Where Dutch logistics startups are based and why Rotterdam and The Hague are leading the way

Of the 22 Dutch logistics and supply chain startups in the database, nearly half are based in the Rotterdam and The Hague region. That concentration is no coincidence: the Port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe and The Hague hosts a cluster of aviation, inspection and government-related activity that attracts startups with a specific focus.

Outside those two cities, the remaining companies are spread across Amsterdam, Delft, Eindhoven, Utrecht and a handful of smaller towns. The distribution reflects the broader Dutch logistics infrastructure, but the centre of gravity is clearly in the south-west of the Randstad.

Rotterdam as a breeding ground for maritime technology

Rotterdam attracts startups focused on shipping and port logistics. The port handles more than 460 million tonnes of goods annually and serves as the gateway for a large share of European imports and exports. For a startup looking to improve autonomous navigation or vessel routing, a presence in Rotterdam is not a symbolic choice but a practical one.

Captain AI is one example. Founded in 2018, the company develops AI-driven navigation software and collision-warning systems for vessels. Its collaboration with the Port of Rotterdam Authority goes into concrete detail: the port authority converted a former patrol vessel into a floating test platform on which Captain AI can validate its technology under real-world conditions. That kind of test environment is barely available elsewhere in the Netherlands.

That collaboration fits a broader pattern. Rotterdam is actively positioning itself as a centre for smart shipping, partly through the collaboration platform SMASH (Netherlands Forum for Smart Shipping) and research initiatives such as the Research Lab Autonomous Shipping at TU Delft, which is geographically close to the region. For startups, this lowers the barrier to scaling: potential customers, test infrastructure and knowledge institutions are all within reach of one another.

The Hague and the aviation inspection niche

The Hague has a different profile. The city is home to Mainblades, founded in 2013, which deploys inspection drones for visual checks of aircraft. According to the company, the drone approach is ten times faster than manual inspections. Mainblades has not raised external venture capital and, by its own account, operates on an estimated annual revenue of 3.5 million dollars with 39 employees, serving customers in Europe, Asia and the United States.

The Hague has traditionally had a concentration of government and defence-related organisations, which creates a market for companies working on inspection, safety and compliance. Mainblades targets airlines and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) companies, a sector that relies heavily on certification and standardised procedures. Proximity to policymakers and large institutional buyers is relevant in that context.

In the immediate vicinity of The Hague, Rocsys from Rijswijk also operates, building hands-free charging systems for electric vehicle fleets. The company raised 42.7 million euros in a Series A round, making it one of the better-funded companies in this segment. Plotwise in Delft works on AI-driven delivery optimisation. Delft benefits from its university and its proximity to both Rotterdam and The Hague.

Schiphol and the rest of the Netherlands

Outside the Rotterdam and The Hague region, startups are more spread out. BagsID is based in Schiphol-Rijk, right next to the airport, and supplies baggage-recognition algorithms to airports and airlines. Having raised 6.1 million euros in Seed funding in 2022, it is one of the better-funded early-stage companies in the sector. The location near Schiphol follows the same logic as Rotterdam: it is easiest to test and sell where the infrastructure already exists.

ViaEurope is based in Rozenburg, close to the Port of Rotterdam, and offers automated customs handling for cross-border e-commerce. The company was acquired by Swissport in November 2024, indicating that the market for this type of logistics services has matured enough for consolidation by large players.

Satelligence in Utrecht occupies a distinct position. The company uses satellite data to flag deforestation risks in supply chains for clients including Unilever, Rabobank and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Utrecht has no port or airport, but it does have universities and a concentration of financial and agri-related companies that are precisely the kind of buyers for this type of ESG data.

Merqato in Amsterdam focuses on demand forecasting in the fresh produce supply chain using AI, while Maps Untold in Eindhoven builds personalised city guides for hotel guests, a borderline case within the supply chain category. Dalco Robotics in Delft develops autonomous robots for logistical tasks in healthcare.

Infrastructure as a location factor

The pattern emerging from the distribution is that physical infrastructure carries significant weight in the location decisions of logistics startups. Companies looking to improve shipping gravitate to Rotterdam. Companies looking to automate aviation processes are based near Schiphol or in The Hague. Those working on road transport or urban distribution have more freedom of location and more often choose Amsterdam, Delft or Eindhoven.

That pattern has implications for how the ecosystem develops. In Rotterdam and The Hague, a density of specialised knowledge, networks and potential customers is forming that makes it attractive for new entrants to move in the same direction. For investors and policymakers looking to support this segment, the regional concentration provides a clear starting point: targeted support within those clusters acts as a multiplier for companies already there and for new startups looking to join them.