Startup incubators and accelerators

These programmes help founders ideate, grow, and scale successful business strategies by providing access to experienced mentors, guidance on funding and venture capital, workspace, and a like-minded community. Our guide offers an overview of the dynamic programmes available in the Amsterdam Area and beyond.

Startup incubators

Collaborative programmes designed to help newly established, often young businesses succeed are the hallmark of startup incubators. They provide both tangible and moral support during a company’s early stages, including a workspace, seed funding, mentoring, and coaching. Their ultimate goal is to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. 

Often not-for-profit, startup incubators can be run by public or private entities, including universities, business schools, governments, civic groups, startup organisations, and successful entrepreneurs.

This list highlights key startup incubators in Amsterdam:

The AMS Startup Booster by the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions focuses on early-stage, impact-driven startups that aim to improve city life through innovative urban-tech solutions.

The 10 K Incubation Programme run by the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences’ Venture Centre is a 20-week journey that helps students and recent graduates turn bold ideas into viable, impact-driven ventures through personalised coaching, bi-weekly masterclasses, peer feedback, and network-building.

Demonstrator Lab, the early-stage incubator of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, is an entrepreneurship laboratory for academics that helps turn research ideas into a tangible product or service. Run in a learning-by-doing environment, the lab is open to students and staff members with the aim of boosting research-driven innovation.

The Nursery is Startup Village’s six-month incubator programme that supports early-stage AI and quantum technology startups. It helps founders refine their business propositions through mentorship, investor feedback, and access to a collaborative workspace and innovation network.

Startup accelerators

Fixed-term, cohort-based programmes that include mentorship and coaching—with a pitch event or demo day as a possible grand finale—are common elements of startup accelerators. While traditional business incubators are often government-funded, generally take no equity, and rarely provide funding, accelerators can be either privately or publicly funded.

This list highlights some of Amsterdam’s key startup accelerators.

ABN AMRO + Techstars Future of Finance Accelerator is for impact-driven founders across Europe who are redefining the future of finance, from fintech to AI, enterprise solutions and beyond. Each startup receives mentorship, access to a global network of partners and investors, funding support, and curated workshops.

Amsterdam Circular is the AMS Institute’s circular chain accelerator (circulator) that provides chain financing services for circular startups. Its methodology helps participants form and fund value chains, unlocking new value from circular revenue models while contributing to the city’s goal of halving raw material use by 2030.

The CASSINI Business Accelerator, run by leading global innovation platform Plug and Play, is a Europe-wide programme based in central Amsterdam that supports the commercial growth of top space startups and scaleups. Through a zero-equity, six-month intensive acceleration program, it helps companies identify opportunities, pilot solutions, and bring innovative technologies to market.

GO!-NH offers an acceleration programme based in the province Noord-Holland that supports startups and SMEs developing sustainable innovations in sectors such as the circular economy, energy, food, and biobased materials. Through tracks like Market Readiness and Scaling Readiness, the programme provides hands-on coaching, masterclasses, and investor connections.

Impact Hub Amsterdam, which is part of a global network spanning over 100 locations worldwide, is on a mission to build a new economy rooted in regenerative systems and sustainable practices. It also runs venture support programmes, such as the Food Chain Accelerator and the Regeneration Programme.

Startupbootcamp aims to empower startups and scaleups to build successful businesses. It offers three-month accelerator programs, tailored to each industry focus. The focus areas are diverse, including themes such as Smart City & IoT, Commerce, and FinTech & Cybersecurity. All programs are designed to support ambitious early-stage companies in the most relevant industries.

Scaling and international expansion programmes

Once startups have established a solid foundation, the next challenge lies in scaling operations and entering new markets. Scaling and international expansion programmes focus on helping high-potential businesses grow beyond their initial phase. They provide strategic guidance, access to global networks, mentorship, and market-entry support to ensure sustainable international growth. 

This list highlights organisations and initiatives that support ambitious Dutch startups as they expand their reach across Europe and around the globe.

DutchBasecamp offers practical programmes and coaching to help startups and scaleups with their internationalisation strategy by drawing on hard-won lessons from entrepreneurs who have already scaled abroad. The organisation helps founders validate the right markets, build smart go-to-market strategies, and connect directly with customers and investors overseas.

DutchTechSF is a supportive online network of more than 200 founders and startup enthusiasts from the Netherlands and Silicon Valley. The platform helps Dutch companies break into Silicon Valley by advising on and preparing for the twice-yearly Y Combinator programme, which is known for birthing companies such as Airbnb, Stripe and Dropbox.

NLgroeit is a platform by and for entrepreneurs. It helps SMEs take their next step by matching them with experienced mentors and organising peer-to-peer sessions. Entrepreneurs can have one-on-one mentoring meetings over the course of a year or join single peer sessions to exchange insights and growth challenges.

PIM Noord‑Holland is a regional programme that upports innovative SMEs in the province of Noord-Holland with growth and financing strategies. PIM provides tailored advice, masterclasses, and online support to help entrepreneurs become investment-ready and strengthen their business models.  

Ready2Scale is a six-month acceleration programme that supports digital and deep-tech startups in scaling their businesses and expanding internationally. The programme provides grants of up to €60,000, mentorship on investment readiness, tailored business-development guidance, and access to funding opportunities such as the European Innovation Council (EIC). 

