The 5 best accelerators in Utrecht
What are the best accelerators Utrecht has to offer to your startup?
The Dutch city of Utrecht has a well known University and a flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem. In recent years, the startup scene of Utrecht has become one of the most vibrant and it’s now rich with opportunities for tech talents. Yet, many of these opportunities are still mostly overshadowed by Amsterdam and often little known.
TechCrunch has launched a survey among startups and inventors in the region of Utrecht. What comes out is that the area is carving its own niche in sustainable energy, medtech, food tech, life sciences, marketplaces, deep tech, gaming and media.
Utrecht can tap into a pool of highly educated tech talents because of its University. Its central position, close to other European cities, makes it very attractive for digital nomads. The city itself has become much more international in the most recent years.
The best startup accelerator in Utrecht
In this article, we’ll list 5 of the best accelerators in Utrecht to help you find one that meets your needs.
Utrecht Inc.
Utrecht Inc is perhaps the most known program in the Utrecht region. It offers both a validation program and an accelerator for companies that have found product/market fit. Its program is for early stage companies as well as entrepreneurial students. So far Utrecht Inc has baked more than 250 startups, out of which 60% have been acquired after 5 years.
Program length: 10 weeks to 10 months
Focus: not a particular focus
Holland Startup
Holland Startup is a venture builder for early-stage teams or founders who are looking for a cofounder. The program takes you all the way from team building to recurring revenue and is divided into 4 blocks. All in all, the program duration is around 30 months, and it’s one of the most comprehensive we’ve found. The focus of the program is on SaaS companies, especially in fintech, HR-tech and e-learning.
Holland Startup offers Startup Visa that allows founders from abroad to reside in the Netherlands while building their startup.
Program length: 30 months divided into 4 blocks
Focus: SaaS startups
Dutch Game Garden
Dutch Game Garden is definitely a niche program with a strong specialization. It has the mission to support the game industry with affordable studio space, events, advice, and matchmaking. The program has existed since 2008 and so far it has supported more than 250 companies.
Dutch Game Garden also works as an agency, as it supports studios with the publication of their games.
Also Dutch Game Garden offers Startup Visa for founders from abroad who want to move to the Netherlands.
Program length: unknown
Focus: gaming startups
Tiger Accelerator
Tiger Accelerator helps companies that want to scale to Asia. They connect companies to resources such as product validation opportunities, localization knowledge, government subsidies, investor networks, and potential partners & clients. Tiger Accelerator organizes workshops and conferences, but does not offer an on-going program. Tiger Accelerator Utrecht has its head office at the Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, while the Asian office is in Taiwan.
Program length: unknown
Focus: tech and e-health
Startup Utrecht
Startup Utrecht is an ecosystem builder that helps regional companies with opening up access to capital, skills & talent, customers and communities. Startup Utrecht is not properly an Accelerator in Utrecht but the program offers support to both startups and scale-ups. It does not have a specific focus and it does not provide direct funding opportunities.
Program length: N/A
Focus: N/A
Design Accelerator
Design Accelerator is a UX studio that helps scaling startups achieve massive growth.
We focus on improving your product engagement and conversion with data-driven UX. In our approach we bridge business with product and tech.
Just like an accelerator program, we work with defined timelines and clear deliverables.
Curious to know more on how we can support your startup growth? Get in touch with us.
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