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The Ambitious Entrepreneurship Action Plan
The Ambitious Entrepreneurship Action Plan is a multi-faceted initiative launched by the government of the Netherlands. The plan focuses on providing startups with better access to capital, knowledge, innovation and the global market.
What are the main aims and objectives?
The central goal of the Ambitious Entrepreneurship Action Plan is to address what is known as the “Dutch entrepreneur paradox” which refers to the situation where Dutch entrepreneurs have a relatively low fear of failure and a high appreciation for entrepreneurship, but struggle to turn their startups into successful scale-ups due to a perceived lack of ambition and a culture that doesn't promote growth. Additionally, the main objectives of the Ambitious Entrepreneurship Action Plan are:
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Providing better access to capital for startups and entrepreneurs through funding opportunities, early-stage finance, and other financial support.
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Enhancing access to knowledge and innovation by fostering connections between startups, established businesses, and knowledge institutions.
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Strengthening the international position of Dutch startups by promoting their global presence and competitiveness.
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Attracting foreign startups to the Netherlands by offering incentives, support, and temporary residence permits for non-EU entrepreneurs.
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Developing the NLevator initiative to create a supportive ecosystem for ambitious entrepreneurs in the Netherlands.
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Funding Eurostars projects, which aim to support research and development activities among small- and medium-sized enterprises.
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Providing funding under Horizon 2020, a European Union research and innovation program, to support innovative startups and businesses.
How does the program work?
The key activities under the plan include offering early-stage finance, strengthening the international position of Dutch startups, attracting foreign startups to the Netherlands, granting temporary residence permits for non-EU entrepreneurs, developing the NLevator initiative, funding Eurostars projects, and providing funding under Horizon 2020.
Access to finance
The Ambitious Entrepreneurship Action Plan focuses on improving early-stage financing for research and innovative startups in the Netherlands. Some key initiatives and funding opportunities include:
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Seed Capital Scheme (Seed Business Angels): This scheme encourages private investors to invest in innovative startups by providing government-backed funds that match their investments.
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Innovation Credit (Innovatiekrediet): This is a risk-bearing loan provided by the Dutch government for the development of promising, high-risk innovations. It is specifically aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups involved in technical and clinical research projects.
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Regional Development Agencies (ROMs): These agencies support startups and innovative companies in their respective regions by providing funding, advice, and access to networks. They play a crucial role in the early-stage financing of research projects and startups.
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Dutch Research Council (NWO) grants: The NWO offers various funding opportunities for research projects, including those in the early stages. Some of these grants focus on collaboration between researchers and entrepreneurs to promote the commercialization of innovative ideas.
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European Union funding programs: the plan also utilises EU funding programs, such as Horizon Europe, European Innovation Council (EIC), and European Investment Fund (EIF), which provide financial support for early-stage research and innovation projects.
Access to international markets
The plan provides a variety of services to help Dutch startups scale up through access to global markets. In particular they host showcasing events and trade missions that startups can register to be part of. Likewise, they provide advice and networking through the Liaison network worldwide which helps companies explore markets in Singapore, New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin and Paris.
Attracting foreign startups and entrepreneurs
There are currently two programs running to attract foreign companies to the Netherlands. The first is Netherlands Point of Entry which provides advice to entrepreneurs, graduates and professionals about legal procedures, financial requirements and the process of applying for visas. By contrast, TechLeap takes a more proactive approach seeking out foreign founders and investors who have the potential to significantly contribute to the Dutch ecosystem. The Netherlands has also implemented a startup visa to attract foreign entrepreneurs.
Mentoring
The NLevator was a platform that was part of the Ambitious Entrepreneurship Action Plan aimed at helping businesses grow faster by connecting entrepreneurs with experienced mentors. This element of the plan is no longer running.
What is the overall cost?
Through the Ambitious Entrepreneurship Action plan, the government has allocated €75 million to finance the various initiatives. No breakdown of how this total figure was allocated is available currently.
How was it implemented?
The Dutch government employed a consultative approach when developing the Ambitious Entrepreneurship Action Plan. They engaged in extensive consultations and collaborations with various stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, investors, educational institutions, research organizations, and industry experts. This process ensured that the plan addressed the diverse needs and challenges faced by startups in the Netherlands.
The government organized workshops, roundtable discussions, and surveys to gather input and feedback from these stakeholders. They also considered best practices and successful initiatives from other countries to identify effective strategies for supporting and stimulating entrepreneurship. The plan was launched in 2014.
What impact has been measured?
There is no available information on the overall impact of the impact of the Ambitious Entrepreneurship Action Plan. However, policy makers can point to the success of Amsterdam which has grown to become the third most valuable startup-hub in Europe. Between 2011-2021, Amsterdam saw an average growth rate of 53% of exits worth >$50 compared to just 20% in Berlin and 8% in London.
