studies.

1. A publication of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency
NFIA’S MID-2013 RESULTS
DOUBLE PREVIOUS YEAR’S
FIGURES
Dutch DevelopmentsN e t h e r l a n d s I n v e s t m e n t N e w s
Volume XXXV, 2014, No. 1
The Best Eats
The Netherlands ranks as the
best country in the world for a bal-
anced, nutritious diet, according
to the anti-poverty non-profit
advocacy group Oxfam, based
in Oxford, England. The ranking
considers whether families have
sufficient and affordable access to
fresh produce, nutritious proteins
and clean water.
Big Data
Turning large amounts of data into
usable, marketable information is
the focus of the new Data Science
Center located at Eindhoven
University of Technology, which
opened in December 2013. The
Center will also address how to
prepare researchers for careers
in this expanding industry.
New Banking Rules
EU finance ministers recently
agreed on a new bank regulatory
system for Eurozone banks.
Officials say the agreement will
promote financial stability and
give a new regulatory body the
power to close failing banks
before they cause widespread
economic damage. The European
Central Bank will directly super-
vise the largest Eurozone banks.
WHAT’S INSIDE
OF INTEREST
2
4
6
Q&A WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FOCUS ON: STARTUPS
UPDATE ON DUTCH CHEMICAL
INDUSTRY
Pioneers in international business
On the occasion of opening a major new
global research center in the Netherlands,
Minister of Economic Affairs Henk Kamp
announced NFIA’s impressive mid-year
results. Foreign investment totaled $1.12
billion compared to $514 million in the first
six months of 2013. These investments
resulted in the formation
of 4,332 new jobs. At the
same point in the previ-
ous year, 1,973 jobs had
been added.
“With a highly educat-
ed labor force and good
facilities, the Netherlands
is an attractive country
for foreign companies,”
according to Kamp.
“These investments are good for the Dutch
economy, bringing in income and jobs.”
[According to NFIA officials, final invest-
ment results for 2013 look very promising.
Those numbers will be announced in
March.]
Minister Kamp spoke at the launch of the
Global Innovation Center in Utrecht for the
Nutricia Research Division of the French
company Danone. For the first time, life
science & food technology teams from
early life nutrition and advanced medical
nutrition will be able to work together in
one building. The new location will have
more than 500 employees.
Danone will work on the development
of medical food and baby
food at the research center.
According to minister
Kamp, Danone deliberately
chose the Netherlands
because “we have a lot
of innovation knowledge
in our country, which is
decisive for companies
like Danone. Twelve of
the world’s biggest agrifood
companies have research centers in the
Netherlands. And Wageningen University is
world renowned for its food research.”
In addition to the NFIA, the University of
Utrecht, the province and the municipality
of Utrecht were also committed to realizing
the Danone establishment at the Utrecht
Science Park. Worldwide, Danone invests
$374 million annually in food research.
Minister Henk Kamp
Source:ThiesBeningPhotographer

2. [Editor’s Note: Jan-Emile van Rossum
assumed the position of NFIA’s Executive
Director for North America on August 1,
2013. Most recently, van Rossum was
the Director for Strategic Acquisition in
The Hague. Before that, he served as the
Deputy Head of the Economic Section at
the Netherlands Embassy in Tokyo for
four years. His background with both
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Ministry of Economic Affairs gives him a
fresh perspective. We sat down with him
recently to discuss his new post.]
Q: First of all, welcome. How are you
settling into your first few months here
in your new position?
A. I am very happy to be here. What
makes me excited is that I believe the
Netherlands is a wonderful brand, and I
am looking forward to selling our country
and its many advantages to companies
here in North America.
Q: Why do you believe you were select-
ed to be Executive Director?
A: I think one of the main reasons why I
was appointed was there has been a good
deal of discussion between these two
Ministries (Foreign Affairs and Economic
Affairs) that they should work more close-
ly together on economic development.
There is a strong desire for the services
that we as the Dutch government offer
to our clients to be better orchestrated.
Since I have had “feet in both camps,” so
to speak, I was selected. Both of these
organizations know me well.
Q: What kinds of changes may we see in
the NFIA’s strategic direction?
A: I have become very active the last
few years trying to develop a message
for NFIA that involves quality, not just
quantity. In other words, instead of
only concentrating on bringing jobs to
the Netherlands, let’s see how we can
bring jobs with more added value to the
Netherlands. Let’s redevelop the focus.
There should be more of a premium
placed on high-value jobs that strengthen
our knowledge-based economy and bring
more innovation to our country. That’s
also one of the things that was put on
my plate coming here.
