amsterdam - TelecityGroup

To meet our team contact us at:
Tel: +31 20 592 8263
or email: [email protected]
www.telecitygroup.nl
Outstanding data centres.
Expertise you can trust.
TelecityGroup has been acquired by Equinix,
Inc. (Nasdaq:EQIX) the interconnection
platform for the world’s leading businesses.
www.telecitygroup.com
De Gooyer Windmill
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Equinix Telecities
Helping you connect to:
AMSTERDAM
Contents
OVERVIEW
1
2 AMSTERDAM: A BACKGROUND
4 A TRULY INTERNATIONAL HUB
6 DIGITALLY CONNECTED
8 TRAVELLING TO AMSTERDAM?
“In Amsterdam the water is the
mistress and the land the vassal.”
Felix Marti-Ibanez
1
Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to:
Amsterdam
OVERVIEW
Originally a fishing village in the twelfth century,
Amsterdam has grown to become a flourishing
commercial and digital hub.
Home to some of the world’s largest corporations
and most exciting digital start-ups, Amsterdam is the
Netherlands’ capital city, with a population of around
780,000. Originally named Amstelredamme, literally,
“a dam in the river Amstel”, the city is actually made
up of 90 islands, linked together by a network of
over 1,500 bridges.
Did you know?
Bike to person ratio in
Amsterdam – one million
bikes to 780,000 people.
Percentage of English speaking
Amsterdammers.
%
1,OOO,
OOO
+31 is the international dialing
code for The Netherlands, 20 is
the area code for Amsterdam.
+
3
1
2
0
9.5Mbps is the average broadband
connection speed in Amsterdam.
9.5
2
Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to:
Amsterdam
AMSTERDAM: A BACKGROUND
Amsterdam is the largest city in the
Netherlands. Home to world famous
historical sites, illustrious museums
and a thriving culture, there’s
something for everyone in one
of Europe’s most famous cities.
Key stat
The GDP of Amsterdam is around
35 billion Euros, accounting for over
5% of Netherlands entire GDP.
€35bn
Did you know?
Amsterdam is built entirely on huge
stakes driven into the ground. Its central
station has 6,000 of them keeping it up.
Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to:
Amsterdam
Out and about
Visitors can take in the Van Gogh
Museum and the Royal Palace while
the Anne Frank House remains a ‘must
see’ for all first time visitors to the city.
There are also numerous fine-dining
options. Amsterdam’s restaurant scene
features Michelin-starred offerings such
as Vinkeles, La Rive, and Rogier van Dam’s
Lastage, all of which are located in the
city center.
Political landscape
A constitutional monarchy, the
Netherlands is usually governed by
a coalition of different political parties.
The three most dominant parties are
traditionally the Christian Democratic
Appeal, the Labour Party and the People’s
Party for Freedom and Democracy.
Although Amsterdam is the capital, the
Dutch Government actually sits in The
Hague in the province of South Holland.
Key fact
Tulips are probably the most famous
of all Amsterdam’s exports - the
Netherlands supplies over 70%
of the world’s fresh flowers.
70%
3
Transport
Schipol airport (Europe’s fifth largest
airport) and Amsterdam port provide
exceptional international transport
links. Combined with a population
that is multilingual and the city’s
business-friendly economy and
infrastructure, global businesses
continue to be drawn to Amsterdam.
Key exports
The city’s key businesses are finance,
fashion, beer and flowers. Tulips are
probably the most famous of all
Amsterdam’s exports - the Netherlands
supplies over 70% of the world’s fresh
flowers market. Heineken meanwhile,
the world’s largest export brewery,
sells to 150 countries around the world.
Economy
As home to the world’s first ever
stock exchange, it’s little surprise that
Amsterdam is a major player in the
business world. The GDP of Amsterdam
is around 35 billion Euros, accounting for
over 5% of the Netherland’s entire GDP.
Schiphol International Airport
— Europe’s fifth largest airport.
4
Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to:
Amsterdam
A TRULY INTERNATIONAL HUB
A genuinely international city, Holland’s
socially progressive attitude has made
Amsterdam a crucial European business
center and flourishing digital hub. Its
location gives it easy access to various
European markets, and the city plays
host to many major European and
global companies.
Key stat
The Dutch software sector alone
is worth €25 billion, representing
2.8% of the Netherlands’ GDP.
€25bn
Did you know?
Measured by square kilometers,
Amsterdam has the highest number
of museums of all cities in the world.
Overall there are 51 museums in the city.
Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to:
Amsterdam
Business landscape
According to the Financial Times,
Amsterdam is the most business-friendly
city in Europe due to the large number
of jobs created by foreign direct
investment, the growing number of
high-tech companies and the ease
of doing business in the region. Its
excellent tax climate and highly educated
workforce also make it an appealing
destination for companies.
As a result of its openness to global trade
and investment, Amsterdam, and the
Netherlands as a whole, has established
a transparent and efficient regulatory
and entrepreneurial environment.
The home of major corporations
Large corporations and banks
headquartered in Amsterdam include
ABN AMRO, Akzo Nobel, Heineken,
INGroup, Ahold, TomTom, Delta Lloyd
Group and Philips as well as major media
and entertainment companies such as
MTV. In total, seven of the world’s top 500
companies also call Amsterdam home.
