The Dutch startup ecosystem has slipped to 10th place globally and sixth in Europe, according to the newly released Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025.
The annual report, compiled by research platform StartupBlink, benchmarks the startup strength of over 1,400 cities and 110 countries worldwide.
The US took the top spot globally, with the UK coming in second. Among the European nations, Britain was followed by Sweden (sixth), Germany (seventh), and France (eighth). Switzerland claimed ninth place, pushing the Netherlands down one spot.
However, it’s not all bad news for the Dutch startup ecosystem, which saw an above-average growth rate of over 26% this year.
The country’s top-performing sector was ecommerce and retail, where it ranks fifth globally and first in the EU. Prominent startups in this space include grocery delivery unicorn Picnic, designer brand marketplace Otrium, and fresh food platform Crisp.
However, the Netherlands’ overall growth was outpaced in Europe by France, Sweden, and Switzerland — all of which grew by over 30% this year.
Amsterdam holds steady
On the city scale, Amsterdam remains the undisputed engine of the Dutch tech scene. The capital rose two global spots to 26th and held firm at fifth in Europe — trailing only London, Paris, Berlin, and Stockholm. It performed best in fintech, where it now ranks 15th worldwide and third in the EU, with scaleups like neobank Bunq and payments platform Mollie playing a central role.
“A key trend we observe in the Netherlands is Amsterdam’s rapid growth, with its startup ecosystem expanding by over 30% in 2025,” Eli David Rokah, CEO at StartupBlink, told TNW. “While the city remains fifth in Europe and fourth in the EU, this strong momentum is helping it close the gap with top-tier European ecosystems like Stockholm and Berlin.”
Outside the capital, the national picture is more mixed.
While Amsterdam remains the standout Dutch ecosystem globally, four more cities in the Netherlands entered the top 1000 this year (up from 20 the previous year ). That’s the highest-ever city count in this index.
Rotterdam is the big riser, overtaking Utrecht to claim the number four spot among Dutch cities. It also scored the highest growth rate in the country (over 50%) and climbed 30 positions globally in just two years.
Eindhoven, meanwhile, slipped two spots to 106th globally but posted a standout result in sustainability, ranking 10th worldwide.