Deeper analysis on founders, capital and technology in the Dutch ecosystem.
Securely, an Eindhoven cybersecurity company founded in 2019, is building an AI platform that protects web applications against attacks and continuously monitors whether organisations comply with regulations such as NEN 7510 and NIS2.
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Pacmed develops AI software that helps ICU physicians make decisions about discharge timing and capacity planning. The Amsterdam-based company works with hospitals including OLVG, Maasstad and Catharina Ziekenhuis.
More than fifty Dutch startups are working on solutions for mobility and transport, from smart charging and baggage recognition to autonomous robots and weather data. Their approaches differ, but the underlying questions are often the same.
Hihaho, a SaaS platform based in Assen, enables organisations to transform existing videos into interactive learning and sales experiences. The company has been active since 2012, employs 23 people and has generated 20 million views on interactive videos to date.
Sixty-six Dutch startups have a mission in money and finance, spread across a wide range of sectors. They operate in fintech, healthcare, energy and real estate, and share a common approach: automating financial processes with AI.
Amsterdam-based Monumental is developing robots that build façades and structures on active construction sites, with less human labour. The company raised a €25 million Series A round in 2024.
More than 170 Dutch startups have a mission touching on education and learning, yet most operate outside the traditional education system. From fraud detection to protein design: knowledge transfer is woven into products for healthcare, industry and finance.
Nijmegen-based Screenpoint Medical develops AI software that supports radiologists in reading mammograms. Its product Transpara is now in use in more than 30 countries and has processed over 12 million mammograms.
More than eighty Dutch startups are focused on security and privacy, ranging from privacy-safe facial recognition to autonomous security drones. An overview of what they are building and what connects them.
I See U Baby Care is developing an AI-based camera system that objectively and non-invasively measures the sleep patterns of premature babies in the neonatal ward. The Utrecht-based company, founded in 2024 by Chanel Sam, grew out of scientific research at UMC Utrecht.
Eindhoven-based Labelfuse is building a platform that allows policy staff and other non-technical users to independently deploy image recognition on CCTV, drone and satellite feeds, without writing any code. The company was founded in 2019 and received a grant of €27.6 million in 2021.
Eighty-three Dutch startups are focusing on climate and energy transition in 2026, ranging from AI software for energy trading to satellite monitoring of power grids. They share an orientation towards data and automation, but operate across widely varying sectors.
Delft-based QuantWare manufactures quantum processors that other companies integrate into their quantum computers. The company, which emerged from research institute QuTech, raised an extended Series A round of €27 million in early 2025.
More than 150 Dutch startups are focused on health and care, ranging from AI assistants for clinicians to camera systems for premature babies. Three themes recur consistently: data from clinical practice, early detection, and the acceleration of scientific research.
Rotterdam-based Gradyent creates a real-time digital twin of heat networks and uses it to help energy companies operate more efficiently and with lower CO2 intensity. The company is active in more than 35 European cities and raised a €28 million Series B in early 2025.
More than three dozen Dutch startups are targeting governments and the public sector, from AI-powered drones for defence to personalised learning for schoolchildren. What connects them, and what their approach reveals about the shifting relationship between tech and public procurement.
BOTS Capital, based in Haarlem, gives retail investors access to algorithmic trading strategies through its own app. Founded in 2017 and backed by €30 million in funding, the company focuses on consistent returns at low costs.
Of the 22 Dutch logistics and supply chain startups in the database, the largest concentration is in the Rotterdam and The Hague region. The presence of Europe's largest port and a cluster of aviation- and defence-related activity explain why that region in particular attracts them.
Betty Blocks, based in Alkmaar, offers a low-code platform that allows organisations to build their own applications while retaining full ownership of the source code. The company targets enterprise clients seeking speed without dependency on a single vendor.
Culios, based in Ermelo, develops specialised search engines and recommendation systems for online supermarkets. The company, founded in 2008, closed a funding round of €32.2 million in early 2025.
Of the 34 Dutch media and entertainment startups in the DutchStartup database, 21 are based in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. A look at the regional distribution reveals how talent, media history and ecosystem converge in a single region.
