The Netherlands, renowned for its innovative prowess and entrepreneurial spirit, has become a fertile ground for smart technology startups. These emerging companies are not only redefining the boundaries of what’s possible with technology but are also addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time. In this article, we delve into the top 15 smart technology startups in the Netherlands.
Rotterdam is home to several innovative smart technology startups leveraging smart technologies such as IoT, AI, and data analytics to transform various sectors, including transportation, energy, and healthcare. From smart city initiatives that optimize urban infrastructure and services to smart charging for electric vehicles, these Rotterdam startups show commitment to technological advancement and innovation.
From enhancing healthcare with non-invasive diagnostics to transforming agricultural practices with precision technology, these startups are at the forefront of the smart tech revolution.
Let’s get started!
How We Ranked These Companies
In compiling our list of the top 15 smart technology startups in the Netherlands, we focused on companies specializing in the Internet of Things (IoT) and connected devices.
These areas are pivotal in the current technological landscape, driving innovations that enhance connectivity, efficiency, and automation across various sectors. To rank these promising companies, we turned to a cutting-edge tool known for its predictive capabilities in identifying high-potential startups: the Dealroom Signal.
Dealroom Signal is not just another scoring system that assesses a startup’s overall quality or performance. Instead, it’s a finely tuned algorithm designed to spotlight startups that are not only demonstrating strong traction but are also likely gearing up for a funding event or are ready to embark on a new funding round.
The algorithm incorporates over a dozen inputs, which can be grouped into four main categories:
- Growth Rate: This considers metrics like employee growth and product growth, providing insights into the company’s expansion and market acceptance.
- Completion Score and Contextual Data: This evaluates whether a company fits into specific segments of interest, ensuring relevance and alignment with current market trends.
- Founding Team Composition: The backgrounds of founding members are scrutinized, with particular attention paid to serial entrepreneurs, their previous work experiences, and educational backgrounds.
- Timing: This factor assesses the likelihood of a startup raising its next funding round soon, based on proprietary benchmarks of timing between funding rounds.
The Dealroom Signal score is the average of these inputs, offering a comprehensive view of a startup’s potential. Let us dive into the top 15 picks now.
Gradyent
Sector: Energy Management
Gradyent is revolutionizing the heating grid sector with its advanced Digital Twin technology. This real-time platform creates a digital replica of entire heating systems, enabling operators to optimize performance, integrate sustainable energy sources, and make informed decisions on future developments.
PHYSEE
Sector: Smart Building Solutions
PHYSEE introduced SENSE, the first nature-smart building management platform that connects buildings to the natural environment. SENSE enhances buildings with SmartSkin technology, allowing more natural light while monitoring solar irradiance to optimize indoor conditions. The platform provides a comprehensive overview of a building’s performance, enabling up to 30% energy savings and improving indoor comfort for occupants.
Envision
Sector: Assistive Technology
Envision empowers individuals who are blind or have low vision by translating visual information into spoken words. Their products include the Envision Glasses, which offer real-time text recognition among other features, and the Envision App, capable of describing surroundings, reading text, and recognizing objects.
ONWARD
Sector: Biomedical Technology
ONWARD is a pioneering company focused on developing therapies to restore movement, function, and independence in individuals with spinal cord injuries. Their flagship ARC Therapy™ utilizes targeted, programmed stimulation of the spinal cord to facilitate recovery. Their work is grounded in over a decade of rigorous scientific research and collaborative efforts with leading neuroscience institutions.
TrianecT
Sector: Medical Technology
TrianecT is revolutionizing stroke diagnosis with their innovative StrokePointer technology, designed to diagnose stroke in ambulances. By measuring electrical brain activity and automatically analyzing it, StrokePointer enables emergency medical services to triage stroke patients effectively, ensuring they are transported directly to the appropriate treatment facilities.
Innatera
Sector: Semiconductor Technology
Innatera is redefining the landscape of neuromorphic computing with its cutting-edge microprocessors inspired by brain-like intelligence. Originating from Delft University of Technology, Innatera’s mission is to imbue a billion sensors with intelligence by 2030, fostering a world where electronic devices seamlessly integrate into daily life. Their technology emphasizes energy efficiency and aims to make environments smarter, safer, and cleaner, backed by a commitment to address global challenges like climate change and safety.
