Original post by Anders Hasselstrøm @AndHasselstrom via blog.startuptravels.com @Startuptravels
City Guide Amsterdam
Here you find Startuptravels City Guide for Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands and a center of innovation. Of the 10 innovation hubs in the Netherlands, Amsterdam focuses on the creative, mobile, Internet, high-tech systems and the sharing economy industry. At this moment the municipality of Amsterdam and the national government are investing heavily in the startup ecosystem in Amsterdam. Under the title “StartupAmsterdam” they invest 5,2 million euros in order to attract more international attention to its already great diversity of startup and startup possibilities. The national government is promoting the country as an innovation hub called the StartupDelta. StartupDelta is based in the old marine base on Kattenburg in Amsterdam. Both initiatives are to represent the startup ecosystem and the versatile, pioneering & trading spirit of the city.
Here are just a few examples of the startups currently residing and developing themselves in Amsterdam: Adyen, Coolblue, Elasticsearch and Takeaway. We have 9 other startup hubs in the Netherlands all situated within 90 min of traveling form Amsterdam (http://startupdelta.org/techhubs/).
Accelerators/ Incubators
Rockstart (accelerator & incubator): Rockstart’s founder, Oscar Kneppers, wanted to build the greatest startup machine in the world. Nowadays this is maybe the most interesting organization for entrepreneurs in Amsterdam. Rockstart started in 2011 and developed itself into a successful organization that expanded its capabilities into more than just being an accelerator program, but alongside also engineered a whole new eco-system in Amsterdam. Their network and program now encompasses “Spaces”, an incubator, “Answers” a way to get feedback from many other entrepreneurs, and “Impact” – helping you to create a sustainable enterprise in emerging regions.
More information: www.rockstart.com
ACE-Venture Lab (incubator): ACE stands for the Amsterdam Center of Entrepreneurship. ACE was created to stimulate entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial behavior of students and researchers. It is formed as a collaboration between the Universities and the Applied Sciences School in Amsterdam. ACE is situated at Science Park Amsterdam where several startups also are situated. They offer courses, bootcamps and a Growth Program.
More information: www.ace-venturelab.org
NLC – Next Level Challenge: What NLC offers is a very specific deal. They co-found medical technology companies together with the inventor by investing with “sweat-equity”. They accelerate the inventions up to the point that they become interesting enough for investors and eventually VCs. By completing the team and giving access to their network of IP attorneys, Subsidy experts, and their own support team, they boost the invention within a time frame of 3-9 months up to the point were other investors are willingly to invest.
Co-working spaces
Rockstart Spaces: Rockstart Spaces is ‘the’ co-working space of Amsterdam. Offering room for up to 200 entrepreneurs in a beautiful monumental building in the city center right on the canals. Its harboring 50 startups at the moment, 192 people from 19 different nationalities. Rockstart-Spaces offers you a great network and the opportunity to attend great startup events. Oh, not to forget, they have a ballroom.
More information: http://www.rockstart.com/spaces/
Spaces: Spaces is offering co-working spaces in three different, very beautiful, locations throughout Amsterdam, and one in The Hague (the city where the government is seated). Beside co-working spaces they offer a large community and multiple events each year.
More information: http://www.spaces.nl/
The Thinking Hut: A 500sqm office, once filled with horses, now offers room to entrepreneurs who are looking for a comfortable working space to work on their own project, while having the possibility of working together with others. This co-working space is more focused on the creative entrepreneurs. It is a very neat working space located at the Mauritskade 55c.
More information: http://www.thethinkinghut.com/
