Strong in Broad Prosperity, Seeking Growth: Insights from Otto Raspe for Key Region Leiden

During Key Region Leiden’s summer event, partners and stakeholders attended an informative presentation by Otto Raspe, principal researcher at RaboResearch, on economic growth and overall well-being in the Leiden region and the Duin- en Bollenstreek. The message was clear: every region has its own dynamics. Regional collaboration is essential for capitalizing on opportunities.

View the presentation

The presentation showed that there are significant differences in economic growth and prosperity within the Netherlands. What works in Brainport Eindhoven does not automatically work in the Key Region Leiden. Each region has its own strengths, challenges, and development paths. According to Raspe, for our region, it’s all about finding the right balance between three priorities: competitiveness, resilience, and broad prosperity.

“Growth is determined by the regional ecosystem. The better it functions, the more opportunities for growth can be capitalized on.”

Potential present

Due to geopolitical tensions and an uncertain international economic environment, RaboResearch has revised its growth forecast for the Netherlands downward to 1.2% in 2026 and 1.1% in 2027. This means the economy will still grow, but at a slower pace than desired. In the longer term, economic growth depends primarily on two factors: labor input and labor productivity growth. Virtually all sectors will feel the effects of slowing growth. Industry, transportation, and construction are under particular pressure. For the Leiden region and the Duin- en Bollenstreek, economic growth of between 0.0 and 0.5 percent is expected. This means the region will lag behind the national average. That does not mean the economic fundamentals are weak. On the contrary. In certain areas, the region is performing above average and has strong earning power, such as at the Leiden Bio Science Park. At the same time, other factors are holding back growth. How can we improve the outlook? According to Raspe, the key lies in a well-functioning regional ecosystem in which businesses, knowledge institutions, and governments reinforce one another.

“Invest in the drivers of productivity growth.”

Full bloom

What else can we learn from other regions? Why, for example, are regions like Eindhoven and Amsterdam growing faster? According to Raspe, the benefits of agglomeration are strongly evident there. Knowledge spreads more easily between companies and institutions, the labor market is larger, specialized services are nearby, and companies more often benefit from collaboration within strong value chains. It is precisely these local conditions that prove to be key drivers of productivity and growth. This also presents a challenge for our region. The Key Region Leiden benefits from its proximity to the economic powerhouses of Amsterdam and The Hague, but at the same time operates in their shadow. The study shows that our region has average labor productivity, while productivity growth is lagging. If we improve this, there will be more opportunities for economic development.

“Learn from regions abroad that are similar to the Key Region Leiden. Copenhagen is a good example.”

RaboResearch also highlights a number of success factors: work toward a shared long-term vision, make strategic choices in economic development, ensure good accessibility, invest in knowledge and innovation, build strong clusters, and maintain a strong focus on broad prosperity.

High score on well-being

Modest economic growth is offset by a strong performance in terms of overall well-being. The study shows that the Leiden region and the Duin- en Bollenstreek score higher than many other regions in the Netherlands and South Holland. The region benefits from its location between the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area and the Rotterdam-The Hague Metropolitan Area. The strong score is linked to factors such as job security, income, health, social connections, and safety. At the same time, there are still areas requiring attention. Challenges remain in areas such as housing, the environment, and civic engagement. According to Raspe, it is precisely in these areas that opportunities lie to further strengthen overall well-being. The key message here is simple: a high score today offers no guarantee for tomorrow. In our region, too, constant attention is needed to maintain the quality of life.

“The Key Region Leiden benefits from its location between the two major economic regions. The level of overall well-being is high here.”

Borrowed size

Another lesson from the study is the principle of “borrowed size”: harness the strength of nearby urban regions. The Leiden region has a large outbound commuter flow. On balance, approximately 33,000 residents work outside the region. Many residents thus benefit from the employment opportunities available elsewhere in the Randstad. At the same time, this raises the question of how talent and knowledge can be more closely tied to the region itself. Better alignment between education, the labor market, and the region’s economic specializations can help achieve this.

“Harness the power of nearby urban regions.”

Which step is important now?

What does Raspe believe is needed to make further progress? First and foremost, a shared vision. Successful regions dare to think big, work together, and build on what sets them apart. It is precisely this shared ambition that creates the momentum needed to tackle economic and social challenges.

To achieve that vision, Raspe emphasizes the importance of regional collaboration between entrepreneurs, government, education, and research. This so-called triple-helix approach ensures that the parties jointly identify opportunities and determine how they can contribute to them. As an example, he cites business roundtables, where various parties come together to address shared challenges and opportunities.

The presentation thus once again made it clear that Key Region Leiden can fulfill precisely that connecting role. Collaboration between businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies is now firmly established. With its three program areas— Strengthening the Innovation Region, Future-Proof Entrepreneurship, and Space & Framework Conditions —the agenda aligns well with the recommendations from the study. The foundation has been laid; now it is time to further translate our shared ambitions into action.

Holland Rijnland Region Economic Dashboard

In addition to the national figures, Ellen Dijkstra, a researcher and data analyst for the City of Leiden, presented the Holland Rijnland Region’s economic dashboard during the afternoon session. This dashboard provides insight into the economic development of our region. With up-to-date figures on topics such as employment, economic activity, sector development, and the labor market, the dashboard clearly illustrates trends and developments. Users can view both the region as a whole and the individual municipalities and easily compare them with one another. In this way, the dashboard supports municipalities, policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and other interested parties in making informed decisions and strengthening a future-proof regional economy.

• Curious about these regional and local economic figures? Check out the dashboard here: https://hollandrijnland.nl/ruimte/economie/
• You can find more statistics on this page of our website.

Check out our infographic