{"id":24289,"date":"2025-08-18T10:10:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T06:40:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/avalvisa.com\/blog\/successful-startups-netherlands\/"},"modified":"2026-08-29T07:12:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T03:42:34","slug":"successful-startups-netherlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/avalvisa.com\/en\/blog\/successful-startups-netherlands\/","title":{"rendered":"Successful Startups in the Netherlands: A Guide for Founders"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Netherlands is one of Europe’s centres for innovation and entrepreneurship<\/span>. Strong infrastructure, an excellent location and investors who are willing to back new businesses have made it a popular destination for founders. If you have a creative, commercially viable business idea<\/span> that could work in the stable Dutch economy, it is worth looking closely at the Dutch start-up visa<\/a>. This article covers how the programme works, which startups have succeeded in the Netherlands, and how Aval Visa can help with the visa and the move.<\/p>\n

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What are the conditions for the Dutch start-up visa?<\/h2>\n

Founders and directors with an innovative idea<\/strong> that they can turn into a viable business<\/strong> can consider moving to the Netherlands<\/a> on the start-up visa.<\/p>\n

The Dutch immigration service (IND)<\/a> is responsible for issuing the start-up residence permit and publishes the rules for this route each year.<\/div>\n

In outline, the programme involves the following steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Finding a facilitator<\/li>\n
  2. Presenting an innovative plan, product or service (business plan)<\/li>\n
  3. A step-by-step plan for turning the idea into a trading business<\/li>\n
  4. An active management role, shareholding or sponsorship on the part of the applicant<\/li>\n
  5. Registering the business with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK) and obtaining a KVK number<\/li>\n
  6. Assessment of the business plan by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)<\/li>\n
  7. Proof of funds to run the business<\/li>\n
  8. Booking a consulate appointment and applying for the Dutch start-up visa<\/li>\n
  9. Proof of funds to live and work in the Netherlands<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Recommended by Aval Visa: read our full guide to registering a company in the Netherlands<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    How the Dutch start-up visa process works<\/h2>\n

    Before we get to the successful startups in the Netherlands<\/strong>, here is how the process runs. Applicants who meet the conditions above and have found a facilitator can apply for the visa, and once in the country apply for their residence permit (the provisional residence permit, or MVV)<\/span>.<\/p>\n

    Assessment of the documents and issue of the Dutch start-up visa takes about three months, and once the visa is granted the applicant can live in the Netherlands for up to a year. With that in mind, here are the country’s most successful startups.<\/div>\n

    Successful startups in the Netherlands<\/h2>\n

    As one of Europe’s most active start-up economies, the Netherlands is home to innovative companies and inventive founders<\/strong>. Below are the businesses that have made the strongest impression, and the sectors they work in. The first is in the field everyone is watching: artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

    Weaviate, artificial intelligence<\/h3>\n

    Weaviate works in artificial intelligence<\/span>, specifically vector databases for AI models, semantic search and vector data storage. The company is based in Amsterdam and started trading in 2019.<\/p>\n

    Weaviate is now a highly active and successful business. It has raised more than 67 million USD in its Series B<\/strong> and has made a real mark on the Dutch economy, with a powerful API that makes it faster and simpler for companies to build AI applications.<\/p>\n

    Deliverect, smart order management for restaurants<\/h3>\n

    Another of the successful startups in the Netherlands is Deliverect, which works in food and order management<\/span>. The company started in 2018, has its head office in Ghent in Belgium, and has built a substantial business through its Dutch operation.<\/p>\n

    Deliverect has raised 240 million USD<\/strong> across its funding rounds and works with more than 43,000 restaurants in 40 countries. It is now one of the strongest and most successful companies in the sector, with high customer satisfaction.<\/p>\n

    Vico Therapeutics, protecting the brain with RNA technology<\/h3>\n

    Third is Vico Therapeutics, which works in biotechnology and RNA-based therapies<\/span>. Vico Therapeutics is one of the successful startups in the Netherlands, founded in 2019 and headquartered in Leiden.<\/p>\n

    The company has raised more than 90 million USD<\/strong> in its Series B, and concentrates on genetic neurological conditions such as spinocerebellar ataxia, rare neurological diseases and advanced drug therapies. Its promising results have made it one of the standout businesses in the Dutch economy.<\/p>\n

    Axelera AI, building Europe’s AI chips<\/h3>\n

    Axelera AI is another of the successful startups in the Netherlands, working on AI chip and hardware development<\/span>. It was founded in 2021.<\/p>\n

    Axelera is headquartered in the industrial city of Eindhoven and has raised more than 100 million USD<\/strong> in early-stage funding, along with grant support from the European Union. Its success rests on work such as:<\/p>\n