Startups in Groningen, the Netherlands: 2027 guide

Startups in Groningen: the short answer

Startups in Groningen come out of the University of Groningen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences and the UMCG hospital, and they cluster in health, chemistry, energy, agrifood and IT. Groningen ranks #395 of 1,000 cities in our startup city ranking (scores from 2024 ecosystem data). Campus Groningen already counts 576 companies and startups, and the regional investor NOM puts in €50,000 to €2.5 million per deal. For a 2027 launch, Groningen gives you labs, a layered set of regional funds and a startup visa facilitator, at a long train ride from the Randstad’s investors.

Is Groningen a good place to start a startup in 2027?

Groningen works well for research-heavy founders. Medtech and biotech teams can rent lab space at the Biotech Center and Meditech Center on the Healthy Ageing Campus, and chemistry, engineering and agrifood teams can start in the Innolabs on Zernike Campus. Non-EU founders building digital or IT products get a local facilitator in NOM.

It suits you less if your buyers are Amsterdam media companies or if you plan to raise a big round from many VCs in the first year. Most of the capital here comes from regional and public funds, so pair it with national investors once you grow.

What does the Groningen startup ecosystem look like?

When people search “startup city Groningen”, they find a real place: Start-up City on Zernike Campus, run by the incubator Innokite and Hanze’s entrepreneurship centre, where startups and scale-ups follow growth programs. Around it you will find:

• RUG Ventures: the University of Groningen’s venture arm since 1996. It funds and coaches academics while their technology is still in research or prototype. Its early bet Organ Assist is now part of XVIVO.
• Innokite: an incubator for students, researchers and startups in digital and deep tech, medtech and health tech, and energy and clean tech.
• Hanze University of Applied Sciences: its entrepreneurship centre researches and trains young entrepreneurs, and the student platform BusinessMatch Groningen runs workshops and guest lectures.
• Business Generator: helps founders shape revenue models, strategy and investment proposals.
• Labs and offices on campus: Biotech Center, Meditech Center, Innolab Chemistry, Innolab Engineering, Innolab Agrifood, RIOLab (24/7 units of 25 to 45 m²) and ZernikeLab (over 2,578 m²).

Where do founders in Groningen find funding?

• NOM, the investment and development agency for the Northern Netherlands: convertible loans, equity and subordinated loans from €50,000 to €2.5 million, plus a Startup Program, a ten-week Investor Readiness Program and a Scale Up Program.
• Angel Club North: NOM’s angel network for founders raising €50,000 or more, with Dealflow Donderdag pitch nights four times a year.
• Future Tech Ventures: convertible loans of €50,000 to €350,000 for high-tech startups in the north, run by RUG Ventures, Triade (the UMCG counterpart), NOM and Investeringsfonds Groningen.
• Groningen funds: Groninger Groeifonds (growth capital for companies in the province), Fonds Startkapitaal (risk capital in Groningen and North Drenthe) and Investeringsfonds Groningen, a fund of funds for local SMEs.
• National money: RVO’s early-stage loan of up to €450,000 at 7.19% in 2026, the Innovatiekrediet covering up to 45% of risky development projects, and Seed Capital loans to VC funds.

How do you register a company in the Netherlands?

Founders who plan to raise money use a BV (besloten vennootschap), the Dutch private limited company. A civil-law notary draws up the deed, registers the BV in the KVK Business Register and records the owners in the UBO register. The minimum share capital is €0.01, notary fees run €500 to €1,500, and KVK charges a one-time registration fee of €85.15. Solo founders testing an idea can register a sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak) at KVK first. Budget for one more line: a director who is also a major shareholder must draw a salary of at least €58,000 a year in 2026.

What taxes does a startup pay in the Netherlands in 2026?

• Corporate income tax: 19% on profit up to €200,000 and 25.8% above it (Belastingdienst).
• VAT (btw): 21% standard, 9% for food, medicine and books, 0% for some exports (Belastingdienst).
• WBSO R&D credit: in 2026 you deduct 36% of the first €391,020 of R&D wage and costs from payroll tax, 50% for starters, and 16% above that. Self-employed founders get a fixed €15,979 deduction plus €7,996 extra as starters (RVO).
• Innovatiebox: profit from R&D covered by an RVO S&O declaration is taxed at an effective 9% (Belastingdienst). The Tax Plan 2027 proposes raising the flat amount for smaller companies from €25,000 to €100,000 from 2027; parliament still has to vote (Rijksoverheid).
• 30% ruling (expat scheme): you can pay a hire recruited from abroad up to 30% of salary tax-free. The 2026 salary floor is €48,013, or €36,497 for under-30s with a master’s degree (Belastingdienst). From 1 January 2027 the maximum drops to 27% and the floor rises to €50,436 before indexation; this is already law (Ondernemersplein).

Which visa can a foreign founder use to move to Groningen?

EU and EEA citizens need no permit. Founders from outside the EU apply for the Dutch startup visa, a one-year residence permit that needs a contract with a facilitator, a step-by-step plan, a product or service that is new to the Netherlands, KVK registration and enough money to live on. RVO advises the IND, and the application costs €423. Groningen has its own facilitator: NOM has guided digital and IT startups through the visa since 2023, with selection through Startup Visa NL, the Investor Readiness Program for €299 and coaching at €100 an hour. After the year ends you switch to the self-employed residence permit, where RVO scores your company on points and the facilitator confirms at least three months of mentoring.

