The Dutch startup ecosystem has expanded by 26%, yet it has dropped to sixth place in Europe.

      According to the recently published Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025, the Dutch startup ecosystem has dropped to 10th place worldwide and sixth in Europe.

      This annual report, created by research platform StartupBlink, evaluates the startup strength of more than 1,400 cities and 110 countries across the globe.

      The United States secured the leading position globally, with the United Kingdom following in second place. Within Europe, the UK is succeeded by Sweden (sixth), Germany (seventh), and France (eighth). Switzerland took ninth place, causing the Netherlands to fall one rank.

      Nonetheless, there is positive news for the Dutch startup ecosystem, which experienced an above-average growth rate exceeding 26% this year.

      Ecommerce and retail emerged as the country's top-performing sector, ranking fifth globally and first within the EU. Notable companies in this sector include grocery delivery unicorn Picnic, designer brand marketplace Otrium, and fresh food platform Crisp.

      However, the overall growth of the Netherlands was surpassed in Europe by France, Sweden, and Switzerland — all of which achieved over 30% growth this year.

      Amsterdam remains stable

      On the city level, Amsterdam continues to be the dominant force in the Dutch tech landscape. The capital ascended two ranks globally to 26th and maintained its fifth-place position in Europe, only behind London, Paris, Berlin, and Stockholm. It excelled particularly in fintech, now ranking 15th worldwide and third in the EU, thanks to scaleups like neobank Bunq and payments platform Mollie.

      “A key trend we observe in the Netherlands is the rapid growth of Amsterdam, with its startup ecosystem expanding by over 30% in 2025,” said Eli David Rokah, CEO at StartupBlink, in an interview with TNW. “Though the city holds the fifth position in Europe and fourth in the EU, this strong momentum is assisting it in closing the gap with leading European ecosystems such as Stockholm and Berlin.”

      Beyond the capital, the national landscape is mixed.

      While Amsterdam continues to be the premier Dutch ecosystem on a global scale, four additional cities in the Netherlands entered the top 1000 this year (increasing from 20 the previous year), marking the highest number of cities recorded in this index.

      Rotterdam emerged as the significant climber, surpassing Utrecht to claim the fourth position among Dutch cities. It also achieved the highest growth rate in the country (over 50%) and jumped 30 positions globally within just two years.

      Eindhoven, on the other hand, fell two positions to 106th globally but achieved notable success in sustainability, ranking 10th worldwide.

      Supporting Dutch tech is a key objective of the TNW Conference, scheduled for June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets are currently available — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at checkout to receive a 30% discount.