It’s no surprise to any of us who are familiar with Rotterdam’s stunning skyline, or the general atmosphere of creativity that the city has: but now it’s been scientifically proven. Rotterdam is one of the most innovative cities in the world. And even more excitingly, its level of innovation is growing each year.
Last year, Rotterdam was ranked as the 111th most innovative city in the world: but this year it has jumped the queue massively, coming in at a very respectable 83rd place. That’s a 28-place jump! We’re far from surprised, given all the uniqueness Rotterdam has to offer. It also has the best non-native English speakers in the world, and has recently announced its plan to switch to green energy by 2020. Amsterdam, as the leader of the Dutch cities in this ranking, has actually dropped twelve places within a year, going from 18th place in 2018 to 30th in 2019. Oof!
How are cities ranked for innovation?
So how does the source of these figures, a research agency called 2thinknow, decide which cities are innovative, and which are not? Well, it comes down to a whopping 162 factors, so you can’t say they aren’t taking complexity into account. Among these factors are the number of start ups in a city, and their success rates; the speed of internet connections; the policies of local governments; as well as the infrastructure of a city. Furthermore, the question of whether the city is attractive to young, highly educated people is also taken into account.
Which is the most innovative city in the world?
You might be curious about which other cities across the world did well. Some of the answers are predictable: New York came first, Tokyo second, London third. Toronto in Canada comes 10th, Melbourne in Australia comes 11th. You can see the rest of the cities of the world listed on the Innovation Cities Index 2019, if you’re curious about your hometown, or picking a new place to live (which we understand, given the current Dutch weather).
Did you know that Rotterdam was this innovative? And what’s going on with Amsterdam? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Feature image: Martin de Lusenet/Flickr.
