‘Things generally work in the Netherlands, but a bit more of civic sense would not hurt’

“The feeling I have about the Netherlands is that people complain about things that sometimes are not as efficient as they could be, but there is much worse out there,” says Mitja Caboni. He has lived in the Netherlands for seven years and works as an acceleration manager at PortXL, Rotterdam’s port accelerator for startups in the maritime industry. 

Son of a Slovenian mother and an Italian father, Caboni moved from Slovenia to the Netherlands to pursue a master’s in Media Innovation at Breda University of Applied Sciences. After completing his studies, he moved to Rotterdam and joined PortXL, growing as a professional and becoming the company’s longest-serving employee. 

PortXL is an accelerator that helps startups refine their ideas, expand their network, and start pilots to prove their technologies. In his position as an acceleration manager, Caboni is involved in every company's growth process. For this episode of Dutch Diaries, I spoke with him about his experience living in the Netherlands and working in the Dutch innovation ecosystem.

What was your first impression of the Netherlands? 

“I first visited the Netherlands during a university orientation day in Breda in 2012. I remember being struck by the country's openness and how the professors interacted with us, treating potential students as friends. Since it was legal to drink at the age of 16 at the time, I recall that professors even bought us drinks. It paid off as a marketing strategy, as, five years later, I moved to Breda to study.”

How was your studying experience? 

“Having previously studied at an Italian university, the setup felt very modern. It was a cultural shock calling professors by their first names. Being Breda a relatively small city, everyone was welcoming since the local universities recruit many international students. It was a new chapter in my life, scary and exciting at the same time.”

What happened next? 

After graduation, I started looking for jobs. I came across an entry-level position as a project assistant at PortXL, which I applied for and am still working for today.”

What do you enjoy the most about your position? 

“Every day is different. In my role, I am responsible for a couple of key processes of the accelerator: the program execution and the scouting process, so finding new startups. Besides that, I am also the contact person for all PortXL alumni. One day, I might be talking to someone who has developed a new hydrogen technology and the following one with the creator of software that optimizes ship processes. There is always something new. Meeting a lot of these innovators in person is also very inspirational.”

What is your take on the Dutch innovation ecosystem? 

“Sometimes there is too much talking and enough of doing. In Rotterdam, I feel there is much of the mentality of ‘roll up your sleeves and do it,’ which I really appreciate. You can make an impact as a cluster, but there is still much talking from the upper echelons, contrasting with startups’ frustration for getting support. 

What I like about it is the support system for system for innovation. There are many initiatives to help start a business. It is great that the country encourages this entrepreneurial spirit. Nevertheless, scaling a company is problematic.” 

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And what about the working environment? 

“The work-life balance is well figured out, or at least, it is better than my previous working experiences. It is totally different for entrepreneurs, but the average Dutch employee will not be caught dead doing overtime work. It is a very healthy attitude, and I am happy to follow it. 

Coming from a top-down hierarchical company organization, the horizontal structure was a shock for me. Everyone is involved and asked for an opinion. However, involving everyone in the decision-making process is not always necessary.”

What is the anecdote you always tell people back home about the Netherlands? 

“When I go back home, I always tell people about the NS card, explaining that I only need a single card to use any public transport—including the ferry. I also show them that I no longer carry a wallet, having all I need in a more compact card holder. People always ask me if the Dutch are stingy, and I always reply that they are very careful with their money.”

What practice would you import from Slovenia?

“Coming from a mixed family, I would import two things. From my Slovenian side, I cherish people's connection with nature and physical activity. It is not necessarily missing here, but that could be improved. This also relates to a better civic sense, as, in the area I live in, I see many people throwing their trash in their streets. It happens less in Slovenia, given that deep connection with the environment. 

From my Italian background, I would say that learning how to season food better would be a good addition.”

Do you see yourself living in the Netherlands in the future? 

“For sure. My life, career, and most of my friends are here now. I don’t see myself leaving the country in the coming 10 years. We will see how things evolve professionally-wise. I would like to move somewhere warmer in the future, but I definitely see myself staying here in the near and mid-term.”