Short speech by Her Majesty Queen Máxima during the visit to Stanford University and Holland in the Valley network, Silicon Valley, California


Professor Imbens, ladies and gentlemen, 

How truly inspiring it is to be at Stanford University today and to meet so many people with Dutch roots here in Silicon Valley. It makes me proud to see so many Dutch people active in the region as researchers, entrepreneurs, Hackeronies and students. Dutch brainpower makes a significant contribution to the success of the Bay Area. It’s great to see all that top talent. 

You feel that there’s a tremendous click between Silicon Valley and the Netherlands. They say that Silicon Valley isn’t a location but a mindset. One that centers not only on the courage to push boundaries, but also on the ability to put scientific discoveries into practice. We need high tech that helps to make our world safer, cleaner, more enterprising and more inclusive.
That’s where Silicon Valley excels. Here, it goes without saying that research and business have to be closely connected. Here, new companies are given every opportunity to succeed. 

The Netherlands gladly draws inspiration from this. It’s fantastic that an initiative such as Holland in the Valley is working to develop an ecosystem where promising startups can grow and flourish. It’s also great that a whole network has been formed to help strengthen this ecosystem with mentoring programs, knowledge exchange, funding etc. 

I am keen to hear about your experiences and look forward to your presentations. And I wish you all every success in your work, your business endeavors and your studies here in the Bay Area.

Thank you.