Of the twenty Dutch mobility startups in the database, nearly half are based in the Rotterdam-The Hague region. Port infrastructure, aviation and active government policy explain why that cluster is so large.
Amsterdam-based Harver is building a pre-employment assessment platform that helps large organisations select candidates on the basis of data and scientifically validated tests, rather than on work experience alone. The company, founded in 2015, has raised over €32 million to date.
Visualfabriq, based in Maarssen, builds SaaS software for revenue forecasting and promotion management, specifically for consumer goods manufacturers. The company was founded in 2013 after its founders were unable to find usable tools for Revenue Growth Management.
The Dutch hardware and IoT sector counts at least 35 active startups in 2026, with strong clusters in chip design, industrial sensing and autonomous robotics. This overview discusses the frontrunners, funding patterns and the challenges that distinguish building physical products from software development.
LUGN Security, based in Heerlen, combines sensors, autonomous drones and a centrally AI-driven control system to secure large sites and infrastructure. The company, founded in 2021, raised €36.8 million in a Series B round and operates from the Brightlands Smart Services Campus.
The Dutch energy sector counts at least 36 startups active at the intersection of renewable energy and AI in 2026. The sector raised tens of millions over the past year, but scaling challenges and grid congestion continue to weigh on growth.
Enschede-based company 20face develops biometric access systems in which users register themselves without a photo being stored. The company operates across offices, logistics, healthcare and leisure sectors, and raised a Series D round of €36.8 million in 2022.
Amsterdam-based Recall helps users automatically summarise and connect articles, videos, podcasts and PDFs in a self-organising knowledge base. The company closed a Series A round of €38 million in early 2025.
In 2026, the Netherlands is home to at least 36 startups active in sustainability and climate, with a strong focus on energy management, grid congestion and AI-driven data. The sector is attracting serious capital, but faces structural challenges around grid capacity and market maturity.
Amsterdam-based Duna is building an AI platform that automates business onboarding and compliance checks. The company, founded in 2023, raised a €40 million Series A round and ultimately aims to establish a network of shareable corporate identities.
The Dutch legal and regtech sector counted more than a hundred companies at the start of 2026, of which 34 have raised a combined $191 million. AI-driven compliance automation dominates, driven by the EU AI Act and a broader package of European regulation.
Weather Solutions NL B.V., based in The Hague, provides accurate, tailored weather forecasts to energy companies, road authorities, airports and agricultural businesses. The company was founded in 2017 by veterans of the private weather sector and raised over €42 million in a Series B round in 2022.
In 2026, the Netherlands counts at least 39 active startups in agri & food, ranging from greenhouse software to soil monitoring and food waste reduction. An analysis of the frontrunners, capital flows and the challenges facing the sector.
Rijswijk-based Rocsys develops autonomous charging systems for electric vehicles and heavy machinery, so fleet operators no longer depend on manual plug-in connections. The company has raised over €42 million to date and targets sectors such as port logistics, warehouses and robotaxis.
Dutch AI startups working on the energy transition and climate face an inherent tension: their models themselves consume energy. How do they measure and limit that footprint?
TheyDo, an Amsterdam-based AI platform founded in 2019, helps large organisations centralise their customer journeys so that teams make faster, better-aligned decisions. The company has raised €42.9 million to date.
Sensorfy, based at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, builds custom IoT systems that enable industrial companies to remotely monitor equipment and detect faults at an early stage. The company, which grew out of Meuleman Electronics, combines proprietary hardware, an IoT platform and machine learning in a single approach.
Dynamic pricing based on AI is no longer the exclusive domain of airlines or hotel chains. Dutch startups are building software that helps retailers and wholesalers improve their margins through real-time price adjustments.
Amsterdam-based Castor EDC develops software that enables researchers to set up, manage and adapt clinical studies from a single system. The Amsterdam company, founded in 2012, raised a Series B round of €45 million in 2021.
A cluster of Dutch startups is developing AI software for X-ray, MRI, pathology and mammography. The path to CE marking and integration into hospital workflows proves at least as decisive as the technology itself.