OMRT
Sector: Real Estate Development and Design Technology
OMRT is revolutionizing real estate development by merging human expertise with advanced technology to enable fast, profitable, and sustainable design. Their vision is to restore balance in the built environment, focusing on the harmony between time, profitability, and sustainability.
Spaceti
Sector: Real Estate Technology
Spaceti offers a holistic space management platform that revolutionizes the workplace environment by integrating flexibility, sustainability, and efficiency. Catering to over 30 million square feet of workspace, Spaceti’s all-in-one platform enhances employee experiences by enabling easy booking of desks, meeting rooms, and parking spaces. It seamlessly integrates with existing building management systems, ensuring GDPR compliance and data security, making it a trusted choice for top enterprises like L’Oreal, Deloitte, and Vodafone.
Orbisk
Sector: Food Waste Management
Orbisk empowers professional kitchens to dramatically reduce food waste, potentially saving €55,000 annually. Through advanced image recognition, Orbisk identifies the type, quantity, and timing of food wastage, providing actionable insights via a user-friendly dashboard.
Samotics
Sector: Industrial Monitoring
Samotics specializes in condition monitoring and energy management for industrial machinery, offering solutions to prevent unexpected machine failures and reduce energy wastage. Trusted by industry giants like ABB and Schneider Electric, Samotics’ SAM4 platform uses advanced machine learning and electrical signature analysis for precise fault detection. The system is easily installed in motor control cabinets, offering real-time insights and predictive maintenance alerts, ensuring machines run optimally and sustainably.
VanMoof
Sector: Urban Mobility
Combining custom parts with cutting-edge technology, VanMoof bikes feature integrated theft defense systems and break the stereotypes of traditional e-bikes in aesthetics and performance. Built to last a lifetime, VanMoof bikes support a sustainable lifestyle and come with comprehensive support services, including Bike Doctors and Bike Hunters, ensuring a seamless and secure riding experience.
smartQare
Sector: Health Technology
smartQare introduces viQtor, a revolutionary 24-hour monitoring tool designed for continuous remote patient monitoring. This multisensor solution is ideal for healthcare professionals and individuals in vulnerable life stages, providing real-time data on activities, heart rate, oxygen saturation, fall detection, skin temperature, and location.
Nostics
Sector: Medical Diagnostics
Nostics is transforming healthcare with its rapid, lab-comparable diagnostic solutions that enable quality care through swift pathogen identification. Their technology, based on Raman spectroscopy, nanotechnology, and AI, delivers results in under 15 minutes without requiring lab skills, making it an ideal tool for point-of-care diagnostics. By enabling accurate treatment decisions during the first consultation, Nostics is addressing the critical challenge of empirical antibiotic prescriptions and contributing to the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
FieldBee
Sector: Agricultural Technology
FieldBee by eFarmer B.V. offers innovative tractor navigation systems, including autosteer and manual guidance solutions, tailored to modern farmers’ needs. With a focus on precision, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness, FieldBee products enhance farming efficiency by minimizing overlaps, reducing input costs, and supporting sustainable farming practices.
BAQME
Sector: Transportation
BAQME offers a convenient and sustainable transportation solution with its app-based electric cargo bike rental service. Available in key cities like The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and more, BAQME makes it easy, safe, and fun to use e-bikes for various needs. Users can rent bikes on a per-minute basis or through promotional passes, enjoying pedal-assisted cycling and the ability to pause and park within designated city zones.
Closing Note
The Dutch startup ecosystem is a testament to the country’s commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. The startups highlighted in this list exemplify the inventive spirit and technological prowess that the Netherlands brings to the global stage.
As these companies continue to grow and evolve, they are not only contributing to the Netherlands’ reputation as a tech hub but are also providing solutions that have the potential to impact lives and industries worldwide.
Read our Top 25 for Tech Companies in the Netherlands here.
