Groningen, the gem of the Northern Netherlands, is a unique city with a fast growing start-up culture, award-winning scientists and the cleanest air in the country. It is one of the top 5 cities in Europe where the quality of life, education, social care and healthcare are well taken care of. Groningen is also known for its progressive city policy, no-nonsense character, non-stop nightlife and the huge number of bicycles; over two-thirds of travel in Groningen are done by bike.

Groningen has a young, dynamic and highly educated population. Its 230,000 inhabitants enjoy a high quality of life. Groningen is a city with a superdiverse mix of people; with many young and bright people from other parts of the Netherlands, or indeed of the world, the city is home to over 144 nationalities. The city of Groningen has been known as a centre for talent, free thinking and new ideas for many centuries, having been the economic, academic and political powerhouse of the Northern Netherlands since the 13th Century. Unrivalled in its openness to the world, Groningen is home to three leading institutes of learning and research: University of Groningen (RuG), the Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Hanze) and one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe, the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG). Groningen also hosts knowledge hubs like the Energy Academy Europe and the Global Centre on Climate Adaptation.

This vibrant student city is also the region’s economic driving force. Our economy, mostly in services, is booming. Groningen a hotspot for start-ups, scale-ups and programs to support the innovation ecosystem. In a city where 44% of the population has followed higher education, and a city that has produced no less than four Nobel prize winners, it cannot come as a surprise that it takes experimenting seriously. It is recognised as a breeding ground for innovation, attracting many forward-thinking entrepreneurs. Groningen has lost count of the number of innovative projects that have flourished in this fertile environment, focusing on themes such as sustainability, healthy ageing and digitalisation. And the key to the success of each of these projects has lain in collaboration: collaboration with both public and private partners but also, and most importantly, collaboration with the end users – the city’s residents and visitors.