Utrecht-based StellaSpark builds digital twins of the physical living environment. Through its platform Nexus, government bodies, water companies and grid operators connect real-time data sources to spatial analyses for maintenance, monitoring and policy support.
A growing number of AI applications run on a memory infrastructure layer that determines how quickly and accurately a model retrieves relevant information. Amsterdam-based startup Weaviate is building that infrastructure and illustrates the product decisions involved.
Amsterdam-based Source.ag builds software that enables greenhouse growers to use real-time data to improve crop yields and manage their operations. The company has raised €54.5 million to date, including a Series B round in early 2025.
Twente, Arnhem/Nijmegen and Groningen are each building their own AI startup ecosystem, with sector specialisations rooted in the knowledge institutions and industry present in each region. This article compares what the three regions have to offer and where they fall short compared with Amsterdam and Eindhoven.
Utrecht-based FRISS has spent nearly two decades building software that enables property and casualty insurers to automatically identify fraud and risks during policy applications, renewals and claims. The company raised a Series B round of €59.4 million in 2024.
Dutch agri-AI startups such as Source.ag, Blue Radix and Agurotech are developing advanced applications for horticulture and arable farming, but are running into persistent adoption barriers. Which approaches work, and why does technology without grower trust end up sitting on the shelf?
Rotterdam-based SYMSON develops AI-driven pricing software for mid-market retailers, manufacturers and distributors. The company, which emerged from Erasmus University Rotterdam, raised a Series B round of nearly €60 million in 2022.
Eindhoven-based Axelera AI develops specialised chips and accompanying software for AI inference at the edge, with a focus on computer vision applications such as video analysis and quality inspection. The company, founded in 2021, has raised more than 61 million euros to date.
A growing group of Dutch startups is using machine learning and AI as the core technology in their security solutions, ranging from fraud detection at banks and insurers to monitoring critical infrastructure. Together they have raised hundreds of millions of euros and serve customers worldwide.
Toloka, based in Amsterdam and founded in 2014, combines human experts with technology to deliver high-quality training and evaluation data to companies developing large language models and AI agents. In early 2025, the company closed a Series B round of €64 million.
How are Dutch HR and talent-AI startups handling algorithmic bias, transparency towards job applicants, and the requirements of the EU AI Act? A comparison shows that companies such as Textkernel, Harver and Equalture are making markedly different choices.
Amsterdam-based Overstory combines AI with satellite and aerial imagery to help energy companies map and manage vegetation risks along high-voltage lines. The company was founded in 2018 and has raised more than €67 million to date.
Dutch startups at the intersection of robotics and machine learning are shortening the time robots need to learn new tasks through simulation, synthetic data and deep learning. This has implications for how quickly companies can automate and what role human employees retain in that process.
Amsterdam-based Silverflow is modernising outdated payments infrastructure with a cloud-native platform that connects acquirers and merchants directly to card networks via a single API. The company has raised more than €70 million to date.
Amsterdam-based Sympower connects companies with flexible energy use to national grid system operators that need that flexibility to keep supply and demand in balance. The company has raised €74.5 million to date and operates in multiple European markets.
From CV parsing to AI dubbing and customer service chatbots: a group of Dutch startups is building language and speech technology as their core product. Their business models, target markets and technology choices vary widely.
Amsterdam-based TestGorilla offers companies a platform to screen job applicants on the basis of scientifically validated skills tests, rather than CVs. The company raised over €81 million in 2022 and has a test library of more than 350 assessments.
A head of lettuce travels a long road before it reaches the consumer, and food is lost at every link in the chain. Dutch startups are deploying sensors and AI to measure and reduce waste across the supply chain, from greenhouse to professional kitchen.
Medal.tv, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Naarden, builds software that lets PC gamers record, edit and share gameplay highlights with the press of a button. The company has raised over €82 million and aims to make clipping accessible to a broad audience, well beyond the circle of dedicated streamers.
A group of Dutch startups is building AI software for grid operators, energy producers and industrial consumers, focused on balancing, forecasting and flexibility. Together they raised tens of millions of euros in 2025.
