How Amsterdam is fast tracking innovation

Jonathan Andrews reports from Amsterdam on how the city government has developed an eco-system for start-up launches with the intention of positioning the city as both accelerator and customer

Every weekend Amsterdam’s Rembrandt Square welcomes tourists and residents from the early evening until the small hours. What the city and residents don’t welcome is the problem of public urination that comes with being a popular night-time location.

While urinals are located on the square, many visitors see a nearby doorway or wall as a far more convenient place to relieve themselves. Not only does it smell bad but it costs the city a small fortune to clean up.

In a characteristically liberal and s...