The Amsterdam Metropolitan Area is
rapidly becoming the software and IT
capital of Europe with more than 50%
of all Forbes 2,000 companies active in
ICT having a presence in the Area. The
Dutch software sector alone is worth
€25 billion, representing 2.8% of the
Netherlands’ GDP.
Key digital businesses
The affordable studio space also makes
Amsterdam a digital start-up’s dream
and plays host to many notable
technology newcomers such as eBuddy,
Booking.com, WeTransfer and Twirus.
StartupBootcamp has an Amsterdam
5
HQ, providing funding and mentoring
schemes and hosting investor events
for start-ups looking to grow.
Business subsidies
The regulatory landscape in Amsterdam
is extremely amenable with subsidies
aimed at encouraging cooperation
between businesses from different
countries available. The Small Business
Innovation Research Programme (SBIR)
has also been set up by the Dutch
government for businesses that put
forward innovative solutions for social
issues such as transport and security.
Finance
Amsterdam is home to the oldest stock
exchange in the world. Now known as the
Euronext Amsterdam, it is the fifth largest
exchange in the world with a market
capitalization of nearly $3 trillion thanks
to recent mergers, most notably with the
New York Stock Exchange Group in 2007.
Amsterdam’s financial service sector
employs around 10% of Amsterdam’s
entire workforce and over 70 international
banks operate in the city.
Home of major corporations
— INGroup Head Office based
in Amsterdam.
6
Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to:
Amsterdam
DIGITALLY CONNECTED
Amsterdam has long been considered
the epicenter of European connectivity
thanks to the Amsterdam Internet
Exchange (AMS-IX), the fastest digital
exchange platform in Europe and one
of the largest in the world.
Key stat
In total 98% of all Dutch households
have broadband internet connections.
98%
Did you know?
The Dutch are the tallest people in
the world. The average Dutchman is
just over 6 feet (1.83m), while Dutch
women average 5-foot-7 (1.7m).
1.83m
1.7m
Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to:
Amsterdam
7
Amsterdam internet exchange
The exchange connects over 470 carriers,
Internet Service Providers and other
internet-related companies. Thanks to
the AMS-IX, the Amsterdam Metropolitan
Area hopes to connect every business
and household to a high-speed fiber
optic network by 2015.
Cloud friendly
The Dutch government actively
encourages the uptake of cloud services;
ensuring that a solid foundation is in place
for their usage, by actively promoting the
widespread availability of their services
and through the optimal use of significant
European developments.
A connected city
The Netherlands established its sixth
millionth broadband connection in
2009 and Amsterdam enjoys the fastest
internet service in Europe, boasting
average speeds of 9.5Mbps. In total
98% of all Dutch households have
broadband internet connections.
Green IT program
With IT responsible for around 10% of
Amsterdam’s electricity consumption,
the region has introduced a Green IT
program aimed at driving smart and
sustainable energy practices in the city.
More than just making the sector more
energy efficient in general, Green IT
Amsterdam also aims to change mobility
patterns, explore the use of sustainable
energy sources and improve energy
efficiency in houses and offices.
Technology firsts
Amsterdam’s Airport Schiphol is the
first major European airport to offer
free wireless internet.
Key fact
Amsterdam’s Airport Schiphol is the
first major European airport to offer
free wireless internet.
Internet exchange
— The Amsterdam Metropolitan Area.
8
Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to:
Amsterdam
TRAVELLING TO AMSTERDAM?
Make the most out of your
trip to Amsterdam with these
essential tips and map.
Key stat
Normal practice in restaurants is to
round up to the nearest whole number
of Euros, so that the tip is about 5%.
5%
Location
Mainland Netherlands borders
the North Sea to the northwest,
Belgium to the south and
Germany to the east.
Sweden
Ireland
UK
Netherlands
Belgium
Amsterdam
Germany
France
Italy
Spain
Finland
Equinix Telecities. Helping you connect to:
Amsterdam
Visa requirements
In order to enter the Netherlands from
the USA, Canada, Australia and the
majority of Europe, a valid passport is
the only requirement for a stay of up
to three months.
No vaccinations are required and
the emergency services contact
number is 112.
Did you know?
In May 2011, the Netherlands was
ranked as the “happiest” country
in the world.
Tipping
All prices in the Netherlands by law
include tax and tips. Normal practice
in restaurants is to round up to the
nearest whole number of Euros, so
that the tip is about 5%.
Further information
For further information on all tax and
regulation matters, as well as for details
on available subsidies, you can visit
the Dutch business information site:
www.answersforbusiness.nl
Equinix Telecity
in Amsterdam
Westhaven
City Attractions
3
A Central Station
E35
B Science Center Nemo
E22
C Anne Frank House
D
A10
A
C
Magna Plaza
D
E Van Gogh Museum
E
1 Science Park
3 Gyroscoopweg
4 Amstel Business Park
5 Southeast AMS 5
Schiphol International
Airport
1
Amstel
Equinix Telecity Data Centers
2 Southeast AMS 2
B
E19
Diemen
4
A4
A2
A9
Amstelveen
2
E35
5
9