Amsterdam-based Kaiko is developing kaiko.w, an AI assistant for oncology teams that works with clinical text, medical imaging and genomic data. Since 2021, the Netherlands Cancer Institute has been using the system in daily practice.
A group of Dutch startups is deploying AI and smart sensors to reduce the workload on GPs, nurses and informal carers. For many of these companies, the path to reimbursement and certification remains a lengthy process.
Doxray, an AI company from Neede in the Gelderland province, offers a platform that enables organisations to automatically classify, extract and validate data from documents. The company focuses on heavily regulated European sectors such as legal, real estate and healthcare insurance.
Framer is an Amsterdam-based platform that enables designers and marketers to build and publish professional websites without writing code. The company closed a Series D round in early 2025, bringing its total funding to €85.6 million.
The EU AI Act is compelling companies to adopt transparency, logging and human oversight of AI models in production. Dutch startups in MLOps and AI governance increasingly see compliance as a differentiating factor.
Chatbots.expert, based in Tilburg, helps companies across the Benelux build and implement chatbots for customer service, covering everything from strategy to technical delivery. The agency, founded in 2017 by Ries Deijkers and Petr Chmelař, focuses on the entire lifecycle of a chatbot project.
A handful of Dutch deeptech startups, concentrated around Eindhoven, are developing their own chips for AI inference and smart sensors. They focus on energy efficiency and edge applications, a segment where major manufacturers such as AMD and Intel are less dominant.
Podego B.V., based in Utrecht, develops AI-driven audio guides for museums and heritage institutions, converting curatorial material into layered audio content in more than thirty languages. The company was founded in 2024 by Yvan Putra Satyawan and Danna Mulya.
A growing number of Dutch AI startups are targeting government clients, from digital twins for municipalities to privacy technology for security services. Procurement procedures and GDPR compliance are structural obstacles that shape how these companies bring their products to market.
Amsterdam-based Cradle combines machine learning with wet-lab research to accelerate the development of proteins for medicines and industrial applications. The company raised a Series B round of one hundred million euros in 2024.
Several Dutch startups are building AI systems that adjust themselves based on feedback and measurement data, from dynamic pricing models to early detection of industrial failures. A comparison shows how reinforcement learning and self-correction translate into concrete products.
CuspAI, founded in 2024 and operating from Amsterdam and Cambridge, uses generative AI to design new materials that can be discovered up to ten times faster than through traditional methods. The company has raised $130 million to date and works with partners including ASML, Meta and Hyundai.
Rotterdam-based Crownstone is building an indoor positioning system using Bluetooth modules mounted behind power outlets that draw power from the electrical grid. The system localises people and objects at room level and targets applications in healthcare, safety and building management.
The Dutch healthcare and health sector counts 78 active startups in 2026, a large share of which deploy AI for diagnostics, hospital logistics and home care. Funding is concentrated among a handful of players; broad adoption and regulation remain the principal bottlenecks.
Planck Network, based in Amsterdam, is building a decentralised GPU network on which developers can train and deploy AI models without depending on centralised cloud providers. The company, founded in 2023, raised €200 million in a Series B round in early 2025.
The Dutch robotics sector counts at least 46 active startups in 2026, spread across sectors including logistics, construction, security and retail. Rising investment and a persistent labour shortage are accelerating demand for automated systems.
Sybotanica B.V. from Arnhem sells specialised potting soil mixes and care products for houseplant enthusiasts across Europe. The company, founded in 2020 by Sybren Bies, focuses on plant species that thrive in loose, porous soil rather than standard universal potting compost.
Dutch deeptech startups raised hundreds of millions of euros in 2025 and early 2026, with large rounds in AI chips, defence technology and materials science. This overview maps the frontrunners, notable trends and structural challenges.
Textkernel, founded in Amsterdam in 2001, builds software that enables recruitment professionals to process CVs, match candidates and analyse labour market data. The company has been part of US-based Bullhorn since early 2024 and continues to operate from Amsterdam as an independent unit.
The Dutch startup scene counts around 126 companies with an education component in 2026, but the sector is more diffuse than the label suggests. An overview of the most notable players, funding rounds, and the trends shaping the field.
