DON’T MISS
IamExpat FairIamExpat Job BoardIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Expat Info
Dutch news & articles
Netherlands ranked the fourth best country for start-ups
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Netherlands ranked the fourth best country for start-ups

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

Most Googled: Why do Dutch monarchs abdicate the throne?Most Googled: Why do Dutch monarchs abdicate the throne?
Most Googled: How many bicycles are there in the Netherlands?Most Googled: How many bicycles are there in the Netherlands?
Most Googled: Are Dutch ovens actually from the Netherlands?Most Googled: Are Dutch ovens actually from the Netherlands?
Most Googled: Why do the Dutch wear orange?Most Googled: Why do the Dutch wear orange?
What’s the deal with the two medieval lion bones unearthed in the Hague?What’s the deal with the two medieval lion bones unearthed in the Hague?
Dutch King and political leaders pay respect to Queen Elizabeth IIDutch King and political leaders pay respect to Queen Elizabeth II
The Netherlands ranks in the top 10 best countries for studentsThe Netherlands ranks in the top 10 best countries for students
Three Dutch cities named in the top 30 student cities in the worldThree Dutch cities named in the top 30 student cities in the world
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat FairsWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Sep 14, 2020
William Nehra
William studied a masters in Classics at the University of Amsterdam. He is a big fan of Ancient History and football, particularly his beloved Watford FC. Read more

A study by the finance and research company, NimbleFins, has ranked the Netherlands as the fourth-best country in Europe for start-ups. The Netherlands comes behind Germany, the UK and Switzerland.

The rise of the Netherlands

The Netherlands has been ranked as the fourth-best country in Europe for start-ups in an annual ranking by NimbleFins, rising from 10th place the previous year. The company analysed data from the World Bank, World Economic Forum, UNESCO, OECD and tax consultancies to rank 31 countries in 4 different categories.

The countries were given a score from 1 to 31 (lowest figures being better scores) in Economic Health, Cost of Doing Business, Business Climate and Labour Force Quality. The Netherlands scored generally quite well in each category, scoring 2 in Economic Health, 6 in Business Climate and 5 in Labour Force Quality. However, the Netherlands performed poorly in Cost of Doing Business with a score of 27. This gave the Netherlands an average score of 10,0 across the four categories.

The Netherlands boasts the second healthiest economy in Europe, according to the ranking, with a GDP of 909,1 billion dollars and 52.448 dollars per capita. The Netherlands high score in Labour Force Quality is due to high rates of upper secondary and tertiary education as well as high levels of staff training and quality vocational training.

You can find more information regarding the methodology of the study and a detailed breakdown of the individual categories on NimbleFins’ website.

The best countries for start-ups

Below are the top 10 countries for start-ups in Europe, along with their average category score.

  1. Germany – 6,0
  2. United Kingdom – 7,8
  3. Switzerland – 8,3
  4. Netherlands – 10,0
  5. Ireland – 10,5
  6. Denmark – 11,8
  7. Finland – 12,0
  8. Norway – 12,3
  9. Czech Republic – 12,8
  10. Sweden – 12,8
By William Nehra