The Dutch tech ecosystem is among one of the most capital-efficient in Europe, according to a new analysis by startup intelligence bureau Dealroom.co. The ratio between ecosystem enterprise valuation and venture capital (VC) investments over the past decade is 14.9 times in favor of the former.
Dealroom.co’s analysis gives a snapshot of the investment trends in the past few years up until today. Data shows how Dutch startups secured $601 million in late-stage funding in the first half of 2024. This figure is 2.3 times higher than the same period last year, when companies raised $252 million. Furthermore, the amount raised this year is 73% of the total amount raised in 2022.
Investments by industry
The analysis also classifies funding by industry. The report shows that in 2023, fintech, food, and health investments together accounted for $1 billion, more than half of all VC investments for the year. Photonics, urban tech, and revenue management are some of the trending segments of 2024 so far.
Comparing industry investment with European figures, a larger share of funding goes to energy and fintech in the Netherlands than in Europe. Conversely, transportation and enterprise software startups receive a higher investment proportion in Europe than in the Netherlands.
Investments by province and capital source
Dealroom’s.co research also showcases where VC investments have risen the most since 2018. Over $10 billion has been invested in the North Holland province. North Brabant comes second with a total of $1.75 billion risen. Amsterdam is also the leading early-stage VC investment hub, as Utrecht, Rotterdam, and Groningen ecosystems are also seeing growth in this funding segment.
Most VC capital originates from domestic investors, who were behind 47% of the investments last year. BOM Brabant Ventures stands out as the most active investor, followed by Antler and Oost NL.