Start-ups and The Hague
Start-ups are everywhere now with our booming economy. Entrepreneurs are starting up innovative businesses, which lead to new jobs and more economic diversity.
The Hague offers a great climate for start-ups. The large number of international organisations, national governmental organisations, education and research institutions and NGOs offer many opportunities for knowledge spill-overs and collaboration. With all these close connections, start-ups in The Hague will not only be likely to have commercial success, but will also have a social impact with international reach.
Softlanding The Hague
To have more start-ups benefitting from The Hague’s business climate, a new Softlanding programme has been founded in a collaboration of The Hague Tech, The Hague Business Agency, InnovationQuarter and WorldStartUpFactory. The Softlanding programme is aimed at international IT and Tech start-ups and scale-ups to help them getting to know the Dutch market, meeting potential clients and partners. It is also an opportunity for these start-ups to join the striving tech ecosystem in the city and to be inspired and supported by the other community members.
Among the first participants are, for instance, a Brazilian start-up called FindBrazil and a South-African start-up called Voyc.ai
International start-up facilitators
New start-ups will not be alone. Special facilitators act like business mentors and guide innovative start-ups and scale-ups on their way to success. Facilitators can offer support with, for example, marketing and acquiring investments.
At the moment, there are four facilitators at work: WorldStartUpFactory, The Hague Tech, The Hague Business Agency and Yes!Delft as newcomer. Yes!Delft The Hague just recently opened in the presence of Prince Constantijn van Oranje and The Hague Alderman Saskia Bruines. Yes!Delft will be the new digital hub, specializing in accelerating Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain technology start-ups.
Start-up Visa
Part of Softlanding The Hague is the option to make use of the Dutch Start-up Visa. This visa is a special residence permit required to work in the Netherlands, which gives entrepreneurs one year to start an innovative company in the Netherlands. Having a facilitator is required for this permit, so the Soft Landing programme is of great help when you want to apply for the start-up visa.
ImpactCity
The Hague is the first ImpactCity of the world. The city is proud to be the frontrunner on an international scale when it comes down to join forces for entrepreneurship and impact to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. The core of the global ImpactCity is ‘doing good & doing business’.
ImpactCity is also partners with the four organisations mentioned earlier: The Hague Tech, The Hague Business Agency, InnovationQuarter and WorldStartUpFactory and contributes to a soft landing as well by offering an extensive package of services and access to international networks to start-ups and scale-ups.
The Hague International Centre
We work together with international business, organisations, service providers and the international community to make The Hague region more international-friendly. We stimulate English-language services and work to improve facilities for international talent. In close collaboration with The Hague Business Agency and InnovationQuarter we help new international companies, start-ups and NGOs set up in The Hague region. The Hague International Centre can help your business with the information and guidance you need to hire international talent. We work with business and organisations already based in The Hague region and those considering to establish their new office here.
The Hague International Centre can help you to:
- Take care of formalities of your international staff, such as municipal registration, BSN and collecting residence permits.
- Find the rights immigration procedures to hire international staff.
- Guide you on other relevant municipal and government services.
- Provide information about working and living in The Hague region.
- Update you on new development in immigration procedures and the international community.
- Introduce you to relevant government authorities, service providers and the international networks.