The State of Dutch Tech in 2025: how the Netherlands is competing on the global stage

Key highlights from the 2025 report

Dutch tech strengths

The latest Techleap report demonstrates that Dutch companies secured a total of €3.1 billion in venture capital, marking a 47% increase from 2023. This is particularly noteworthy given that startup investments across Europe declined by 5% during the same period. The Dutch ecosystem also outperformed the U.S, solidifying the Netherlands' position as the fourth-largest startup hub in Europe, behind the UK, Germany, and France.

This surge in funding is especially promising for deep tech startups specialising in AI, quantum computing, and semiconductors, which now make up 35% of the Dutch tech ecosystem. This not only highlights substantial growth but also signals a clear shift in the industry's focus.

Amsterdam, in particular, is seeing this momentum firsthand, with QDNL Participations launching a €60 million fund to support local and global ventures. Additionally, the EU has officially selected Amsterdam’s Science Park as the site for a new quantum computer.

Techleap’s report further underscores the impact of scale-ups, which, despite comprising less than 10% of the market, account for 15% of tech jobs. This is around 55,000 positions. Many of these fast-growing companies, including Adyen, Mollie, Picnic, and Fastned, are based in Amsterdam, reinforcing the city's status as a key player in Europe’s tech landscape.

Areas of improvement

While Techleap’s report highlights many positives for the Dutch tech scene, it also sheds light on some challenges. In 2024, 104 startups raised more than €100,000, reflecting a 23% decrease from the previous year.

Additionally, Dutch investor participation in Series B funding declined from 61% to 15%, which may encourage some startups to explore scaling opportunities abroad rather than focusing solely on Amsterdam and other Dutch cities. Regulations were another key topic in the report, with insights suggesting that certain policies could be streamlined to better support innovation and growth.

Where is the tech scene headed?

Despite these challenges, the Netherlands remains a top tier hub in Europe that attracts talent from across the world. The country’s innovation, strong infrastructure and out of the box thinking continue to attract investments and entrepreneurs – with a strong emphasis on ethical AI and climate tech, Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands is positioning itself as a key player for the tech of the future.

Read more about Amsterdam's tech scene.