The CES is an annual meeting place for more than 170,000 companies and investors from some 160 countries. It is the largest Dutch delegation ever to visit the fair. The participating companies come from all over the country and represent a wide range of solutions under the motto: “NL tech solutions for global challenges”.

The fair usually takes place in Las Vegas, but is digital this year due to corona restrictions. This edition will not take five days as usual, but five weeks, during which the exhibiting companies will have the opportunity to present themselves to a global network of potential customers and investors. For example, one company supplies batteries with sustainably generated energy at any desired location, and another is working on a neutron-based scanning technique that can detect hazardous substances in, for example, baggage at airports in no time at all. i4Things will be be showcasing Consolomio®, our worry-free Smart Home as a Service solution. It it the second year for the team of i4Things to take part in CES.

The challenge and great opportunities from abroad

A study by Techleap.nl (2019) shows that expansion abroad is one of the biggest challenges Dutch growth companies face when seeking support. For this reason, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate are organizing this trade fair mission, in cooperation with the “Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland”. Participants also receive professional guidance in advance to promote their company as effectively as possible.

A good performance at the CES can lead to unprecedented attention. The Dutch Hydraloop, a startup from Leeuwarden focused on the reuse of shower, bath and washing machine water by consumers, won a number of awards last year, including that of The Best of the Best @CES Award from the international techblog Engadget and has been in the spotlight with buyers all over the world.

Global Roadshow

The digital format also offers the Dutch growth companies new opportunities. Within the five weeks of the CES, selected companies from the delegation will be actively connected with potential clients and investors in countries where there is demand for their specific services and technologies. These visits will be organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, a network of 56 innovation attachés stationed around the world – from Brazil to Japan and from Singapore to Sweden. In any case, these meetings will take place in San Francisco, Taipei, Tel Aviv, Paris, London, Berlin and Seoul.

The economic added value of four years of CES participation

The Netherlands will participate in the CES for the fifth time in 2021. Over the past four years, more than 200 Dutch companies have visited the fair. For many of them the CES was a breakthrough. These companies are estimated to have generated tens of millions of euros in turnover and hundreds of high-quality jobs throughout the country since their participation.