Q: How would you go about making
that happen?
A: Well, for starters, I know a lot of
these people, and I am going to work to
bring them together in this quest as to
how to organize it. I’ve been very active in
the Netherlands with NFIA’s traditional
partners, such as the regional economic
development agencies, but I also want us
to reach out more to other networks, such
as the science and technology officers
and agricultural attachés here in the
United States. Instead of all these groups
doing their own thing, we should have
more joint efforts, establish more partner-
ships. That way, our presentations with
existing clients and prospects will be
more impactful.
Q: Any other changes on the horizon
that you can speak about?
A: In general, I think you’ll see more of
a concentration in our marketing toward
vertical sectors such as food, chemicals,
high-tech and creative industries, to
name a few — instead of the traditional
business solution approach aimed at
projects yielding a headquarters office, a
shared service center or a logistics opera-
tion. We need to focus on these high-tech
sectors. To take your question a step
further, we’re working on upgrading the
Boston office by adding a technology
officer to that location. We’ve been float-
ing this idea for about two years, and now
we’ll have the chance to use Boston as
a test case.
Q: Since coming on board in the sum-
mer, have you had any first impressions of
the organization?
A: I have been very impressed. We have
a very professional network of Directors
at our U.S. offices here, and the results so
far are great. I think I have to be careful
to find the right balance to “tweak the
engine” in a better way. I can’t go around
and constantly say, “This and this and this
needs to be done.”
Q: How have you found getting used to
living in Bethesda, Maryland?
A: From a personal point of view, I lived
in Japan for four years and never met
my neighbors. Living here, I already had
Americans who invited me to eat with
them on Thanksgiving, and my neighbor
gives me all kinds of advice on things!
Q: How has your family acclimated to
their new home?
A: Well, my teenage kids only arrived
about 3 months ago, and they already
have a great bunch of friends to do things
and play with. I like my kids – and also
myself – to be challenged. There’s compe-
tition here, and you can be challenged. If
you’re good, you can show that you’re
good. That’s what I really like.
2
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SPEAKS OUT
NEW COMMISSIONER FOR
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS
RECENTLY NAMED
The Ministry of Economic Affairs
recently appointed Jeroen Nijland
to the position of Commissioner
for Foreign Investments at the
Netherlands Foreign Investment
Agency, effective February 1. In this
position he is responsible for general
management of NFIA headquarters
in The Hague, as well as the 21 NFIA
offices abroad.
Immediately prior to this post,
Nijland was a member of the Task
Force for Greece under the European

3. 3
SECOND IFT WEBCAST
PROMOTES DUTCH
INVESTMENT CLIMATE
As a follow-up to its successful webcast
last June on prebiotics, the NFIA spon-
sored a second online food industry web-
cast January 16 hosted by the Institute of
Food Technologists (IFT). The live hour-
long show entitled “The Dutch Agri-Food
Eco-System: A Recipe for Success” joined
presenters from The Hague, Atlanta and
Utrecht.
The first webcast took a technical and
academic approach in demonstrating the
latest Dutch developments and research
taking place in the field of prebiotics,
their production and potential health
benefits. This most recent presentation
was intended to explain why the
Netherlands is a prime site location for
food research and development, and how
the Dutch investment climate impacts
the food sector.
Lu Ann Williams, an expert in trends
driving the food and beverage industry
who leads a team of analysts at Innova
Market Insights, served as the moderator
for the event. The first presenter was
Maarten J. Schans, senior advisor on agri-
food for NFIA. He provided statistics on
the largest industrial
sector in the country
that contributes 9.2 % to
the total GDP, making
the Netherlands the
world’s second largest
exporter of agri-food
products. Twelve out of the world’s top-
40 food and drink businesses have large
branches or R&D operations in the
Netherlands. He also highlighted specific
research study examples emanating
from the strong commitment to public-
private partnerships.
Next up was Hanno Cappon, vice
president for R&D at Nutricia Advanced
Medical Nutrition for Danone. His seg-
ment was a firsthand account of why
Danone decided to locate its new Global
Innovation Center (see page one) with
500 employees in Utrecht. By way of
example to describe Danone’s research
process of collaborative innovation, he
outlined several ongoing projects relating
to inflammation and the dietary manage-
ment of early Alzheimer’s disease.
Allison Turner, the Director for NFIA’s
Atlanta office, was the final presenter.
