Netherlands claims 13th spot among the world’s best performing startup ecosystems

A profitable Dutch ecosystem

The Netherlands has climbed the rankings to 13th place in the global startup ecosystem in the recent Global Startup Ecosystem Report, published by Startup Genome. Leading the chart is Silicon Valley, maintaining its stronghold at #1, closely followed by New York and London.

Now in its 12th year, The Global Startup Ecosystem Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global startup landscape. With a focus on emerging trends and the key challenges faced by today's entrepreneurs, the research delves into data from over 4.5 million startups.

During the period from July 2021 to December 2023, the Dutch startup ecosystem generated a notable $96 billion in value, marking a significant 32% increase compared to the previous period from July 2019 to December 2021. The report highlights the Netherlands for its innovative hubs and its support organisations helping startups get off the ground – many of which are based in Amsterdam such as the AMS Institute, Impact Hub Amsterdam and Amsterdam Science Park. 

Which sectors are the Netherlands thriving in?

Ranked #13 globally, The Netherlands also scored #2 in the regional rankings for Europe, following only behind London. The top sectors in which the Netherlands had the highest performance were agri-food, semiconductor and health and life sciences. 

With 3100+ startups alone in the health and life science sector and 8 university medical centres, the Netherlands has proven itself an influential participant when it comes to the future of healthcare. Players such as Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Philips Healthcare are a driving force for innovation in this sector. 

With close to a billion dollars invested, the Netherlands is also at the forefront of global agri-food research and development, drawing major companies such as Nestlé, Unilever, Cargill, and Kraft Heinz to set up research centres throughout the country. The report spotlights Wageningen University & Research as one of the key centres for agri-food tech and a founding partner of the AMS Institute, who collaborate on projects like metropolitan food systems.

The semiconductor sector is responsible for making a wide range of products for technology and electronics – for example, sensors, actuators and memory chips. Late last year, Nearfield Instruments raised €38 million in funding – demonstrating the Netherlands’ pivotal role in innovation and industry advancement in the semiconductor sector. 

Reasons to be based in the Netherlands

The report delves into why entrepreneurs should consider moving their start up to the Netherlands. One reason is the welcoming attitude, which fosters a supportive ecosystem for individuals new to the startup culture. Amsterdam, in particular, stands out for its entrepreneurial ecosystem with top rankings in connectivity (#1) and business friendliness (#4).

The Netherlands is also seen as a beacon for global talent, and in 2023, was ranked number one in the EF Global English Proficiency Index. Following that, the Netherlands is ranked 7th on the 2023 Global Innovation Index and is seen across the globe as being teaming with innovation hubs. With these reasons in mind, it’s clear that the Netherlands can be seen as a key contender when it comes to the evolution and future of startup culture.