Top 49 Rotterdam Startups to Watch in 2026
Rotterdam's economy features a diverse mix of companies across industries like hardware, logistics, and healthcare. The city hosts both new ventures and established firms, creating a dynamic business landscape.
Among them are major players such as Nearfield Instruments, a semiconductor company that has raised $217.8M. Explore the full list of 50 companies making an impact in the region.
Below is our list of 49 Rotterdam startups worth keeping an eye on.
Failory's Top 9 Picks
Everday created an AI platform to give organizations a clear view of their internal skill landscape. Companies use these insights to make smarter decisions about recruiting, team building, and employee development.
| Year Founded | 2024 |
| Founders | Dylan Moerland, Estefania Hernandez |
| Funding Amount | $300k |
| Startup Size | Founding Team (1-10) |
| Last Funding Status | Pre-Seed |
| Top Investors | Builders |
Nearfield Instruments builds advanced metrology systems for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Their technology provides non-destructive, 3D imaging to improve process control during the production of microchips.
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | Hamed Sadeghian, Roland van Vliet |
| Funding Amount | $217.8M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series C |
| Top Investors | Temasek Holdings, Invest-NL, ING Group, Innovation Industries, Walden Catalyst |
Samskip delivers pan-European logistics solutions by combining sea, rail, road, and inland waterway transport. They are recognized for their commitment to sustainable and cost-effective supply chain services.
| Year Founded | 1990 |
| Founders | — |
| Funding Amount | €22.5M |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Private Equity |
| Top Investors | Eurazeo |
The team at DEBx Medical has developed a novel treatment for managing chronic wounds. Their topical agent, DEBRICHEM®, chemically removes infected or non-viable tissue from a wound bed in a single application.
| Year Founded | 2019 |
| Founders | — |
| Funding Amount | €10M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Private Equity |
| Top Investors | TVM Capital Healthcare |
HousingAnywhere runs Europe's largest marketplace for mid-term rental accommodations, connecting international students and young professionals with housing. Their platform is built to simplify the entire rental journey, from finding a room to making secure online payments.
| Year Founded | 2009 |
| Founders | Niels van Deuren |
| Funding Amount | $51M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Debt Financing |
| Top Investors | BNP Paribas, henQ, VNV Global, Real Web |
Anywhere365 builds a dialogue management platform for enterprise contact centers. Their cloud-based solution integrates directly with Microsoft Teams to help businesses streamline customer communications.
| Year Founded | 2011 |
| Founders | Gijs Geurts |
| Funding Amount | €60M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Private Equity |
| Top Investors | Bregal Milestone |
SolarDuck develops offshore floating solar energy solutions that bring renewable power generation to the sea. Their platforms are built to withstand harsh maritime conditions, making clean energy accessible in new and challenging environments.
| Year Founded | 2020 |
| Founders | Don Hoogendoorn, Ewoud Huiskamp, Harry Post, Koen Burgers, Olaf de Swart |
| Funding Amount | €19.2M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | Invest-NL, Katapult, Green Tower, Energie transitie fonds Rotterdam, Link Venture Capital |
umob builds a mobility-as-a-service app that allows users to plan, book, and pay for trips across different transportation providers. The platform unifies options like public transit, ride-sharing, and e-scooters into a single interface for seamless urban travel.
| Year Founded | 2021 |
| Founders | Raymon Pouwels |
| Funding Amount | €11.5M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Seed |
| Top Investors | — |
SkylineDx develops and commercializes signature-based molecular diagnostics that help guide patient treatment decisions. These innovative tests use genetic signatures to predict how a disease will progress or respond to therapy, enabling more personalized care.
| Year Founded | 2005 |
| Founders | Dharminder Chahal |
| Funding Amount | €20M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | Novalis LifeSciences, Van Herk Ventures |
40 Additional Rotterdam Startups Worth Following
Our top picks only scratch the surface of what's happening in Rotterdam. The city is home to a mix of companies, from fresh faces just starting out to more established players.
Many are working in fields like AI and software, and together they have raised hundreds of millions to grow their ideas. Here’s a look at the other companies that are shaping Rotterdam's startup community.
| Startup | Industry | Year Founded | Amount Raised | Last Funding Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 VIKTOR | Manufacturing | 2017 | $7.4M | Series A |
 Prime Oil & Gas Coöperatief U.A. | Energy | 2013 | $519.5M | Corporate Round |
 everox (former C2CA) | Manufacturing | 2016 | €10M | Venture Round |
 Billink | Retail | 2011 | €30.5M | Debt Financing |
 Channext | SaaS | 2018 | €5.2M | Series A |
 Chainels | SaaS | 2011 | €3.1M | Series A |
 Compagnie Maritime Monegasque | Logistics | 2009 | $94M | Debt Financing |
 Beequip | Fintech | 2015 | €89.1M | Undisclosed |
 Blockrise | Crypto | 2019 | €2M | Seed |
 Cevinio | Fintech | 2013 | €4.5M | Venture Round |
 Oneteam | Hardware | 2015 | €2.6M | Seed |
 Zeno | AI | 2023 | €2M | Seed |
 Sensius | Biotech | 2015 | €12.7M | Venture Round |
 Pieter Pot | Retail | 2018 | €12.3M | Equity Crowdfunding |
 Helloprint | Retail | 2013 | $11M | Venture Round |
 Ride check | Media | 2019 | €10M | Venture Round |
 Mantle | Fashion | 2019 | $4.8M | Venture Round |
 Lunch Bunch | Food | 2022 | €565k | Seed |
 C Teleport | Mobility | 2017 | €1.2M | Series A |
 Jedlix | Mobility | 2015 | €5M | Venture Round |
 Spheroid Universe | Media | 2017 | $25M | Private Equity |
 Equalture | Enterprise | 2018 | €6.3M | Venture Round |
 Valyuu.com | Hardware | 2021 | €3.1M | Seed |
 Veritas Petroleum Services | Enterprise | 1981 | $95M | Debt Financing |
 Kaminari Medical | Healthcare | 2019 | €4.1M | Venture Round |
 Closure | SaaS | 2018 | €1.8M | Series A |
 Freeday.ai | Enterprise | 2020 | €4M | Seed |
 Blue Radix | AI | 2020 | €5M | Venture Round |
 Monday Merch | Marketing | 2022 | €500k | Seed |
 Alicia Insurance | InsurTech | 2020 | €7M | Seed |
 Skoon Energy | Hardware | 2017 | €5M | Series A |
 Passionfruit | Marketplace | 2021 | €700k | Seed |
 Orchest | AI | 2020 | $4.2M | Seed |
 Quantib | AI | 2012 | €7.1M | Grant |
 Builders | SaaS | 2015 | €1.5M | Venture Round |
 Umincorp | Manufacturing | 2012 | €20M | Debt Financing |
 Visionplatform.ai | AI | 2023 | €350k | Pre-Seed |
 re:lock | Security | 2023 | €900k | Pre-Seed |
 CornerBox Retail Tech | AI | 2024 | $1M | Pre-Seed |
 AddOptics | Media | 2018 | €4M | Debt Financing |
