US-based IT company Cisco is working on a programme to speed up the Dutch digital economy, the Financieele Dagblad reported on Thursday. Cisco chairman John Chambers is to discuss the subject with Dutch premier Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos on Thursday, the paper added.

Cisco already has similar programmes up and running in several other European countries including France and the UK. Chambers said the Netherlands has a good chance to become the role model for smaller counties, not only in Europe but in the rest of the world.

Cisco is a multinational technology conglomerate headquartered in San José, California and develops, manufactures, and sells networking hardware, telecommunications equipment, and other high-technology services and products.

Cisco hopes to obtain a serious share of the business resulting from helping to increase the size of the Dutch digital economy. This could lead to increased sales of its routers and switches which regulate internet traffic, the FD said.

Investment

Although no amount has been placed on its future investment in the Netherlands, the plans call for an expansion of the Cisco network academy which provides free training for Dutch educational institutions. In addition, Cisco has $2bn available for start-ups in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Philip Kirk, who is in charge of the start-up programme, earlier said that there are already several good candidates including TradeCast of Zwolle which makes interactive online TV channels possible and Clear Flight Solutions which develops robots designed to clear birds away from airports.

Other possible Cisco projects in the Netherlands are smarter transport and cybersecurity. Kirk added. Cisco already has a large presence here, employing about 1,200 people.