Start-ups & scale-ups

Utrecht is the ideal location for start-ups: Utrecht inspires, connects and develops smart solutions and offers people and organisations opportunities to grow. The city has more than 100 start-ups focusing on biosciences, health care and medical technology, gaming, cleantech and IT.

Utrecht offers room for companies to develop, test and market new solutions for healthy urban living on an international scale. It is a perfect living lab to come up with and apply new technologies.

There are numerous initiatives that support start-ups and scale-ups. Such as the Local Economic Fund (LEF) and the municipal Startup Inresidence. Or financial support by the Utrecht incubators Dutch Game Garden, Life Science Incubator, StudentsInc, UtrechtInc. and venture builder Holland Startup. Graduate Space offers accommodation and community for scale-ups. And Startup Utrecht is a regional joint venture dedicated to stimulating the regional start-up ecosystem by introducing start-ups to talent, corporates and finance resources.

Examples of innovative solutions by Utrecht start-ups:

Blendle, online news booth with 120 newspapers and magazines, makes it possible to buy separate articles;
Merus, once started out as a start-up and now one of the leading biotech companies in the Netherlands. Merus develops immune therapies for cancer, a new generation of medications that activate the natural human defense system;
SnappCar, the second-largest car sharing company in Europe, enables people to rent out their own car;
Stucomm, an app students can use everywhere and anywhere to have access to the right studying information and take action if necessary;
Proov, provides wireless charging systems for electric buses;
United Wardrobe, social market place to safely buy and sell secondhand clothing, shoes and accessories.

These companies are already established in Utrecht

“We have deliberately chosen to stay in Utrecht. The central location and accessibility, both by car and public transport, make the city the best place to have our headquarters.”

-Emlyn van der Wal, Chief Operating Officer at ABN AMRO Lease

“Deutsche Windtechnik is Europe’s largest independent maintenance company for wind turbines. Utrecht was a logical starting point for the European expansion of Deutsche Windtechnik: centrally located and excellent accessibility for customers and employees.”

– Geert Timmer, Managing Director Deutsche Windtechnik

“The cooperation with the city’s municipality was decisive in the choice to locate the main office of Except and UCo in Utrecht. Their input was essential for the initial set up. With their ongoing support, dedication and effort UCo is now a reality and Europe’s first energy neutral, healthy, sustainable office in a monument.”

– Tom Bosschaert, Initiator und Founder UCo

“Navigant’s global Energy Practice is a leading international energy and sustainability consulting firm. We have been located in Utrecht since the founding of Ecofys in 1984. With its excellent university and research capacities, the city was a natural habitat for our innovative field of work.”

-Anja de Jong, COO Europe and Middle East

More references