Startups in Amsterdam: ecosystem, companies and strengths
A mature, international tech hub specialised in fintech and climate tech.
Why Amsterdam matters in the European startup ecosystem
Amsterdam is one of Europe's most dynamic ecosystems, known for its economic stability and the presence of global tech giants. With over 4,000 startups, the city excels in fintech and SaaS, supported by an innovation-friendly culture and a strategic European location.
Why it works
- Credible local capital
- Deep internationalisation
- Global-scale role models
Historical growth
Over the past decade, Amsterdam evolved from a national hub into a European platform for fintech and software. The ecosystem is now highly mature, with significant exits and deep integration with international capital and markets.
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AirHub
European mission-critical drone software startup developing orchestration and mission management platforms for
Backbase
Dutch digital banking engagement platform enabling banks and financial institutions to build and deploy custom
Groove Quantum
Groove Quantum develops germanium spin-qubit processors for industrially scalable quantum computing
Guzco
The AI that automates payment disputes, chargebacks and friendly fraud for e-commerce merchants.
Intelic
Dutch defence tech company developing command-and-control software to make drones and unmanned systems from di
Monumental
Monumental automates construction by operating robot fleets directly on building sites.
OpenUp
Data platform aggregating government, regulatory, and business data to enable transparency and informed decisi
RIFT
Iron fuel for industrial heat: iron powder burns to generate heat without CO2 emissions, in a closed cycle.
Rocsys
Rocsys builds hands-free charging systems for electric and autonomous vehicles, including multi-bay solutions
Strengths of Amsterdam
- European hub for payments and software
- International talent pool and English-speaking market
- Excellent access to Benelux, DACH and UK
- Seed and Series A are very solid. Growth capital is available but increasingly selective compared to the 2021–2022 cycle.
- Finance, logistics, travel and international HQs generate strong local demand. The market is particularly favourable for fintech and B2B SaaS.
Weaknesses and limitations
- High housing costs and labour expenses
- Limited domestic market
- Strong competition for senior talent
Key startups in Amsterdam
Unicorns
Notable scaleups
Adyen
Adyen is a European enterprise software company with a public unicorn valuation.
AirHub
European mission-critical drone software startup developing orchestration and mission management platforms for security, defense, and emergency response operations.
Airtel Mobile Commerce BV
Airtel Mobile Commerce BV manages Airtel Africa’s mobile money platform. Its wallet and payments services reach tens of millions of customers across 14 African markets. After raising $300 M from TPG’s Rise Fund and Mastercard in 2021 at a $2.65 B valuation, the business is preparing for a listing that could exceed $4 billion, with FY2025 annualised transaction value of $145 billion and EBITDA margins above 50%.
Backbase
Dutch digital banking engagement platform enabling banks and financial institutions to build and deploy customer-centric digital experiences at scale.
Bitfury Group
Bitfury Group is a unicorn-scale company with an indicative valuation of $1B. It operates in blockchain infrastructure by building blockchain infrastructure and bitcoin mining technology company.
Bynder
Bynder is a SaaS platform founded in 2013 in Amsterdam that lets companies centrally organize and manage digital assets (photos, videos, documents). Used by over 4,000 global brands (Spotify, Puma and others), it has raised over €100 million across several funding rounds. The platform helps marketing teams streamline the creation and distribution of digital content.
Catawiki
Catawiki is an online auction platform founded in 2008 in the Netherlands, specialized in collectibles and valuable items. Based in Amsterdam, it runs weekly auctions curated by experts in categories such as comics, coins, watches, art and classic cars. It has raised about €75M in funding and serves collectors worldwide.
Creative Fabrica
Creative Fabrica is a digital marketplace founded in 2016 in Amsterdam that offers creative resources such as fonts, vector graphics and DIY templates for designers and hobbyists. Subscription-based, the site features thousands of resources curated by independent artists. It has raised about €7M (Series B in 2021) and serves creatives worldwide.
DELFT CIRCUITS B.V.
Superconductor cables that replace traditional copper cabling with efficient, high-capacity solutions.
