Techleap

When one founder rises, the entire ecosystem grows. The Leading Entrepreneur in Tech (LET) Award is more than a title. It’s a celebration of founders who’ve made bold leaps in times of uncertainty, turning complexity into opportunity and inspiring the entire Dutch tech ecosystem. This year, we’re proud to announce the three visionary founders nominated for the LET Award 2025: Nicola Ebmeyer – Gain.pro Hamed Sadeghian – Nearfield Instruments Maxim Romain – Dott Each of them has demonstrated remarkable leadership, scaling their companies with resilience, purpose, and a relentless drive for innovation. They’ll be evaluated by a world-class jury of leaders who know what it means to build and scale under pressure: Kees Aarts – Founder, Protix & LET Award 2024 winner Vidya Peters – CEO, DataSnipper Thomas Plantenga – CEO, Vinted Thomas Wolf – Co-founder & CSO, Hugging Face The LET Award 2025 is a tribute to those who dare to defy gravity, entrepreneurs who perform at the edge, who balance vision with execution, and who uplift the ecosystem with every move they make. Who will take the leap and land the title? Don’t miss the moment we announce the winner on 15 May 2025. See you at the LET Award ceremony! ⭐️

🔥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧! On 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟓, Techleap is hosting one of the most exciting nights in Dutch tech — the 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 in 𝐀𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐦. And I couldn’t be more excited to be part of it. Earlier that day, we’ll kick things off with our 𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓 founder-only event — a closed-door gathering where real conversations happen, founders connect deeply, and bold ideas are shared before the spotlight of the evening. The LET Award is more than a ceremony — it’s a celebration of the 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, and the 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝. Together with Constantijn Van Oranje-Nassau, the Techleap 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦, and 𝟒𝟎𝟎+ 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, we’ll celebrate those building not just companies — but a more 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. ✨ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭: 🍽️ A stunning venue + curated dining experience 🏆 LET & LET NeXT Awards — visionary leadership in tech (𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫) 🤝 High-energy networking with the top of Dutch tech 🔒 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞-𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 — but if you're working on something bold or know someone who should be in the room, 𝐃𝐌 𝐦𝐞 to be considered for an invite. Let’s make it a night to remember. #𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 #𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐩 #𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 #𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐩𝐬 #𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 #𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 #𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 With Maarten Cleeren, Davinia Levie, Dylan Richts, Lech Bakhuizen van den Brink, Sebastian L. Johansson, Florence Campbell, Rosalind Anketell, Maha Gadher, Nadia Gómez Molina, Bob Rietveld, Elisa Pedrosa Reis, Chiara Parisi & co

Now is the moment to think bigger, move faster, and lead stronger. ⏳ Scaling isn’t just about growth. It’s about determination, innovation, and daring to lead the change. At MEET 2025, we’re calling on the Dutch tech community to 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. To push past the limits of today. To rethink, reinvent, and set a new standard for what’s possible in a fast-moving world shaped by technology and innovation. This is more than an event. It’s a movement to spark transformation, forge powerful connections, and build a stronger, more resilient ecosystem together. Challenge your ideas, connect with the brightest minds in Dutch tech and leave energised, ready to scale higher and turn vision into real impact. Step into the spotlight. Shape the future of Dutch tech. Let's 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. See you at MEET! #MEET2025 #RaiseTheAmbition

🚀 We're hiring: Director of Deeptech at Techleap 🇳🇱 Are you passionate about science-driven innovation and ready to shape the future of deeptech in the Netherlands? Techleap is looking for a Director of Deeptech to lead our national deeptech strategy. Please share or tag someone who should see this! #deeptech #innovation #leadership #Techleap

🚀 Good news about employee participation for startups & scaleups! After the first signs last month of a new employee participation law for the Netherlands, we now know more about the substance following the publication of the Spring Budget (Voorjaarsnota). 👉 The effective tax rate will be maximum 32.17% 👉 The moment of taxation will shift to the moment of the sale of the shares 👉 The proposal will be further developed into legislation, with the expected start date of January 1, 2027 This is a big step forward for the Dutch tech ecosystem, as stock options will now be treated similarly to how they are in other European countries. Startups and scaleups are competing globally for talent. A fair and attractive stock option scheme helps them attract and retain top people, which is crucial to accelerate technological innovation in the Netherlands and help companies scale. After years of efforts by Techleap and entrepreneurs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministerie van Financiën , and many others — this is finally becoming a reality. Collaboration and perseverance across the entire ecosystem work! Many thanks to Minister of Economic Affairs Dirk Beljaarts and State Secretary of Finance Tjebbe van Oostenbruggen for getting this important file across the finish line and for their commitment to startup and scaleup policy! And alongside them, thanks to the many people who played an important role in making this happen — from government and experts to founders and organisations. Special thanks to Erwin Nijsse, Tjerk Opmeer, Pieter Waasdorp, Thomas Vrolijk and Vincent Hekker for building support in The Hague.  Frederik Mijnhardt and Bas Jorissen for all the insights, calculations and countless hours of explanation. Robert Gaal, Claire Martens - America, Wendy van Eijk, VNO-NCW, and the entrepreneurs from the Tech Table with their manifesto TechVoorNederland.nl as well as the Tech Champions for continually putting this topic on the agenda and tirelessly voicing the perspective of tech entrepreneurs. #ESOP #TechEcosystem #Startups #Scaleups #TalentAttraction #Techleap #EmployeeParticipation

