Brabant sees 22 percent increase in number of startups
The number of Brabant startups has grown spectacularly since 2020. With 1462 startups, Brabant now has the third largest startup population of any Dutch province. This is an increase of nearly 22 percent from 2020, when there were 1,200 startups. These figures emerge from the Birch report published today, commissioned by startup organization Braventure.
To gain a thorough picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the Brabant startup ecosystem, Birch Consultants was commissioned by Braventure to conduct a comprehensive study of Brabant's position as a province for startups. This report, which builds on an earlier study from 2020, analyzes the developments of the Brabant ecosystem in the years to 2023, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Investments
A crucial finding from the report is that the startup ecosystem in Brabant is not only growing in terms of the number of startups, but also in investments in these startups. Between 2016 and 2019, the total amount of investment in Brabant startups was 369 million euros, an amount that increased to 1.3 billion euros for the period 2020-2023. With in particular, there has been an increase in investments in so-called "deep tech" startups. The average investment amount in 2023 was 7.2 million euros in Brabant, compared to 5.6 million euros nationwide. Also notable: half of the total deep tech funding in the Netherlands went to Brabant-based companies in 2022.
Strong startup ecosystem
North Brabant's startup ecosystem, particularly in the Brainport Eindhoven region, is thriving and dynamic. Brainport Eindhoven is known as one of Europe's leading technology hubs, with a strong focus on deep tech and research. At the heart of this ecosystem are world-renowned companies such as ASML and Philips, who continue to innovate in areas such as semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and health technology. The Birch report confirms Brainport as the startup hub of Brabant, but other regions around Breda, Tilburg, 's-Hertogenbosch and Oss are also growing steadily. For example, while absolute growth in the number of startups was strongest in Southeast Brabant between 2020 and 2024, relative growth was stronger in other Brabant subregions.
< Photo by Bram Saeys
Difficulty scaling
Nevertheless, the report shows that it is still a challenge for startups to scale up to "scale-up" status. Only 4.4% of startups in Brabant founded since 2010 have managed to grow to more than 50 employees (scaleups), which is below the national average of 6.4%. Southeast Brabant still has the largest population of scale-up companies in Brabant and has nearly doubled since 2020. One reason for this is the shortage of highly educated IT and technology talent, which is a national problem. The report also calls for more intense collaboration and less fragmentation between organizations in Brabant to help startups grow faster.
Job Nijs, director of Braventure: "We are proud to say that Brabant is now in the top three of the largest startup provinces in the Netherlands, thanks to joint efforts of Brabant's startups and our partners. It is up to us, together with our partner organizations and the startups to develop an ambitious agenda for the coming years with which we can rise even further up the list."
Marijn van Aerle, CTO and co-founder of scale-up Floryn: "For startups and scale-ups, the opportunities in Brabant are enormous. The region offers not only access to funding and knowledge, but also fertile ground for networking and collaboration. We have seen how fast we can grow here, thanks to the support of the ecosystem and the focus on innovation."
Jacomine Ravensbergen, Executive Board Avans University of Applied Sciences and president Braventure: "The growth of the Brabant startup ecosystem is a testament to the synergy between different stakeholders in the region. From investors to knowledge institutions and province, everyone contributes to an environment where startups can flourish. It is inspiring to see how we are building a strong foundation for future growth."