She summarized the Dutch recipe of
site location advantages, including the
superior logistics and technology infra-
structure, competitive tax advantages
and the friendly policy environment for
R&D operations.
To view the webcast on-demand, link
to: www.ift.org/knowledge-center/
learn-online
RECENT MOVE-INS
Commission for two years.
His predecessor, Bas Pulles, who held
the title for nine years, was promoted to
Director of International Programs at the
Netherlands Enterprise Agency, part of
the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Nijland studied politics and economics
at the Radboud University of Nijmegen.
He started work with the Ministry of
Economic Affairs in 1990 and held several
posts dealing with policies regarding
small- and medium-size enterprises,
technology and information. He moved
to the B&A Consultancy Group in 2001.
From January 2003 until February 2011,
he was responsible for leading the inter-
departmental project team for reduction
of administrative burdens, which later
became the Regulatory Reform Group
under the auspices of the Ministry of
Finance and the Ministry of Economic
Affairs.
Crestron Electronics, based in Rockleigh,
N.J., a provider of control and automation sys-
tems for residential and business applications,
has opened a new office and showroom in
Gorinchem, located in the South Holland
province. The new site is divided into four
main areas: a training room, an experience
center and showroom, a meeting room and
office space.
Advertising agencies Omnicom (New York)
and Publicis (Paris), which recently
announced their planned merger, will locate
the headquarters of their holding company
in Amsterdam. The two agencies have a joint
turnover of $23 billion. The merger will
create the world’s largest communications,
public relations and advertising firm.
Headquartered in Dayton Ohio, CSafe Global
is an international provider of cold chain
solutions. The company becomes the latest to
establish a presence at the Amsterdam Airport
Schiphol, which is fast becoming an important
pharmaceutical gateway to Europe. The com-
pany says that the new location will better
support its growing European and Middle
Eastern customer base and also help to facili-
tate strategic collaboration with life science
cold chain customers.
Chemical company Emerald Performance
Materials, based in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio,
recently announced plans to build a second
benzoic acid reactor train at its manufacturing
facility in Rotterdam. The project is expected
to bring between $5 and $10 million into the
Rotterdam region. The new reactor will add
75,000 metric tons of additional capacity for
benzoic acid.
NuSil Technology (Carpinteria, Calif.), a man-
ufacturer of silicone-based materials for the
healthcare, aerospace, electronics and photon-
ics industries, recently opened a new stocking
warehouse in Rotterdam. The new facility
stocks high-turnover silicone products that
are in demand by the company’s European
customers. The location allows the company to
shorten the supply chain by shipping products
directly from central Europe, providing faster
delivery times and lower freight costs.
From Clermont, Calif., Red Giant
Entertainment, an intellectual property (IP)
development company specializing in graphic
novels, has partnered with Dutch comic art
agency Boom Art Department to launch its
European expansion. Red Giant will team up
with the International Licensing department
of Boom Art Department to secure Red Giant's
properties for translations, reprinting and
merchandise deals. Red Giant Entertainment’s
online and print graphic novel properties
have a readership that numbers in the mil-
lions globally.

4. 4
The Netherlands has a well-deserved rep-
utation as an innovative, business-friendly
environment that encourages new start-
ups and continued growth. It provides
an ideal operating platform for novel
technical solutions. Having dynamic and
collaborative startup communities, the
Netherlands represents an excellent
incubator for new companies. It offers
an attractive test market, adaptive con-
sumers and an open culture. The Global
Entrepreneurship Monitor has rated
the Netherlands the most enterprising
country in Europe.
The Netherlands invests appreciable
sums to foster startup activities. Over
2012 to 2015 for example, the Netherlands
Innovation Fund is putting nearly $650
million to work for tech startups, includ-
ing innovation credits, seed capital and
fund-of-fund activities. The Technopartner
fund-of-funds has directed $218 million
towards more than 30 seed stage venture
funds focused on digital, life sciences and
clean tech.
In terms of digital accessibility, a key
infrastructure element for startups, the
Netherlands remains unmatched. The
latest DHL Global Connectedness Index
ranks the Netherlands as the most con-
nected country in the world. The index
measures global connectedness by inter-
national flows of trade, capital, informa-
tion and people. With Europe’s highest
Internet speed and its second-highest
broadband penetration, the Netherlands
can be considered the digital backbone
of Europe.
Additional strengths for startups
include a competitive tax climate, favor-
able workforce and immigration policies
and innovative hot-spot locales.