Call me a sucker, but I can stare hours at autonomous robots in a warehouse. This week I got more than I bargained for at Otrium brand new state-of-the-art automated DC. Techleap now has our own picking robot, that joined its colleagues and engaged in a magnificent 3D Tetris spectacle. The complexity of the operations behind eCommerce and online outlets like Otrium is much higher than most people realize. And Otrium went the extra mile to avoid textile to be destroyed and minimizing packaging waste while remaining true to their B Corp values. If you start out with the idea to be asset light and simply offer an online outlet shopping experience, then think twice. To get the unit economics right you need to dive very deep into the data on SKUs and customer behavior and build up your BI to train the AI that powers the autonomous robots. Otrium looks fit for a new growth jump, as it is a category leader with the most efficient warehouse and DC. As Techleap we are very proud to have been a small part of that journey. Wishing Milan Daniels Rutger van Boxtel and Frank Van Valderen and in the background Max Klijnstra all the best for their next growth steps, back to where they belong: At the top!

Celebrating 10 Years of Bold Ideas, Risk-Taking, and Brilliant Founders – Powered by the Startup Visa! 🚀   Today, dozens of entrepreneurs & partners came together to celebrate a decade of innovation, connection, and growth. From shared experiences to future plans! Here’s to the next chapter!   A special thanks to Michael M. (founder Lalaland), Hugo Delissen (Brightlands), Myrthe Hooijman (Techleap), Rutger de Graaf (Ministry of Economic Affairs) for sharing insights and discussing the direction of the startup visa for the next 10 years!   🌟 Of course, the highlight was hearing from the founders themselves — 10 inspiring entrepreneurs who chose the Netherlands as their home to build and grow. We’ll be sharing their stories in the coming weeks, so stay tuned! Can’t wait? Get a sneak peek here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/ef2AqV8W. 🧡   We’re proud to kick off #FoundersKeepers — stay tuned for more!   Ajay Varadharajan | Fridah Ntarangwi - Kimathi | Sana Fateh | Shahpour Shapournia | Michael M. | Selina Tirtajana & Gabriel Sáenz | Aziz Murat Dikmen | Denis Chernobaev | Eugen Ostrofet | Ellen Wang 🤝

Last night, Techleap’s Founding Partners had dinner with Minister Dirk Beljaarts(Economic Affairs) to talk about 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲. ⏳ From access to capital to flexibility of the labour market, many of the challenges we face are deeply interconnected. Solving them is essential if we want the Netherlands to remain a leading hub for innovation, impact, and entrepreneurship. Together, we explored how founders are not just building businesses, but shaping solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges. And how we can unlock even more potential by creating the right conditions for the next generation of innovators to thrive. The conversation was rooted in the ambitions of the Tech for NL manifesto, and driven by a shared belief: the 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁) 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲-𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀. We’re grateful to the Minister for his commitment to this cause, and look forward to building on this momentum together with our incredible community! 🚀 More on Tech voor Nederland: https://lnkd.in/e29bpQpG

These are the founders shaping what’s next. We’re excited to welcome 9 outstanding scaleups to our latest Rise cohort! From fintech and cybersecurity, to ESG and travel tech, Rise Batch 15 is made up of scaleups with serious traction and global ambitions! 🚀 Meet the brilliant people leading the way: Mark Nuvelstijn of Bitvavo Marjella Lecourt-Alma of Datamaran Job Kuijpers, Piet Kerkhofs and Vincent van de Ven of Eye Security Krik Gunning and Chris van Straeten of Fourthline Rogier Fischer of Hadrian Bryan Onel, Ora Onel and Erik Vogelzang of Oneleet Hans Ober of TicketSwap Oz Har Adir of Vio.com Zaky P. and Garib M. of WeTravel 👉 Swipe through to get to know their companies, and the tech shaping the future. P.S. We might have just broken the record for the youngest participant to ever attend a Rise session… 🍼😉

Want to know what went down in New York? Here’s your all-access pass to our founder trip with 13 of the Netherlands’ most exciting tech founders. And what a journey it was! 🎥 📍 Kickoff on the High Line with Adriaan Kolff (Matchr) and Joe Wilson 📍 Deep dives at Adyen with Eric Mahecha, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati & Rabobank 📍 VC sessions and Unicorn AMAs at Radian Capital, RTP Global, and Insight Partners 📍 Scaling in the US with Carrie Bosworth (DataSnipper), David M. Wyler (Bilt Rewards), and Brian Distelburger(Yext & Windmill) 📍 Founder’s Dinner at Beauty & Essex with 50+ US & NL founders, featuring macro insights from Colin Kahl 📍 Investor Reception at Ludlow House with 80+ top investors, founders, and leaders 📍 A moment to remember: our visit to Nasdaq 📍 Constantijn Van Oranje-Nassau and Marjella Lecourt-Alma (Datamaran) live on Bloomberg! Huge thanks to everyone who was involved in this trip and to the founders of Polarsteps, ValueBlue, Bitvavo, Soly, Workwize, Starred.com, Coinmerce, NET2GRID, Datamaran, C Teleport, CustomerGauge, Accel Club and Blockrise. You made this experience truly unforgettable!