DataSnipper
DataSnipper provides an AI platform for audit and accounting professionals, automating manual tasks in the accounting review process. Founded in 2017, it serves over 400,000 auditors in 125 countries and raised €100M in a Series B round in 2024 at a €1 billion valuation. The platform drastically reduces repetitive checks and increases efficiency.
Framer
Framer is a unicorn-scale company with an indicative valuation of $2B. It operates in website builder by building no-code website builder and design-to-publish platform.
Groove Quantum
Groove Quantum develops germanium spin-qubit processors for industrially scalable quantum computing.
Guzco
Guzco automates payment dispute management, chargebacks, Klarna and PayPal contestations and friendly fraud for e-commerce merchants. It raised €1M in a pre-seed round from Arches Capital.
Hotmart
Hotmart is a unicorn-scale company with an indicative valuation of $1B. It operates in headless commerce by building creator-commerce platform for digital products.
Intelic
Intelic builds NEXUS, a software platform for coordinating heterogeneous unmanned systems in military missions.
MessageBird
Amsterdam-based omnichannel cloud communication platform integrating SMS, email, WhatsApp and more to streamline customer messaging for enterprises.
Miro
Collaborative visual workspace for teams: 50M+ monthly users, $17.5B valuation, powering design and innovation across Fortune 500 companies.
Mollie
Dutch payment platform simplifying online payment acceptance for 250,000+ businesses across Europe with support for local payment methods.
Monumental
A Dutch startup combining electric robots and software to build masonry structures.
NewAmsterdam Pharma
Biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative therapies for hypercholesterolemia and cardiometabolic diseases with breakthrough clinical results.
Nopan
A fintech platform that improves conversion, reliability and costs of card-free payment methods.
Onodrim Industries
Dutch startup founded in 2022. Develops technology for autonomous systems in industrial and defence applications. €40M seed in 2026.
OpenUp
Data platform aggregating government, regulatory, and business data to enable transparency and informed decision-making.
OrangeQS
Quality assurance platform providing continuous testing for software teams.
QDI systems
We develop and produce quantum dot materials and image sensors for the domains of X-rays and short-wave infrared (SWIR).
RIFT
Dutch startup developing a circular energy system based on burning iron powder to generate high-temperature industrial heat without emissions. €113.8M Series B in 2026.
Rocsys
Rocsys builds hands-free charging systems for electric and autonomous vehicles, including multi-bay solutions for robotaxi fleets.
ScreenPoint Medical
AI diagnostic imaging platform for breast cancer screening.
Silverflow
Cloud-native payment processing platform enabling banks and payment processors with modern infrastructure, granular transaction data, and full control over routing logic.
StuDocu
StuDocu is an edtech platform founded in 2013 in Amsterdam that lets students upload and share lecture notes, summaries and study guides. With millions of active users worldwide, it offers resources to prepare for exams across many disciplines. It has raised funding from investors such as Point Nine Capital and has launched AI-based study tools.
VNYX
VNYX is a Dutch startup that raised €1M+ in 2026 to automate sustainable fashion resale. The platform combines AI, software and proprietary hardware to process returns, overstock and second-hand items, reducing processing time from 19 to 3 minutes per item.
WeTransfer
WeTransfer is a web platform founded in 2009 in Amsterdam that lets users send large files over the internet. With a simple, intuitive interface, it supports free transfers up to 2GB per send and offers paid subscriptions for higher limits. The service is used by millions of people worldwide and is known for its ease of use and clean design.
Wonderful
Dutch AI unicorn specializing in intelligent agents for enterprise automation and complex workflow management.
bunq
Dutch digital bank dubbed 'the bank for digital nomads': offers multi-currency accounts, instant notifications and a mobile-first experience for global professionals.
inDrive
inDrive is a unicorn-scale company with an indicative valuation of $1.23B. It operates in ride hailing by building ride-hailing marketplace with bid-based pricing.
VCs, accelerators and key players
Accelerators
Key universities
Key sectors in Amsterdam
What we can learn
- Language openness and international culture accelerate venture
- A mid-size city can go global by concentrating capital and talent