by It’s no secret that the Netherlands is a European leader in the technology and startup sector. The country has attracted €1.8 billion in investment in 2021 alone, more than double the €790 million raised in 2020.
While many people think of Amsterdam as the country’s startup capital and a global tech powerhouse – and with success stories like Adyen, MessageBird and Mollie, they can’t go wrong – the lesser-known cities of the Netherlands are becoming favorites among expats looking to become ones Part of the country’s vibrant tech scene without the hustle and bustle of big city life.
Take Groningen. Known as the country’s ‘Capital of the North’, Groningen is a thousand-year-old city with a thriving student population thanks to its universities. This abundance of young, international talent, groundbreaking research and the presence of corporations such as IBM and Google make Groningen’s tech scene a scene worth seeing.
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For international talent looking to start their tech career abroad, Groningen could be the answer.
Small in size but big in possibilities
Groningen may not be big, but it is quickly becoming known for its startup scene.
The province of Groningen was just the second year in a row the fastest growing region of the Netherlands in terms of job growth, with around 1.2,000 local jobs created by local startups.
Margarita Bernal-Cabas, Operations Resource Manager at EV Biotech, a company developing microbial cell factories for industrial production, tells TNW that Groningen is an exciting place for its burgeoning biotech sector, which thanks to its proximity to universities and an abundance local professors, research and industry meetings.
“There’s been a lot of new startup companies… there’s a vibrant and growing biotech community with an exciting future and unlimited opportunity,” she says.
And while it might seem like a disadvantage, one advantage that sets a startup ecosystem like Groningen apart from larger cities like Amsterdam is its small size.
Stella Tsoutsouri, a mobile developer at telecom startup Voys, says because the city’s ecosystem is small, it allows people easier access to network and make meaningful professional connections: “There are a lot of meetings, conferences (one of the biggest Python conferences is in Groningen), there is a new library/cultural center that does Tech Talks, the university has a lot of initiatives like venture lectures and conferences, so a lot of great things are happening.”
Tsoutsouri says Groningen’s size makes it easier for new startups, initiatives and groups to take off. For example, when she moved to Groningen from Greece, Tsoutsouri was surprised to find that the gender gap in IT students in the Netherlands was larger than in her home country. She then founded the Women Devs group, a community dedicated to female developers working or studying in the technical field.
“Here the people who are active in the tech scene are so visible that it is very easy to start a company or an initiative with these people because they are very approachable … For example, last year my group Women Devs connected with another group in the city, Lean In Groningen, and together we organized an International Women’s Day web conference to share more knowledge with the women of Groningen about technology and other topics.”
Arne Bos, CEO of Parkos, an airport parking booking platform, added that many of his friends who have moved to Amsterdam and the Randstad face the challenge of finding affordable housing. But for the same price as a tiny apartment on the outskirts of Amsterdam, you could easily find nice accommodation in the heart of Groningen.
“There are a lot of new, young, ambitious companies, which makes it a great place to find a job. Combine this with affordable housing and living in a relaxed, quiet but vibrant city.”
Top universities foster innovation and student life
Groningen is home to top universities such as the University of Groningen, which is ranked among the top 100 universities in the world and has several Nobel Prize winners among its alumnae.
This means several things for the city’s tech ecosystem: an abundance of young international talent, opportunities to fund spin-offs, easy access to research institutions and professors who are leaders in their fields, and opportunities to network with a tight-knit community .
Two leading universities are located in Groningen, the University of Groningen and the Hanze [University of Applied Sciences]which brings with it great academic energy and student life.
“There are quite a lot of programs… we have a really big department in microbiology and molecular genetics,” says Bernal-Cabas. “So the university has a really long history. Very competent professors, masters and doctoral students. That creates a lot of possibilities and a lot of ideas.”
The proximity to universities opens up new opportunities for university spin-offs. The University of Groningen has seen several success stories, including BioBTX, The Ocean Grazer Project and the Sustainable Buildings initiative, which helps make buildings more energy efficient. There have also been a number of healthtech spinoffs from the university’s medical center, including Ancora Health and VRelax.
For Tsoutsouri, this proximity enabled him to achieve a long-term goal:
“Groningen gave me something I wasn’t sure any other city in the Netherlands could do: combine work and study to make a living. I’m working four days and doing a Masters in Artificial Intelligence at the same time. The way Groningen is structured gives you the ability to leave the office, go to class and even go back if needed, so I was present and energized both in the classroom and in the office. I think in a city like Amsterdam that would be impossible because of the distances. I am very happy that I was able to realize my dream: to get a great education and at the same time to work in the industry.”
As she explained, this can also make it easier for young and less experienced talent to enter the professional world:
“Local businesses want to take students on as much as possible to keep that knowledge in town. Companies do many projects with the university and hire interns. They are also more open to junior staff.”
A bite-sized cosmopolitan culture
“For me, the decision to move to Groningen was very easy,” says Victor Flick, Customer Success Manager at Klippa, a scale-up that offers intelligent document processing based on machine learning.
“I’ve been to the city before and had a great feeling: not too big, not too small, clean, nice architecture, lots of young people and it felt dynamic! Also, the Netherlands is a really good country to live in, so I didn’t think twice about taking the opportunity.”
“I think we have just over 200,000 inhabitants, so about 1/5 of Amsterdam,” says Bos. “But a really young population means there’s a really vibrant nightlife too. I think Groningen is the only city in the Netherlands where bars don’t have closing times. But also culturally there are a lot of cool things to do at Eurosonic, which is a really nice music festival. It has all the facilities one needs from the city like cinemas, shops etc. It combines the cosiness of a smaller city with the facilities of a larger city.”
As Bos points out, this coziness makes Groningen very accessible – from nature to museums and nightclubs, everything is within reach.
“You can go from one end of the city to the other on a bike in 10 minutes, which people really appreciate,” says Bos. “Also access to nature. I heard a colleague say that he can cycle to many different parks in a few minutes, which is really nice.”
But a small population does not mean a small-town mindset. Groningen is also praised for its international appeal, thanks to its universities and emerging technology industries. “You hear a lot of English and German on the streets, and occasionally other languages like Spanish, French, Chinese…,” says Flick. “It gives expats a sense of belonging and a sense that there are other people in this city who have a life similar to mine: being in another country and building a life here.”
So what should international people consider who are relocating and want to make Groningen their home?
“If I were to move here, I would say that the most important things to consider are the ‘legal’ things: registering with the city, getting health insurance, registering with a dentist/doctor. Also get a bike and light for the bike,” says Flick. “On the other hand, as a non-Dutch person, you have to be aware of the straightforwardness of the Dutch… As a foreigner, it can sometimes be uncomfortable at first. So that’s a process you have to go through when you get here. Adapt to this directness and blend in. I would also say that the Dutch will really respect you if you are really down to earth and direct like them, they see you more as one of their own.
But once you’ve settled in, says Flick, “it’s such a great city to live in. You never get bored.”
If you’re thinking about moving to Groningen, here are some great resources to check out:
