Dutch Startups Face Significant Investment Drop in Q1 2025
Amsterdam, Monday, 14 April 2025.
Dutch start-ups saw a 59% investment drop in Q1 2025 with €460 million raised, highlighting economic pressures and strategic shifts. Despite challenges, seed investments rose by over 15%.
Investment Landscape Overview
The Dutch startup ecosystem has experienced a notable decline in investment activity, with total funding reaching approximately €460 million in Q1 2025 [1][2]. This represents a significant downturn from the previous year, when investments exceeded €1 billion in Q1 2024 [5]. The investment landscape has notably shifted, with the Netherlands dropping from its previous position as 4th-5th in European venture capital rankings to 7th-8th place [5].
Deal Flow Analysis
The first quarter of 2025 recorded 79 investment deals, marking an 11% decrease compared to the same period in 2024 [2]. Late-stage funding has been particularly affected, with Series B+ rounds halving from 14 in Q1 2024 to just 7 in Q1 2025 [2]. Late-stage startups raised €287 million, showing a substantial decrease from the previous year’s €609 million [2]. Notably, the market has seen no mega-deals exceeding €100 million for two consecutive quarters [2].
Notable Funding Rounds
Despite the overall decline, several companies secured significant funding. Hospitality software company Mews led the quarter with a €68 million round, followed by Alesta Therapeutics securing €65 million and Leyden Labs raising €63 million [2]. In the biotech sector, QurieGen successfully raised €2.2 million in a pre-seed round, demonstrating continued investor interest in specialized technology sectors [4].
Future Outlook
The startup ecosystem faces mixed prospects as it navigates through 2025. Industry experts note that while funding has stabilized at lower levels, maintaining consistent capital raises across four consecutive quarters [5], concerns about the long-term health of the Dutch tech ecosystem persist [2]. Thomas Mensink, CEO of Golden Egg Check, observes that despite global volatility, Dutch startups have shown resilience in maintaining consistent capital raising levels [5].