Technology startups are the lifeblood of innovation, driving significant changes across various industries. In the dynamic landscape of the Netherlands, these startups are not just thriving; they’re reshaping the future. From green mobility and biotechnology to quantum computing and cybersecurity, Dutch startups are at the forefront of emerging technologies.
Rotterdam, the second-largest city in the Netherlands, has emerged as a fertile ground for innovative tech startups. Companies like Shypple, a digital freight forwarder, and Ampelmann, developing cutting-edge offshore access solutions, are leveraging Rotterdam’s strategic location and maritime expertise to disrupt traditional industries. The city’s startup ecosystem, supported by incubators and accelerators, has nurtured a vibrant community of entrepreneurs pushing the boundaries of emerging technologies.
This article highlights the top 25 emerging technology startups in the Netherlands, each bringing unique solutions and cutting-edge advancements to the table. Among these, companies like TENWAYS, Cradle, and Detail are revolutionizing their respective sectors, demonstrating the prowess and potential of Dutch innovation.
As we delve into these top picks, we will explore a diverse range of sectors, each startup standing out with its groundbreaking approaches and transformative potential. Let’s take a closer look at these top 25 picks, showcasing the best Dutch ingenuity in technology startups.
How We Ranked Our Picks
In our selection of the top 25 emerging technology startups in the Netherlands, we employed specific criteria to ensure a focus on the most dynamic and promising companies in the region.
- Firstly, each startup had to be headquartered in the Netherlands, grounding them firmly within the Dutch technological landscape. Additionally, we looked at companies founded after 2020, targeting those that are relatively new and showing significant potential in their early stages.
- Another key criterion was the size of the company; each startup needed to have more than 20 employees, indicating a level of growth and stability beyond the initial startup phase.
- Financial stability and investor confidence were also considered, with a threshold of more than $4.0 million in total funding as a benchmark.
- Lastly, and crucially, the startups were ranked based on their growth percentage over the last 12 months. This growth metric served as a primary indicator of their current momentum and future potential, highlighting those companies that are not just establishing themselves but are rapidly expanding in the competitive tech industry.
TENWAYS
Sector: Green Mobility
A Netherlands-based startup, TENWAYS focuses on eco-friendly urban mobility through high-quality, accessible e-bikes. They aim to make commuting effortless and enjoyable, backed by a global manufacturing network and a strong community of users.
Cradle
Sector: Biotechnology / Protein Engineering
Cradle leverages machine learning to streamline protein engineering. It’s used by biotech leaders for optimizing protein variants, enhancing lab efficiency and data security.
Detail
Sector: Video Technology
Detail combines a camera app with a video editor, designed for storytellers. It offers features like dual camera recording and creative editing tools, simplifying video creation.
Carbon Equity
Sector: Climate Tech Investment
Carbon Equity provides access to climate tech investments through private equity and venture capital. It connects individuals with climate startups and scaleups, democratizing impactful climate investments.
Sprinque
Sector: B2B E-commerce Payments
Sprinque, established in Amsterdam, revolutionizes B2B digital commerce with innovative credit and payment solutions. It focuses on simplifying and securing online business transactions.
NOWATCH
Sector: Health & Wellness Technology
NOWATCH focuses on personalized health tracking, offering a unique device that measures stress, sleep, and activity. It uses skin conductance to provide stress estimates and delivers subtle vibrations to alert users about their stress levels. The product emphasizes a non-intrusive approach to wellness, encouraging users to become more mindful of their mental health.
Repeats Group
Sector: Recycling & Circular Economy
Repeats Group is a leader in advancing plastic recycling and the circular economy. The company has been cultivating industry synergies since 1985, with a focus on developing plastic recycling and supporting companies in this sector. The team consists of experts committed to creating a sustainable future in plastics.
SOURCE.AG
Sector: Agricultural Technology
OURCE.AG is dedicated to empowering greenhouse growers with AI technology. Their solutions aim to improve the production of fruits and vegetables, enhancing business results while reducing risks. The company believes in the power of greenhouse agriculture to provide climate-resilient food solutions and is pioneering in AI tech for this purpose.
D2X
Sector: Financial Technology / Crypto Derivatives Exchange
D2X is an EU-regulated derivatives exchange for crypto options and futures, catering to financial institutions. It provides a platform for capital-efficient exposure to digital assets while addressing operational and regulatory challenges. D2X was founded by experienced derivatives traders and a capital markets lawyer to facilitate institutional adoption of digital assets.
OpenUp
Sector: Mental Health and Wellness
OpenUp offers direct access to certified psychologists for personal and work-related issues. Trusted by over 1500 companies in Europe, they provide various support formats including one-on-one sessions, group sessions, and self-guided care. OpenUp aims to enhance employee resilience and promote a healthy work-life balance through professional psychological guidance.
Anavo Therapeutics
Sector: Biopharmaceuticals
Anavo Therapeutics is a pioneering company in drugging phosphatases, a target class previously considered undruggable. Focusing on oncology, they are developing first-in-class therapeutic programs. Anavo has attracted leading experts in phosphatase biology and drug discovery, aiming to create a robust pipeline across multiple indications with the support of prominent investors.