Taxes and workforce
The Dutch government has created a
competitive tax climate that stimulates
entrepreneurship and investment. The
corporate tax rates are lower in relation to
most European neighbors. Startups can
take advantage of numerous ways to mini-
mize taxes, depending on their specific
situations. For example, they may qualify
for an effective corporate tax rate of 5%
for qualifying profits. Tax breaks are also
available for such activities as research
and development; sustainable energy;
and environmentally friendly investments.
Additionally, startups can carry forward
losses for nine years and carry them
backward for one year.
The Netherlands boasts a highly edu-
cated, well-motivated and multilingual
workforce with strong innovative and cre-
ative backgrounds. Productivity exceeds
that of most other European countries.
The Dutch workforce consistently gets
high marks from the international busi-
ness community for advanced educational
degrees and familiarity with foreign work-
ing styles and environments. The vast
majority of Dutch people have an excel-
lent working knowledge of English, and
most speak German and French as well.
Foreign workers represent about
15% of the nation's workforce. Unique
in Europe, the Netherlands offers a fast-
track procedure for highly skilled immi-
grants from outside Europe. If certain
salary requirements are met, the Dutch
government can supply work permits
in four to six weeks. The Netherlands
also has a favorable (30%) income tax
exemption.
Focus On: Startups

5. 5
Hot-spot locales
Highly regarded startup locations in the
Netherlands include the following:
Eindhoven in the southeast has long
been a technology center, generating the
highest number of patents per capita in
the world. Today, 40% of all R&D activities
in the Netherlands take place in this
region. The High Tech Campus Eindhoven
represents the core, hosting a growing
number of tech startups and playing
a leading role in the development of
Internet-based technologies.
Amsterdam and Utrecht are both
young student cities that attract a lot of
international talent. Various universities
and incubators stimulate vibrant startup
communities involving media, design and
technology. For example, many consider
Amsterdam to be the worldwide center
of app-making activities, leading to
an organized movement called
“Appsterdam.” This group provides a
grassroots community that supports
app developers. The Amsterdam-based
startup Adyen has developed innovative
ecommerce payment solutions for inter-
national merchants.
The Twente region in the northeast
specializes in medtech, nanotechnology
and pharma. High-tech startups here
can take advantage of low rents for clean-
rooms and an extensive community of
researchers. The University of Twente
hosts MESA+, one of the largest nano-
technology labs in the world. This univer-
sity has a track record of over 800 spin-off
companies. Annually 60 to 70 new compa-
nies spin out of the cooperative effort of
Saxion University of Applied Sciences and
the University of Twente. The innovation
campus Kennispark Twente has over
380 companies. In 2013 Kennispark
was named “Best Business Park in the
Netherlands,” based on flexibility, eco-
nomic value and organization.
Rotterdam, Delft and The Hague in
southwestern Netherlands are centers for
such activities as cleantech, aerospace
and cybersecurity. The Hague Security
Delta attracts increasing numbers of
international companies. The incubator
of the Delft University of Technology has
created a multitude of high-tech spin-offs.
Rotterdam, with Europe’s largest port,
has strong life sciences, energy and water
domain expertise. Long one of the most
diverse regions in the Netherlands, it also
specializes in sustainable city technolo-
gies, including climate mitigation and
adaptation.
In short, the Netherlands, long consid-
ered “The Digital Gateway to Europe,”
offers a unique window into the European
startup scene, along with a growing
number of investment and acquisition
opportunities.
In 2012, the Netherlands claimed the No.1 spot
in the EU-15 countries in terms of the rate of
entrepreneurship, overtaking Ireland. The rate
of new business startups in 2012 was 2.5 times
higher in the Netherlands than Ireland, and
more people in the Netherlands perceive entre-
preneurship to be a desirable career choice.–
Siliconrepublic website
Source: Amsterdam Marketing
© www.hollandtrade.com 2013

6. 6
Source: Heinz
Update on the
Dutch Chemical
Industry
For several decades the chemical industry
has flourished in the Netherlands.
Contributing factors include the
Rotterdam harbor, excellent infrastruc-
ture, top universities and a skilled work-
force. Many of the world's largest chemi-
cal companies have opened production
facilities here. The Netherlands is the
third largest chemical producer in Europe
(after Germany and France). The industry
accounts for 20% of Dutch exports and
employs 64,000 distributed among 400
companies.
Favorable business climate
The Netherlands offers an attractive busi-
ness climate for the chemical industry.
Being a relatively small and manageable
country, the Netherlands has an outstand-
ing infrastructure—roads, rail and water-
ways, along with telecommunications,
energy supply and networks of under-
ground pipelines. These link the major
regions in the Netherlands having estab-
lished chemical activity.