Genzai B.V. from Venlo helps mid-sized companies implement AI and invests in technology companies through its own venture arm. The company operates through a dual structure: a consulting division and Genzai Ventures.
General Intuition, which emerged from Dutch video platform Medal in 2025, trains AI agents on two billion gameplay clips per year to develop spatial and temporal reasoning. The Amsterdam-based deeptech company raised €114 million in a seed round.
With 67 startups in the DutchStartup database, Region Utrecht displays a varied ecosystem with strong clusters in AI, healthtech and sustainability. From fraud detection to sleep monitoring in premature babies: the region is building applications with clear sector specialisation.
Clember, a Utrecht-based AI platform founded by two experienced security consultants, automates the manual and repetitive side of cybersecurity consulting. The platform connects uploaded client documents and existing security tools to compliance frameworks such as NIS2, ISO and GDPR to generate immediate insights.
Rotterdam, The Hague, Delft, Rijswijk and Leiden together count 93 startups and scale-ups in the DutchStartup database. The region is emerging as a cluster for industrial AI, energy technology and deeptech, underpinned by the port, government and universities.
THE REAL MAG. from Roermond develops custom 3D visualisations and AI applications that enable companies to present products, buildings and activities digitally. The agency focuses on improving sales and reducing costs through digital innovation.
The Amsterdam Metropolitan Area has more than 186 startups in the DutchStartup database in 2026, spread across sectors ranging from fintech to deeptech. AI is no longer a separate category here, but woven into healthcare, energy, HR and materials research.
Destinus, based in Katwijk, is developing AI-driven drones and turbojet technology for the defence and energy sectors. The company raised a Series A round of €400 million in early 2025.
Around Eindhoven, a cluster of startups is growing that combines AI with hardware, robotics, energy and life sciences. A look at forty companies from the DutchStartup database reveals which sectors dominate and where capital is flowing.
Baseboard Pro, based in Hellendoorn, develops software that enables machine builders to digitally capture assembly processes and centrally manage work instructions, quality checks and bills of materials. The platform targets SME manufacturers engaged in complex, low-volume production.
Amsterdam-based Weaviate builds an open-source vector database that allows developers to search data by semantic meaning rather than keywords. The company closed a Series B round of over €45 million in 2024.
Of the 21 Dutch fintech startups featured in this overview, the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area is by far the most strongly represented. Historical financial infrastructure, international talent pools and innovation-friendly regulation explain why so many companies settle there in particular.
Around the Port of Rotterdam and the mainport infrastructure of the Randstad, a notable number of AI startups in logistics and mobility are clustering. The presence of major shippers, port operators and logistics service providers is proving to be a concrete draw for young technology companies.
Finnish venture builder Reaktor Ecosystem is opening its first international hub in Amsterdam, where it is looking for experienced founders to co-build AI and tech consultancies.
Data Expo and Dutch Startup AI are joining forces to better connect AI startups with organisations that apply data and AI in practice.
Duna wants to use AI to build a digital passport for businesses. With €40 million in funding and Alphabet on board, two Stripe veterans are reinventing compliance from Amsterdam.
Techleap and a group of founders are building the National AI Hub in Amsterdam, the central gathering place for the Dutch AI ecosystem. Opening is planned for mid-summer 2026.
The Hague-based AI startup GreenAnt started out growing ants to replace pesticides, but ultimately built a radar platform that predicts floods for vulnerable farmers in Southeast Asia.
Thirty hours scrolling through camera footage for a single incident: a frustrating reality in healthcare. That story became the foundation for Oddity.ai's AI-driven solution.
Dutch healthcare is buckling under administrative pressure, with nearly half of all staff spending a quarter of their time on paperwork. One doctor is tackling this challenge by building AI himself, and is looking for the boldness needed to transform the system.
Robert Keus had a problem: nobody could tell him how much energy AI solutions consume. This insight is essential for sustainable innovation in the AI world.
