Internationalisation

Expanding the success of the LSH sector beyond our borders

In the end of 2015 Top Sector LSH presented its new International Strategy. It all started with the organised Top on Healthcare and Export on 16 December 2015. The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, Edith Schippers: "In many areas the Netherlands is a world player in healthcare and the world has a serious need for smart Dutch healthcare solutions". 

‘In many areas the Netherlands is a world player in healthcare.’

The question was not ‘whether’ but ‘how’ the Netherlands can bring its healthcare strengths and the hundreds of healthcare organisations (especially SMEs) within the Top Sector LSH across the border.


Following the Top: Healthcare and Export a ‘workgroup’ was put together to realise a thorough ‘International Strategy’ in which clear ambitions and concrete actions are stated. It contained representatives from the public sector (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency) and the private sector (Task Force Health Care on behalf of the Dutch LSH Alliance). On 17 November 2015 the ‘International Strategy’ was officially presented to the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, Edith Schippers, during her visit to the Health~Holland Pavillion at the Medica trade fair in Düsseldorf.

Besides healthcare missions, meetings, advisory services, publications, Holland Branding and incoming visits, the Health~Holland Pavillion at the Medica trade fair is an example of how the government can support SMEs and knowledge institutions from the medical sector in doing international business. The ‘International Strategy’ is primarily intended to provide even better support to a large group of healthcare organisations during the export process and in acquiring international innovation and research funding, as well as internationally promoting the Dutch healthcare sector and attracting foreign investments to the Netherlands.


Download the International Strategy

Len de Jong (CEO Enraf-Nonius), member of the Top Team:

"As board-member of the Top Sector LSH I am pleased to see that in 2015 the international activities of the Dutch Life Science & Health sector have increased considerably and that the sector has joined forces in such a way that smart solutions can be offered for existing international health-related problems.”

Health~Holland (in cooperation with the Task Force Health Care) soon launches the new SME International Support Programme. The purpose of the programme is to guide, support and facilitate Dutch Life Sciences & Health SME’s in their international activities such as export and business development. 


Health~Holland and Task Force Health Care developed the SME International Support Programme in line with the Topsector’s ambitions to increase the international presence of the Dutch LSH sector. In the long run the aim of the programme is to increase the number of successful exporting Dutch companies by offering an individual, easy-accessible and professional supporting programme in the initial steps of entering new markets.


Follow our Health~Holland Update and our website for the latest developments.


Task Force Health Care is the platform for the Dutch Life Sciences & Health sector with the primary objective to help Dutch healthcare organisations with their international activities. 

A vaccine against AIDS, combating resistant tuberculosis, a contraceptive ring that also prevents HIV infection. These are a few drugs that the Netherlands will invest in over the coming years to contribute to global efforts to combat poverty-related diseases.

The investment is being made via the Product Development Partnerships Fund (PDP III Fund), an initiative of Minister Ploumen (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation). Poor people in developing countries need to gain easy access to the drugs that public-private partnerships are developing. Top Sector LSH contributes to in the facilitation, communication and coordination of this fund. 

Faster, cheaper and more effective
The aim of the PDP III Fund is to develop preventative, therapeutic and diagnostic aids faster, cheaper and more effectively for diseases that are highly prevalent in developing countries but for which there is insufficient interest within the pharmaceutical industry. The PDP III Fund therefore focuses on product development for sexual and reproductive health.

Different products
Until 2020, the Netherlands will invest in supporting six partnerships between organisations from the private and public sectors that are developing products in this framework.

  • TB Alliance - Developing products for the treatment of resistant tuberculosis, which considerably reduce the treatment time and integrates with aids inhibitors.
  • International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) - Development of an aids vaccine.
  • Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) - Development of drugs for 'neglected' diseases, such as leishmaniasis and sleeping sickness, and of innovative solutions to make these products easily accessible.
  • Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) - Products for the prevention and treatment of malaria with a specific focus on children and pregnant women.
  • International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) - Product development for sexual and reproductive health, such as a ring with a protective gel against HIV and pregnancy.
  • Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) - Innovative diagnostics for the more effective treatment of diseases such as ebola, hepatitis C, tuberculosis and malaria.

A total of 25 proposals were submitted for the PDP. Between now and 2020 a total budget of  86.3 million euros will be available from the fund. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) is realising the Product Development Partnerships Fund on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.