These regions strengthen and comple-
ment each other, each having specific
qualities and specialties. The Rotterdam
harbor, along with pipelines, supplies
important raw materials. In the harbor
and its surrounding area, about 90% of the
activity focuses on basic chemicals and
petrochemicals. South Limburg has a well-
deserved reputation for innovative prod-
ucts and services in the life sciences and
materials. Southwest Brabant and Zeeland
can be considered smaller versions of the
Rotterdam area. About 160 companies are
active in Delfzijl and Eemshaven in the far
northeast of the Netherlands, mainly in
the sectors of energy, recycling, chemi-
cals, metals, logistics, offshore and wind
energy. The eastern Netherlands/Twente
has a large concentration of companies
focused on intelligent materials. As a
whole, the country plays a key role in a
chemical cluster of Northwest Europe
that includes Belgium, Germany and
northern France.
The workforce in the Netherlands ben-
efits from a good educational system–
from elementary school to technical uni-
versities. Increasingly, education, science,
knowledge institutes and chemistry look
to each other for educational solutions
that better align with the business com-
munity. Cross-pollination in research
allows more rapid innovation.
The government recognizes and sup-
ports the chemical industry's importance
to the Dutch economy. It works together
with the business community, universities
and research centers to encourage and
strengthen knowledge and innovation.
This collaboration ranges from fundamen-
tal research to application, resulting in
public-private partnerships, innovation
labs and centers of open chemical
research. Each year, the chemical industry
in the Netherlands spends more than $1.3
billion on research and development, rep-
resenting about 25% of the country's total.
Study predicts growth
A recent study by the Dutch chemical
industry association and the business
consultancy Deloitte points toward a posi-
tive outlook and continued growth of the
sector in the Netherlands and Northwest
Europe. The study indicates that the
industry should experience substantial
growth regardless of global, social, politi-
cal and economic developments. This
growth depends on the sector’s contin-
ued building on its strengths, such as
collaboration across borders.
According to the study, the chemical
industry will undergo large transforma-
tions in coming decades. Increasingly, the
chemical sector must be seen as innova-
tive, clean and safe. It will use raw materi-
als more efficiently and shift from fossil to
more sustainable raw materials. It will pro-
duce clever products that more favorably
affect health, safety and the environment.
To achieve this favorable vision of
the future, the investment climate in
the Netherlands must remain attractive.
Important contributing factors should
include encouragement of free trade,
more efficient use of energy, diversifica-
tion in raw materials, focused R&D,
continued innovation and facilitating
legislation.
© www.hollandtrade.com 2013

7. 7
EU UPDATE
EUUPDATE
The economic crisis that has afflicted
Europe since 2010 could be over by mid-
2014 if the Eurozone countries continue
reform efforts and stay the course
towards recovery, according to a new
study.
The prediction was published in the
2013 Euro Plus Monitor: From Pain to
Gain, an annual competitiveness ranking
from German bank Berenberg and
Brussels think tank the Lisbon Council.
The report examines how the 17 Eurozone
members, plus Poland, Sweden and the
UK, are adjusting to the financial and eco-
nomic crisis. It also uses several criteria to
predict their long-term economic outlook.
The major findings of the report
include:
• Reforms are working: Major adjust-
ments, austerity measures and the devel-
opment of a reliable safety net have built
a foundation for economic recovery and
stability throughout the EU.
• Troubled countries on the rebound:
Greece, Ireland, Spain and Portugal – the
countries that received external assis-
tance in 2013 – have implemented strict
reforms and, as a result, their combined
twin deficit is almost gone.
• Not out of the woods yet: Several
unknown issues could derail recovery and
lead to a new crisis. Among these issues
are the potential for Germany to outlaw
the European Central Bank’s monetary
policy, France’s need to deliver more
significant reforms and Italy’s ongoing
credit problems that must be addressed.
For the full report, visit
http://bit.ly/EUMonitor.
Journalists Visit Top Dutch
Gaming Industry Sites
The Netherlands is a serious player in
the global gaming industry. To showcase
this, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the Dutch Games Association recently
hosted a contingent of media from
around the world to tour some of the
Netherlands’ top gaming companies.
While “gaming” once meant setting up
the Monopoly board on the kitchen table,
today’s games are more likely to be
played on state-of-the-art video gaming
systems, online or even on cell phones.
