The Startup Ecosystem of Rotterdam

Rotterdam boasts 93 startups in our sample database which represents about 7% of The Netherlands’s sampled startups. Rotterdam is the 5th best startup ecosystem in The Netherlands.

CITY RANKING

While Rotterdam decreased by 13 spots in its global rank in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index of 2022, its ranking in The Netherlands remained stable at 5 nationally since 2021.

National Ranking

5th
0
In The Netherlands

Regional Ranking

52nd
-
4
In Western Europe

Global Ranking

185th
-
13
Worldwide
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ECOSYSTEM

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Ecosystem

The Startup Ecosystem in Rotterdam

Startups in Rotterdam excel in Hardware & IoT, Fintech, and and Transportation. There are some notable success stories contributing to the city’s growing Hardware & IoT industry. One of the most promising startups in Rotterdam in 2022 is HousingAnywhere, The Ocean Cleanup, and Shypple.

Global Rank

Rotterdam is ranked within the top 200 startup ecosystems globally.

Top Industries

Rotterdam’s startups excel particularly in Hardware & IoT where it ranks 111 and in Fintech, and Transportation. Find out more

Top Cities for Startups in The Netherlands - Ranked by StartupBlink
StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
Rows:
2022 National Rank & Change ▲
2022 National Rank & Change City
search leaderboards icon
Global Rank & ChangeTotal ScoreQuantity ScoreQuality ScoreBusiness Score
1st
0
27th
+
2
26.807
3.46
19.97
3.38
2nd
0
154th
-
31
5.026
0.75
0.90
3.38
3rd
+
1
176th
-
19
4.609
0.64
0.59
3.38
4th
-
1
179th
-
48
4.559
0.60
0.58
3.38
5th
0
185th
-
13
4.468
0.66
0.43
3.38
6th
0
221st
+
129
3.682
0.13
0.71
2.84
7th
+
2
271st
+
162
2.538
0.07
0.65
1.82
8th
0
345th
+
59
1.559
0.12
0.23
1.20
9th
-
2
469th
-
74
0.815
0.13
0.06
0.63
10th
+
3
551st
+
92
0.595
0.07
0.07
0.46
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Startups

Notable Startups in Rotterdam
HousingAnywhere startup icon
HousingAnywhere
The Ocean Cleanup startup icon
The Ocean Cleanup
Shypple startup icon
Shypple

Startups

Successful Hardware & IoT startups in Rotterdam
Nearfield Instruments startup icon
Nearfield Instruments
Staffyou startup icon
Staffyou
Da Vinci Laboratory Solutions startup icon
Da Vinci Laboratory Solutions

Startups

Startups Ranking by Industry

Hardware & IoT icon
Hardware & IoT
#111 worldwide

On our map, you can explore a total of 29 startups for Hardware & IoT.

Fintech icon
Fintech
#112 worldwide

In Western Europe, Rotterdam's Fintech is in top 112. Rotterdam has a concentration of about 0% of the country's total Fintech startups that are represented on our map.

Transportation icon
Transportation
#122 worldwide

Transportation is ranked 122nd in the world. Our database contains 11 startups for this industry.

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ECOSYSTEM

Why should you join Rotterdam's Startup Ecosystem?

Overview

Within Rotterdam there is an increased attraction for entrepreneurs to set up their startups in industries such as Hardware & IoT, Fintech, Transportation. These three industries represent about 55% of the startups represented on the Startup Ecosystem Map of Rotterdam.

5th

National Rank

52nd

Regional Rank

Overview

Rotterdam is The Netherlands' 5th best startup ecosystem and is ranked 52nd in Western Europe. With a population of 1M - 2M people, Rotterdam is ranked th in the world. The city boasts some notable startup success stories including HousingAnywhere.

ECOSYSTEM
Startup Infrastructure in Rotterdam
With a large variety of initiatives, Rotterdam's startup ecosystem stands out from other cities in Western Europe. Rotterdam offers a number of funding opportunities for entrepreneurs and startups. Below is a list of Rotterdam's most prominent support initiatives:

Accelerators

Yes!Delft startup icon

Yes!Delft

PortXL startup icon

PortXL

Coworking Spaces

CIC startup icon

CIC

42workspace startup icon

42workspace

Kleinhandel startup icon

Kleinhandel

Organizations

WeTechRotterdam startup icon

WeTechRotterdam

Featured Ecosystem Portals

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If you are a startup ecosystem developer in Rotterdam, you can grow your startup economy by becoming a partner.

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Recent Posts

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EP 33: Do Small Countries Have an Edge in Building a startup Ecosystem?

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How can collaborating with StartupBlink as an ecosystem partner help your ecosystem and organization?

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