New report reveals tech alumni founded 270 Dutch startups that raised $1.9 billion
From tech employee to founder
Experience gained inside major technology companies is spreading through the Dutch startup ecosystem. According to Anchor Firms and the Dutch Innovation Economy, published by Dealroom in collaboration with Uber and with support from Techleap, founders with experience at Booking.com, Uber, Adyen, Mollie, Netflix and Amazon Web Services have established 270 companies headquartered in the Netherlands.
Together, those companies employ 5,149 people and have raised $1.93 billion in funding. More than half (155) were founded in 2020 or later.
Booking.com alumni are linked to the largest group, with alumni linked to 88 companies, followed by Uber with 66 and Adyen with 58.
How anchor firms strengthen Amsterdam’s tech ecosystem
For Amsterdam, the value of a major technology company can extend well beyond its own workforce. Employees who leave to start businesses take experience, industry connections and knowledge of international markets with them.
The findings are particularly relevant to Amsterdam. Booking.com has its global headquarters in the city, while Adyen and Mollie are Amsterdam-based. Uber and Netflix also operate their EMEA headquarters from the Dutch capital.
Their impact on the ecosystem extends beyond the jobs they create
Employees gain experience in areas such as product development, engineering, international expansion and building companies at scale. When they move on, whether to launch a startup, join another growing company or become an adviser, that expertise and their networks move with them.
Dealroom estimates that around 10,600 people work across the large tech companies examined in its labour-market analysis. Around 2,700 leave each year, with an average tenure of approximately three years.
That movement can act as a multiplier for the wider innovation economy: successful companies attract talent, talent builds experience, and some of that experience ultimately feeds the next generation of businesses.
From startup creation to scaling
The research points to an increasingly mature Dutch technology ecosystem, but also raises the question of what happens after new companies are created.
The State of Dutch Tech 2026 identified more than 11,000 active tech companies in the Netherlands, while warning that access to capital and scaling remain significant challenges.
For Amsterdam, the implication is clear: retaining experienced talent and giving young companies the conditions to grow internationally are as important as attracting established technology firms.
The Dealroom figures show that these objectives are closely connected. Large employers do not only create jobs; they can also become training grounds for the founders, expertise and networks behind the next generation of companies.