How 126 Dutch edtech startups are pushing the boundaries of their sector

The Dutch startup scene counts around 126 companies in 2026 that identify themselves wholly or partly as belonging to the education sector. Anyone working through that list will quickly notice that 'education' is a broad concept here: fraud detection at insurers, dynamic pricing software for retailers, and indoor positioning systems in buildings sit alongside tools built directly for learners or knowledge workers. This figure therefore calls for some caution: the category is wide and companies tag themselves on their own initiative.

Nevertheless, recognisable clusters and funding patterns do emerge. AI plays a central role in virtually every company on this list, and the amounts raised are notably high for a niche. That makes it worth taking a closer look at the sector.

Knowledge and information tools as the core of the sector

The most direct link to education lies with companies that help people process information and build knowledge. Recall, founded in 2021 in Amsterdam, builds a personal knowledge base that automatically summarises and interconnects online content. In 2025 the company raised a Series A round of 38 million euros, which is substantial for a consumer-facing knowledge tool.

Doxray, based in Neede, focuses on automated document processing and data extraction for European organisations. The company has been active since 2014 and closed a Nordic Bond and Series D Extension round of 85 million euros in early 2025. Organisations are increasingly looking to automate these kinds of processes, which explains the interest from growth funds.

Clember, founded in 2023 in Utrecht, handles cybersecurity analyses that previously took consultants weeks but can now be completed in minutes. The registered funding of 340 million euros is associated with an acquisition from 2017, suggesting that this figure relates to a parent company or earlier entity rather than to Clember itself. That makes comparison with other rounds difficult.

AI applications outside the classroom

A large share of the companies on the list have built technology primarily intended for other sectors, but which has knowledge transfer or training as a secondary application. FRISS, based in Utrecht and active since 2006, automates fraud detection for property and casualty insurers worldwide and closed a Series B of 59.4 million euros in 2024. SYMSON, based in Rotterdam, builds AI-driven pricing software for retailers and raised a Series B of nearly 60 million euros in 2022. Visualfabriq, based in Maarssen, provides revenue forecasting and trade optimisation for the consumer goods industry and is backed by private equity to the tune of 34.3 million euros.

These companies count themselves as part of the education sector, but their core product revolves around automation and decision support in commercial contexts. That complicates the sector picture. For outsiders looking specifically for edtech, it is useful to know that the category is defined this broadly.

Hardware, biotech and energy as peripheral areas

Alongside the software-driven companies, the mix also includes hardware firms. Crownstone, based in Rotterdam, develops battery-free indoor positioning and was founded in 2016 with a seed round of 120 million euros. Sensorfy, based in Eindhoven, builds IoT solutions for predictive maintenance in industry and raised a Series C of 45 million euros in 2019. Labelfuse, also from Eindhoven, creates no-code computer vision for CCTV, drones and satellite imagery and received a grant of 27.6 million euros in 2021.

On the biotech side, Cradle in Amsterdam accelerates protein design using machine learning and in-house wet lab research. The company raised a Series B of 100 million euros in 2024. Genzai, based in Venlo, combines AI implementation with venture capital for mid-sized companies and registered a funding round of 333 million euros in 2024, though further clarification on the nature of that round is absent.

Sympower, based in Amsterdam, which offers energy flexibility for businesses and grid balancing, closed a Series B of 74.5 million euros. The exact date of that round is not recorded in the available data.

Funding patterns and what they reveal

The funding amounts on this list vary considerably, from a grant of 27.6 million euros for Labelfuse to the notable 340 million euros at Clember and 333 million euros at Genzai. In both of the latter cases, the context of the round is unclear or tied to an earlier entity. For a clean comparison, those figures are less useful.

What does stand out is that several companies reached growth stages in 2024 and 2025. Recall closed a Series A, Doxray a Series D Extension, and both FRISS and Cradle a Series B. This points to a maturing of part of the portfolio, even if the segment as a whole is broad.

For investors specifically seeking edtech in the strict sense, Recall and Doxray are the most recognisable names. The rest of the list serves other markets and carries education as a supplementary tag rather than a primary domain.

For the broader Dutch AI scene, this list illustrates something that recurs frequently: sector classifications in startup databases reflect how founders position themselves, not always how buyers or investors describe their market. Policymakers looking to direct edtech investment, or founders seeking to position themselves in that segment, would benefit from a sharper definition of what the sector actually entails.