Pros and cons for founders in Groningen

Pros

• One campus with labs for biotech, medtech, chemistry, engineering and agrifood.
• Six regional funding sources, from Future Tech Ventures’ first €50,000 to NOM’s €2.5 million.
• A local startup visa facilitator for digital and IT founders.
• RUG Ventures has 30 years of practice turning research into companies.

Cons

• Most local capital is regional or public, so later rounds mean meeting investors in the Randstad.
• NOM’s facilitator program covers digital and IT startups only.
• Groningen Airport Eelde flies mainly to holiday spots, so most international trips start at Schiphol.
• The 30% ruling falls to 27% in 2027, which raises the cost of foreign hires.

What does Groningen offer women founders?

We found no women-founder program run in Groningen itself in October 2026, so the best options are national. Code-V, an alliance of 130+ banks, investors and public bodies, offers a free Funding Readiness Check that matches you with financiers by region, stage and sector, and invites founders to investor meetups. Borski Fund in Amsterdam invests in female (co-)led startups in women’s health, climate tech and future society tech. Locally, NOM’s Investor Readiness Program and Angel Club North are open to every founder in the north, and they are a fast way into the regional investor circle.

FAQ about startups in Groningen

What is Start-up City in Groningen?

Start-up City is the startup location on Zernike Campus, run by Innokite and Hanze’s entrepreneurship centre. Startups and scale-ups there follow growth programs and sit next to university labs.

Who invests in startups in Groningen?

NOM (€50,000 to €2.5 million), Angel Club North (from €50,000), Future Tech Ventures (€50,000 to €350,000), RUG Ventures and the Groningen provincial funds. RVO adds national loans and credits.

Can I get a Dutch startup visa in Groningen?

Yes. NOM acts as facilitator for digital and IT startups in the Northern Netherlands, and the IND application costs €423.

What is the corporate tax rate for a Groningen startup in 2026?

19% on the first €200,000 of profit and 25.8% above that, the same across the Netherlands.

Sources (checked October 2026)

• Campus Groningen
• Innokite
• Hanze University of Applied Sciences
• Campus Groningen: start and grow
• Campus Groningen: establish on campus
• Campus Groningen: financing
• Campus Groningen: RUG Ventures article
• NOM: investment vehicles
• NOM: programs for startups
• NOM: related funds
• NOM: Angel Club North
• NOM: facilitator program
• Groningen Airport Eelde
• Belastingdienst: corporate income tax rates
• Belastingdienst: VAT rates
• Belastingdienst: innovatiebox
• Belastingdienst: Expat Scheme (30% facility)
• Ondernemersplein: 30% ruling becomes 27% in 2027
• Rijksoverheid: Tax Plan 2027 proposals
• RVO: WBSO 2026
• RVO: Proof-of-concept funding (VFF)
• RVO: Innovatiekrediet
• RVO: Seed Capital
• IND: residence permit for a start-up
• IND: fees
• KVK: private limited company (BV)
• KVK: registration fee
• Business.gov.nl: BV in the Netherlands
• Code-V
• Borski Fund

MeanCEO Index for Groningen 🚀

Groningen is a growing startup hub in the north of the Netherlands. Here is how it scores for female entrepreneurs on the ten factors of the MeanCEO Index.

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1. Weather ☀️

• Score: 5/10
  • Groningen has a temperate maritime climate with moderate rainfall. Summers are pleasant, while winters are chilly and gray, which limits year-round outdoor networking.

2. Location 🏖️

• Score: 5/10
  • Groningen is not on the coast, though the North Sea and the Wadden coast are within reach. There are no sandy beaches within walking distance.

3. Women Friendly 👩‍💼

• Score: 8/10
  • The Netherlands has a solid record on gender equality, and Groningen reflects it. Women founders can join national networks such as Code-V for access to funding.

4. Foreigners Friendly 🌍

• Score: 7/10
  • Groningen has a welcoming attitude toward internationals, with two universities that draw students from abroad. Residents are friendly, and social events make it easy to meet people.

5. English as a Business Language 📚

• Score: 9/10
  • English is widely spoken in Groningen, above all at the universities and in the startup community, which lowers the barrier for international founders.

6. Delicious Cuisine 🍷

• Score: 6/10
  • Groningen mixes traditional Dutch food with international flavors. Local dishes are filling and tend to contain onions. There are local breweries, and wine production is limited.

7. Ease of Getting Married and Starting a Family 💍

• Score: 6/10
  • The dating culture is active and inclusive. Many residents are students, so finding a partner ready to start a family takes more time.

8. Medicine 🏥

• Score: 7/10
  • The Dutch healthcare system works well, and the city has its own university hospital, the UMCG. Costs depend on your insurance plan.

9. Ease of Transportation & Traveling 🚍

• Score: 7/10
  • Buses and trains connect Groningen with the rest of the Netherlands. Groningen Airport Eelde offers mainly holiday flights, so most international trips start at Amsterdam Schiphol.

10. Startup Mindset 💡

• Score: 8/10
  • The startup culture in Groningen is lively, with a positive attitude toward new ideas and learning from failure. The community backs founders without harsh judgment.

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MeanCEO Index Score: 68/100 🎉

Groningen shows promise for female entrepreneurs. It combines support for women, an open attitude toward internationals and a healthy startup culture. Weather and beach access score lower, while English, healthcare and the startup mindset score high, which gives women a good base to start and grow a business.

Welcome to the Groningen entrepreneurial adventure! 🚀