HighTechNL maps hotspots in the Dutch semiconductor industry
White paper visualizes the geographical distribution of semiconductor activities: a tool for strategy, collaboration, and investment.
Published on December 1, 2025
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The Dutch semiconductor industry has been among the world's best for decades, with a strong foundation dating back to the 1950s, when Philips shaped the entire value chain from chip design to system integration. That broad strength is still very much alive today. The white paper “Unravelling the Dutch Semicon Value Chain” by High Tech NL shows that the Netherlands still has a complete and versatile semicon ecosystem, spread across three strong regional hotspots: Brainport-Eindhoven, Lifeport-Arnhem-Nijmegen, and Twente, the semiconductor axis of the Netherlands.
The analysis maps the distribution of the various links in the semiconductor value chain – from design to production, equipment, and system integration – across the Netherlands. The study uses data from High Tech NL's membership, analyzing more than seventy organizations with an active role in the semiconductor industry.
“We wanted to know not only where companies are located, but also what they do in the value chain,” says Ben van der Zon, consultant at High Tech NL. “This provides a clear picture of the strengths of each region and the links between industry and knowledge institutions.”
Semicon Nederland, © High Tech NL
Three complementary regions
The white paper shows that the Dutch semiconductor sector is highly concentrated regionally, with specific specializations per region:
- Brainport-Eindhoven: focus on mechanical engineering, modules, and services
- Lifeport-Arnhem-Nijmegen: balanced mix of design, front-end and back-end production, and system integration
- Enschede: clear specializations in chip design and R&D
“It is impressive to see how complete the Dutch value chain is,” says Eric-Mark Huitema, managing director of High Tech NL. “We have all the building blocks – knowledge, production, and innovation – but it is precisely the regional complementarity that makes the ecosystem strong.”
The results were presented earlier this month to the Dutch Semicon Board NL and Minister Karremans. According to High Tech NL, the white paper is not a static overview, but a strategic tool that helps policymakers, companies, and regional development agencies to invest and collaborate in a targeted manner within the European semiconductor landscape.
“This is more than a map,” says Ben van der Zon. “It is a tool for strategy, collaboration, and investment—exactly what the Netherlands needs to maintain its strong position in the global semiconductor sector.”
The white paper “Unravelling the Dutch Semicon Value Chain” can be downloaded via this link.