They may include games played for fun or
may be part of a corporate job-training
package. The media tour offered journal-
ists a firsthand view of the diverse
Dutch gaming industry and what makes
it unique.
The tour kicked off in Amsterdam
before continuing on to Rotterdam and
Utrecht. Highlights of the tour included
visits to:
• IJsfontein, an interactive communica-
tions and media production firm that
specializes in children’s applications.
• The Dutch Game Garden, a nonprofit
organization that supports game develop-
ment startups by providing studio space,
incubation, advice and matchmaking.
• Spil Games, the largest online game
platform, whose websites attract 130
million unique visitors each month.
• Ranj Serious Games, whose global
clients seek expertise in corporate train-
ing and healthcare applications.
The Dutch gaming industry is a signifi-
cant part of the country’s economy. In
the past five years, the number of people
employed in the industry has doubled. To
help meet the demand for employees in
this industry, Dutch universities have cre-
ated unique courses and curricula to sup-
port the development of this sector.
Gaming industry startups will have
help in locating in the Netherlands with
the launch of GameOn, a new investment
fund targeting both Dutch- and interna-
tionally based gaming startups.
The fund was announced at Casual
Connect, a European event for the casual
games industry that was recently held
in Amsterdam.
New Report Predicts
EU Economic Crisis May End in 2014
GAME
Source: Holst Centre

8. New York Office
East Chrysler Building
666 Third Avenue
19th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-246-1434
Chicago Office
303 E. Wacker Drive
Suite 2610
Chicago, IL 60601
Tel: 312-616-8400
Boston Office
20 Park Plaza, Suite 524
Boston, MA 02116
Tel: 617-426-9224
San Francisco Office
One Montgomery Tower
120 Kearny Street, Suite 3100
San Francisco, CA 94108
Tel: 415-291-2060
Atlanta Office
1175 Peachtree Street NE
100 Colony Square, Suite 1206
Atlanta, GA 30361
Tel: 404-879-6760
E-mail: info@nfia.com
As a government agency, the NFIA provides information
and practical assistance free of charge. All its services
are provided on a confidential basis. These include pro-
viding insight and data with regard to site selection and
logistics strategies and intensive personal guidance on
such matters as available incentives, permit procedures
and tax structures.
Netherlands Foreign
Investment Agency
This newsletter is distributed by Aloysius Butler & Clark,
on behalf of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency.
Additional information is available at the Department of
Justice, Washington, D.C.
Amsterdam has an established reputation as the “creative capital of Europe,” a status
that was cemented recently by its hosting of the European MTV Awards in November.
The cutting-edge awards ceremony, which celebrated the 20th anniversary of the
show, marked the first time the awards have been held in the Netherlands since 1997.
It brought together the world’s top pop performers at the Ziggo Dome, a 17,000-seat
concert hall that opened in 2012.
The awards were broadcast to a global
television audience of 700 million house-
holds and included performances from
artists including Eminem, Bruno Mars
and Katy Perry. U.S. artists also took home
some of the night’s major awards, includ-
ing Green Day (Best Rock), Macklemore
and Ryan Lewis (Best New Act) and Miley
Cyrus (Best Video).
MTV spotlighted Amsterdam with
additional live performances around the city. Alternative rock band Imagine Dragons
performed on the streets outside the Ziggo Dome, while Dutch DJ Afrojack and leg-
endary rapper Snoop Dogg performed at the famous Melkweg Club.
Dutch Artist’s
‘Rubber Duck’
Flies Around
the World
MTV Europe Music Awards Rock Amsterdam
A popular children’s song says that a Rubber Duckie is a “joy of joys,” a lesson Dutch
artist Florentijn Hofman has been bringing to harbors around the world since 2007.
Hofman’s giant art installation, appropriately titled “Rubber Duck,” is exactly as it
sounds – a 40-foot-tall rubber duck that floats in some of the world’s best-known
waterways.
Each city builds its own version of the duck based on Hofman’s plans. The project
also includes a massive logistics effort, including crews that inflate and deflate the
duck and a system to alert organizations such as the Coast Guard that their vessels
will soon be sharing the water with a giant rubber duck.
Rubber Duck is on a mission to “spread joy around the world,” according to the
artist. The tour started in his hometown of Amsterdam, and last year visited cities
in Azerbaijan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The duck’s first U.S. visit was to Pittsburgh in September, where it debuted to
rave reviews and even spurred a petition to keep it anchored in the Allegheny River
permanently.
Rubber Duck’s next stop was Sydney, Australia, in January. At press time, there
was no word on where it will be flying next.