Eye Security
Sector: Cybersecurity
Eye Security provides comprehensive cyber protection and insurance. Their services include 24/7 threat detection, incident response, financial loss coverage, and cyber intelligence training. They offer quick integration and expert protection, claiming an average of 300% ROI for their customers. Eye Security aims to provide peace of mind against digital threats with their all-in-one cybersecurity solutions.
Transferz
Sector: Global Ground Transportation
Transferz offers a B2B technology platform for booking global airport transfers. They operate in over 150 countries with a network of 1500 transfer companies. Transferz focuses on creating a sustainable and inclusive transportation network, including the largest female driver network globally. Their solutions cater to both travel brands and transfer companies, simplifying global ground transportation logistics.
Axelera AI
Sector: Artificial Intelligence / Edge Computing
The Metis AI Platform is focused on simplifying AI at the edge, particularly in accelerating computer vision applications. They offer hardware acceleration and easy-to-use software to enhance edge AI applications, reducing time-to-market. Metis AI is committed to democratizing artificial intelligence, making it accessible and efficient while minimizing power and cost.
Insify
Sector: Insurance for Freelancers and Entrepreneurs
Insify offers streamlined insurance solutions specifically for freelancers and entrepreneurs. Their services include various types of insurance like disability, business liability, and professional liability. The platform promises easy and quick online insurance processes, without advisory or closure costs, and provides daily cancellation flexibility.
QphoX
Sector: Quantum Technology
QphoX is pioneering the development of quantum modems, aiming to connect quantum computers across a quantum network. Their technology is based on converting quantum information between microwave and optical telecom frequencies using a mechanical intermediary resonator.
Timberhub
Sector: Timber Procurement and Distribution
Timberhub simplifies the process of buying and selling timber. They provide a platform for buyers to source timber effortlessly and for suppliers to increase volume and streamline operations. Timberhub operates across Europe, delivering timber to over 22 countries.
Hadrian
Sector: Cybersecurity
Hadrian offers an advanced end-to-end offensive security platform, focusing on external risk management. Their services include Continuous Asset Discovery, Automated Penetration Testing, and Vulnerability Management. The platform is designed to give security teams a hacker’s perspective on potential cyber threats.
Lapsi Health
Sector: Healthcare Technology
Lapsi Health is focused on revolutionizing medical sound and auscultation. Their mission for 2023 is to transform sound into digital biomarkers, leveraging it for screening, diagnosing, treating, and monitoring in healthcare. They aim to bring sound into the digital era, enhancing its application in the future of healthcare.
Orange Quantum Systems
Sector: Quantum Computing
Orange Quantum Systems delivers test equipment and solutions for the emerging quantum industry, specifically for developing quantum chips. They offer products that facilitate easy, affordable, and rapid testing of quantum chips based on solid-state qubits. Their focus is on automating the quantum chip testing process for both industry-scale quantum businesses and research purposes.
Leyden Labs
Sector: Biotechnology / Pharmaceutical
Leyden Labs specializes in developing nasal sprays containing antibodies to target respiratory viruses at the nasal mucosa, the entry point for many infections. Their products aim to prevent the initial infection and transmission of respiratory viruses, offering broad protection against existing and new viruses.
Roseman Labs
Sector: Data Privacy and Security
Roseman Labs is redefining data collaboration by enabling organizations to work together without revealing sensitive data. They use Secure Multi-Party Computation (MPC), a privacy technology that allows for decentralized analytics on encrypted data. Their products include a Virtual Data Lake and high-performance decentralized data analytics engines.
QuantWare
Sector: Quantum Computing
Based in Delft, Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands, QuantWare is a computer hardware company specializing in quantum computing. They focus on building world-class expertise in scaling up superconducting Quantum Processing Units (QPUs). QuantWare aims to provide the shortest road to practical quantum computation.
Dwarfs
Sector: E-commerce
Dwarfs is an e-commerce company with a mission to become Europe’s largest e-commerce company. Dwarfs specializes in acquiring and scaling e-commerce businesses, with a strategy centered on customer satisfaction and operational excellence. They have a variety of products and categories and provide insightful blogs and resources on their website.
Truvity
Sector: Software / Digital Identity
Truvity is a software company that offers a Self-Sovereign Identity toolkit, allowing businesses to build their own digital identity ecosystem. The company focuses on providing API and development tools to handle Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) interactions efficiently, such as for driving licenses and KYC profiles.
Closing Note
The Netherlands is a vibrant and prolific ground for innovation. All the 25 startups listed here are not only excelling in their respective fields but are also setting new benchmarks for technological progress.
These companies are not just making waves in their respective industries; they are setting new standards and paving the way for future advancements.
The future is bright for these startups, and their success stories will undoubtedly inspire a new generation of innovators and disruptors.
Read more about Tech Startups here.
