What early-stage startups need is a runway, not a roadblock
A dozen experienced startup founders from the Brainport Eindhoven region discussed what’s needed for a successful startup climate.
Published on May 5, 2025
Bart, co-founder of Media52 and Professor of Journalism oversees IO+, events, and Laio. A journalist at heart, he keeps writing as many stories as possible.
In an informal backyard in Eindhoven, with plates of pasta and bottles of beer on the table, a dozen seasoned founders gathered on May 1, 2025, to talk about the state of the startup climate in the Netherlands. What emerged was a candid, critical, but also hopeful conversation about what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change. The meeting was a Gerard & Anton Community initiative, executed by host Bert-Jan Woertman and co-organizers Xaveria Vossen and Bob van der Meulen.
The tone was set early in the conversation: “What early-stage startups need is a runway, not a roadblock.” That line became a kind of chorus throughout the evening. Participants, all founders who’ve experienced the rollercoaster of building tech companies in the Brainport region and beyond, didn’t hold back on their critiques of the Dutch startup ecosystem.
Too comfortable to innovate?
One recurring theme was comfort, and how it can be a trap. “When the comfort zone starts, dreams end,” said one founder, summarizing a broader concern. The group agreed that while Dutch society is well-organized and stable, this very stability can stifle the kind of urgency and risk-taking that startups need to thrive. “In places like Ukraine, innovation is driven by necessity. Here, that necessity is often missing.”
The Dutch emphasis on efficiency and budget control — valuable in many areas — may actually hinder early-stage startups. “A startup needs freedom to make mistakes, to move fast, and to explore dead ends,” someone noted. “But our system is too focused on structure from the start.”
The cultural gap: failure, language, diversity
Several founders compared Dutch attitudes with the American mindset. “In the U.S., when you pitch an idea, they say: ‘You’re going to get better — I’ll give you money to build your dream.’ Here, it’s more like: ‘Where’s your budget forecast?’”
The group also discussed the language barrier that still exists in the region. “Some people simply refuse to speak English in professional settings. That sends a signal that international talent isn’t fully welcome,” one participant observed. The challenge isn’t just linguistic — it’s cultural. International founders often remain in separate bubbles from Dutch entrepreneurs.
But there were positive signs too: “The younger generation is much more international and collaborative. It’s the upper layers — management, investors — where the diversity is still lacking.”
A fragmented landscape
Another issue raised was fragmentation. With various regions, ROMs, accelerators, and government programs all running their own initiatives, the startup support system in the Netherlands can feel scattered and inefficient. “We’re a small country. Why do we have so many competing structures?”
A solution? Consistent meeting points. “Look at the Venture Café in Boston. Every Thursday night, it’s packed — people drive an hour just to be there. That kind of regularity and energy creates momentum. We don’t really have that here.”
Funding without friction
Perhaps the most practical takeaway of the evening was about early-stage funding. It’s not that money is unavailable — it’s the form it takes. “We jump into valuations and legal frameworks too quickly,” one founder said. “At that stage, the team might be two people with a rough prototype. What they need isn’t another Excel sheet — it’s belief, speed, and time.”
There was a shared sense that Dutch support systems are too risk-averse, too slow, and too complex for the needs of very early-stage startups. “It feels like a toll booth when it should be a launchpad,” someone quipped.
Bridging communities
Despite the critiques, the evening wasn’t just about pointing out problems. Several concrete ideas emerged: organizing inclusive community events, starting cultural exchange programs, and building better bridges between expats and locals. “We need to create spaces where people from different backgrounds meet outside the 9-to-5.”
In a way, the spaghetti roundtable itself was a prototype for the kind of energy the founders hope to see more of — informal, honest, open, and inclusive.
One participant concluded, “There’s now a generation of founders who’ve done the whole cycle — from start to scale to exit. They’re ready to help the next wave. We need a system that helps that cycle flow more smoothly, not block it with red tape.”
