Twente at the top of innovative Netherlands: discover your opportunities in hightech and innovation

The analysis looks at the share of innovative companies per municipality – the so-called relative innovation score. Of the ten municipalities with the highest share of innovative companies, no fewer than three are in Twente. Hengelo ranks sixth, Oldenzaal ninth, and Rijssen-Holten tenth.

In addition, Enschede is in the national top 10 based on the absolute innovation score: the total number of innovative companies.

Together, these figures show that innovation in Twente is both widely embraced in smaller municipalities and strongly concentrated in larger cities. Twente is therefore a region where you can work in a dynamic, future-oriented environment where hightech, sustainability, and entrepreneurship go hand in hand.

Hengelo: leader in hightech and energy innovation

Hengelo is one of the places in Twente where you experience the future up close. With 460 innovative companies, Hengelo has a strong position in hightech and ICT. What makes Hengelo extra special is its important role in energy innovation: the municipality is among the top 10 energy-innovative municipalities in the Netherlands.

Every day, innovative solutions for the energy transition are being developed here, from smart energy systems to new sustainable technologies. In Hengelo, you have many opportunities to work on impactful projects and contribute to technology that truly matters.

Examples of innovative companies in Hengelo include Destinus, Eaton, NTS Norma, Sensata Technologies, NX Filtration, and Twence.

Oldenzaal: combining logistics and hightech

Oldenzaal demonstrates the broad scope of innovation in Twente. The municipality combines hightech and logistics, playing an important role in the smart supply chains of the future. Companies here work with advanced technologies that are directly applied in production and logistics processes.

Examples of innovative companies in Oldenzaal include Bleckmann, Power-Packer Europe, Riwo and Trioliet.

Rijssen-Holten: SMEs and entrepreneurship

Rijssen-Holten completes Twente’s representation in the top 10. The municipality has a strong SME base with innovation in manufacturing, construction, and production.

Companies such as Geran Access Products, Ter Hoek Vonkerosie, Ter Steege Groep and Voortman Steel Group show how entrepreneurship and technology come together. Rijssen-Holten is therefore a municipality where craftsmanship and innovation strengthen each other.

Enschede: hightech, startups, and smart technology

Besides the relative ranking, there is also an absolute innovation score, which looks at the total number of innovative companies in a municipality. Large cities often score high here, simply because they have more companies.

Enschede is in the national top 10 based on the absolute number of innovative companies. The city is a center for hightech and ICT, partly thanks to the University of Twente and a lively startup ecosystem.

Here, you can work at companies such as Demcon, Eurofins Maser, Host Group, LioniX International, and Xsens, or join one of the many innovative startups that originate here.

Discover your opportunities in innovative Twente

Twente is bursting with innovative companies working on tomorrow’s technologies. From medical technology and chip technology to hightech, energy, smart logistics, and manufacturing.

Curious where your future could begin? Explore the vacancies and companies on Twente’s Jobportal and find the place where you can grow, learn, and make an impact.