Private Sector

Private Sector · Subsector

Digital Services & Platforms

Digital services and platforms companies build software products and online services used by millions of people. This includes search engines, social networks, streaming services, cloud providers, and software-as-a-service companies. The sector is data-intensive by nature, and quantitative work is central to how these businesses operate.

In this sector you might build a recommendation algorithm, analyse user behaviour to improve a product, or develop a pricing model for an advertising platform.

Background

These companies collect large amounts of data on how users interact with their products. That data drives decisions about product development, pricing, marketing, and growth. Quantitative roles exist to turn that data into actionable conclusions. The work is often fast-paced, and findings feed directly into product decisions.

The daily work involves analysing large datasets, building models, and running experiments. A/B testing is a common method: you test two versions of a product feature on different groups of users and measure which performs better. Statistical knowledge is essential for designing these tests correctly and interpreting the results.

The main tools are Python and SQL, with cloud platforms like AWS or Google Cloud for storage and compute. Data visualisation tools and dashboards are used to communicate findings. Machine learning is widely applied, particularly for personalisation, recommendation, and forecasting.

The sector moves quickly. Products are updated frequently, and the focus is on measurable outcomes. In the Netherlands, the sector includes both Dutch-founded companies and the local offices of large international platforms. Roles here connect closely to the Data Scientist, Data Analyst, and Data Engineer roles.

Project types

Projects

Projects relevant to Digital Services & Platforms, by problem type and phase.

Customer
Exploration
Implementation
Evaluation
Organisations

Companies

A selection of organisations active in this sector where econometrics graduates typically find roles.