On 22 November 2023, an initiative was launched in Wageningen to further position the Netherlands as a leading AgriFood venture hub on an international level. The event, which was attended by dozens of entrepreneurs and financiers, focused on financing opportunities for startups and scale-ups in the food transition. The announced collaboration is aimed at transforming the Dutch agrifood sector and supporting innovative companies to contribute to the food transition as successful scale-ups.
The Dutch AgriFood sector is highly regarded internationally for its pioneering role in knowledge, research, innovation and entrepreneurship. However, Invest-NL points to a remarkable trend: growth opportunities of Dutch impact startups in the Agrifood Sector are still insufficiently exploited.
There is a need for patient capital and further development of commerce and business operations. In response to this, StartLife, StartHub Wageningen, the 9 Regional Development Agencies (ROMs), Wageningen University & Research, Foodvalley NL and Invest-NL are joining forces to accelerate innovation in the food transition.
Working together on a sustainable food transition
The aim of this collaboration is to transform the Netherlands into a global AgriFood venture hub. By working together on investments, business development and support programs, we aim to help more Dutch companies grow into successful scale-ups that contribute to more sustainable food production and consumption.
The innovations of these startups are crucial for the necessary transition in food production and consumption. Many of these innovations are technological in nature and often require significant and patient capital investment.
In addition, these entrepreneurs are often pioneers who explore and develop new markets, as shown by a study of the Fastlane program conducted by Invest-NL and Foodvalley NL.
Partners with a proven track record
Wageningen University & Research, Foodvalley NL, Invest-NL, StartLife, a number of ROMs and StartHub Wageningen have been working together for years on innovations in the food transition and have a proven track record in successfully growing AgriTech companies.
Moreover, Invest-NL and the 9 ROMs are prominent investors in startups and scale-ups within the Netherlands. Together, they have an investment potential of more than 3 billion euros and represent approximately sixty percent of venture capital investments in the Netherlands.
The partners bring together not only capital, but also development programs, venture development and an extensive network.