The Netherlands has moved from fifth to third position for best startup ecosystems in Europe as shown in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2020 by Startup Genome. The Amsterdam-Delta takes a higher position each year and is now in 12th position in the global ranking. Startup Genome finds the Agtech, Food & Life Sciences performance particularly impressive.

Each year Startup Genome publishes their global startup ecosystem report, for which they analyze well over 1 million companies in 300 tech ecosystems. The index is based on figures from 2019, the effect of the corona pandemic on startups worldwide and in the Netherlands is not included.

Impressive AgTech, Food & Life Sciences performance

The Dutch startup ecosystem is celebrated for its high degree of social and logistical connection with the rest of the world, the increasingly mature investment climate and the extent to which Dutch startups tap into markets worldwide. Startup Genome is particularly impressed by the strong Dutch performance in AgTech & New Food and Life Sciences. Examples include Picnic, the online grocery platform that raised an investment of $ 275 million in 2019.

Ecosystem Challenges

No startup ecosystem is perfect. In comparison to other EU ecosystems the number and size of Series A+ funding remains a challenge in the Netherlands, as wells as the impact of publications and research and the volume of patents in the ecosystem. Stockholm, the number two on the European list, shows better performance in number of successful exits. And London -currently- the number one startup ecosystem in Europe, scores better on VC activity and overall performance.

StartLife remains strongly committed to help move forward the Dutch startup ecosystem, most notably for Food, AgTech and Life Sciences startups.  Hence, we already look forward to the ranking of the best startup ecosystems in Europe, and worldwide, next year.