A restaurant manager films the stock room and 24 hours later receives an alert about abnormal tomato consumption. This is how Peckish, an Amsterdam-based startup, uses AI to stop revenue leakage in the hospitality sector.
Distinguishing a chair may seem trivial, but for years it was a major challenge for computers. Discover how this fundamental AI breakthrough is leading to unprecedented accuracy in care monitoring.
A silent customer is not always a satisfied customer, especially not in the dynamic world of SaaS. Discover how silence can be a precursor to churn and how AI solutions are breaking this pattern.
While data centres fight for grid connections and AI drives up energy consumption, Axelera AI is tackling the problem at its root. The company develops chips that run AI locally, efficiently, and without the cloud.
The Netherlands is the world's second-largest agricultural exporter, yet still struggles with the age-old problem of weeds. Organic farmers are often still on their knees, but Odd.Bot's AI robotics offer a scalable solution.
While AI flooded office work, field sales remained largely analogue. Dashmote sees an opportunity here and raised €5.4 million to digitise this overlooked market.
One in five patients develops an infection after surgery, resulting in high costs and serious risks. Find out how Healthplus.ai is tackling this data problem with preventive AI.
Funding for capital-intensive deeptech frequently lags behind, but Destinus is breaking that pattern with €50 million in credit. This is not just about speed, it is primarily about the AI that makes safety manageable.
Will we become a player or a prisoner in the global AI landscape? AIC4NL frames an existential question and attaches a €5 billion price tag to it.
Failure is penalised in the Netherlands, while in Silicon Valley it is celebrated as proof of ambition. That culture makes the difference between incremental improvements and breakthroughs that change the world.
DutchStartup.ai launches today as the central platform bringing together the Dutch AI sector. The initiative aims to significantly improve the visibility of local AI companies for investors and talent.
Peter Wennink's report is an uncomfortable confrontation: despite the country's talent, the Netherlands risks falling structurally behind without immediate and large-scale investment in AI.
The Dutch government has released the brakes on Generative AI: in the space of one year, the number of GenAI applications grew from 8 to 81. This is no longer an experiment, it is a rapid transformation.
Nijmegen-born Pim de Witte turned down OpenAI's half-billion-dollar offer for his gaming platform. Now, with $134 million in funding, he is building an AI lab that bets on video rather than text.
ROMs and Invest-NL have unveiled the 96 AI-native startups that form the backbone of the Dutch AI economy. A joint 'Deep Dive' analysis lays bare where the Netherlands stands in the global AI race.
Invest-NL presents an ambitious AI plan: not focused on large-scale language models, but on critical niches where AI and the physical world converge.
The National AI Deltaplan is the much-needed foundation for a digital mainport. But you cannot build a house on a foundation alone. Startups argue that much still needs to be done on the fronts of funding and space.
The Netherlands invests in foundations (AI Factory, ICAI). France provides direct support (Mistral AI). Which approach leads to success for your AI startup or scale-up? Discover how to navigate these different landscapes.
ASML invested €1.3 billion in French AI developer Mistral AI. A strategic partnership linking two European tech giants at a time of global AI competition. What are the implications?
Jelle Prins, builder of the very first Uber app, is now using AI in his startup Cradle to redesign proteins ("Photoshop for molecules"). With $73M in funding he aims to cure diseases, but no Dutch capital is involved.
Amsterdam is a surprisingly powerful hub for AI investment. This is the first signal of a much larger potential: the opportunity to elevate our digital infrastructure to become the Netherlands' new mainport and the engine of the European AI economy.
The Netherlands secures its largest AI investment to date: €200 million for an AI Factory in Groningen. This European hub will offer startups and scale-ups free access to high-end computing power.
After the AI hype, we are seeing who is truly building value. Domain experts are solving concrete problems in energy and agriculture. A focus on specialist knowledge: the Dutch AI success story.
Sweden has produced 41 unicorns through reinvestment (Klarna, Spotify). The Netherlands stands at 15. Our analysis examines why Dutch tech successes do not reinvest their profits, and what that costs.
The Dutch AI ecosystem: strong AI talent, unique hubs, but struggling with scaling, funding and talent retention. Can it realise its potential?