Rockstart helps purpose-driven founders in the Energy, AgriFood, and Emerging Technology sectors accelerate their growth through tailored, mentor-driven programmes. It provides market access, expert support, and investment opportunities from pre-seed to Series B.

ScaleNL’s accelerator is a US-market entry programme for Dutch (deep)tech companies with a proven product-market fit in the Netherlands and a strategic roadmap to scale in the US. Through ScaleNL’s online platform, initiatives and events, entrepreneurs can connect with mentors and experts who can support their growth journey. 

ScaleUpNation supports ventures entering their next phase of growth by offering tailored programmes designed to strengthen strategy, leadership, and operational capabilities. Drawing on original research, they provide mentorship, workshops, and practical tools that help teams overcome scaling challenges, expand their impact, and accelerate sustainable growth—empowering innovative ventures to reach their full potential.

Techleap offers two flagship programmes aimed at helping tech and deep-tech scaleups overcome major growth barriers. The Rise programme is an 8-week, sector-agnostic scaleup initiative focusing on talent, go-to-market, international expansion, capital and operations. The Pole Position programme is tailored for deep-tech ventures in specific verticals.

TNO Fast Track is a scaleup programme that helps startups and SMEs speed up their innovation processes through expert R&D support, access to advanced testing facilities, and collaboration with over 3,500 specialists. It combines entrepreneurship with cutting-edge technical knowledge to accelerate impactful solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable society.

Programmes for women & underrepresented founders

Startup incubators and accelerators run by women and other traditionally marginalised groups often face unique social and cultural challenges. Several programmes in Amsterdam and beyond are specifically designed to support these founders.

AI4ALL empowers women in AI through mentoring, education and entrepreneurship programmes. Female founders benefit from tailored guidance, skills training and access to a strong network that supports them in developing and scaling AI‑driven ventures.

Equals empowers women in tech by providing resources, networks and skills to start, grow and lead successful ventures. By connecting women with partners across the tech‑ecosystem, Equals helps close gender gaps in leadership, investment and innovation in Amsterdam and beyond.

Fe/male Switch prepares future female entrepreneurs for success through a two‑part approach: an online knowledge platform and a data‑driven educational game.

FEM‑START aims to close the funding gap for female entrepreneurs in the startup ecosystem, supporting women‑led tech and social impact across Europe with training, mentorship and community access. 

Forward·Inc offers programmes for newcomers and people from refugee backgrounds, providing training, coaching, networking and business‑launch support across industries in the Netherlands and beyond.

Zidi Circle is a business incubator and accelerator that supports diaspora entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs through training, coaching and funding. Founded in the Netherlands in 2014, it is now active in multiple countries and has assisted hundreds of founders and businesses.

Sector-based startup programmes

Some startup incubators and accelerators focus on entrepreneurs and companies operating within a specific sector, industry, or niche. This list highlights programmes serving Amsterdam and beyond.

Accelerator Squared is a digital acceleration platform by the founders of Startupbootcamp. It helps startups and innovators grow through a suite of online tools, learning resources, and mentorship opportunities. The platform offers masterclasses, webinars, digital challenges, and networking focused on areas such as business modelling, fundraising, and growth strategy.

Amsterdam Circular is a circular value-chain accelerator that provides chain-financing services for circular startups. It helps participants build and fund value chains that unlock new value from circular revenue models, while contributing to the city’s goal of halving raw-material use by 2030.

Art-up promotes innovation in the cultural sector through an intensive five-month incubator programme. Participants engage in workshops and training, receive personalised coaching, and collaborate within a broad network of peers and experts.

Biotech Booster is a national programme supporting the commercialisation of biotechnology discoveries in the Netherlands. It provides mentorship, financial support, and networking opportunities to guide founders from the idea stage towards developing an investable and commercially viable proposition.

Boost je Buurt is a program by Amsterdam Impact that gives local entrepreneurs the opportunity to create positive change in Amsterdam’s neighborhoods. This initiative offers a business development program valued at €20,000, plus an additional development budget of up to €7,500, for entrepreneurs who strengthen their communities.

Fashion for Good is a global innovation platform that accelerates and scales sustainable solutions in the fashion industry by connecting innovators with brands, retailers, and investors. It offers tailored programmes for startups at different stages, providing project management support, access to capital, expert mentorship, and collaboration opportunities.

Innovatiepartners is the innovation team of the City of Amsterdam that collaborates with residents, businesses, startups, and knowledge institutions to create a more sustainable and future-ready city. It helps startups and scaleups pilot and test innovative solutions in real urban environments by providing access to municipal networks, data, and funding opportunities.

Kitchen Republic is an incubator for startup and growing food concepts in Amsterdam, providing kitchen facilities, business support, and a collaborative community for food entrepreneurs. It offers tailored advice, events, and mentorship to help founders develop products, refine their business models, and connect with potential buyers and investors.

Open Kitchen Labs is a shared, fully equipped lab space for startups in sustainability and biotechnology. With a gym-style subscription model, it relieves startups of the logistical challenges and upfront investments associated with establishing their own lab infrastructure.

Read more about startups and the wide range of support and resources available for entrepreneurs and young companies on the StartupAmsterdam homepage. Don’t miss the guides on tech communities, and coworking places.