Techleap is for everyone who contributes to elevating a business to unicorn status. From founders to CEOs, to other C-level executives, growth strategists, and experts. Bringing a product to the market is a challenge, but an even greater challenge is sustaining the next phase of growth. Suddenly, you encounter entirely new problems in all aspects of your business.
To help with this, we are part of an ecosystem that includes investors, the government, major tech companies (as sponsors), and experts. Because we are deeply embedded in the market, we can identify the critical gaps, the areas where the Netherlands is falling behind or where there is much to gain. For example, in areas like diversity, where substantial gains can be made, or in deeptech, where the knowledge in the Netherlands has significant societal impact but is also capital-intensive, making real market growth challenging.
Techleap distinguishes itself based on quality, depth, and diversity in expertise. We forge connections like no other. Additionally, we focus on a very specific segment in the market that the Netherlands needs. We target promising scale-ups in a ‘do or die’ phase of their business.
Technology is transforming the economy, making a massive impact on both economic and societal levels. It causes market shifts and changes cultural norms. To not miss this transformative wave, we need Dutch tech entrepreneurs as role models. However, there’s still much to be done to achieve that.
Techleap has the data, analyses, and monitoring capabilities to map out tech entrepreneurship in the Netherlands. We use reports to highlight issues, drawing from our own data and that of our partners. This data-driven approach is crucial to pinpoint where intervention is needed, where we add value, and what we achieve in doing so.
Techleap addresses problems that no one else is tackling, problems without existing solutions. The intention is to address these issues, but at some point, a private entity might take over what we’ve built. This will always require a connection with the government. However, we are convinced that we can have more impact by connecting with the business sector through partnerships.
In addition to government funding, since 2023, Techleap is also seeking private funding to increase its impact within the ecosystem. Some components can be continued by private parties without requiring government funding.
Techleap remains a non-profit organization. Any profits made through our programmes always flow back into the ecosystem, where we see the most added value.
You can join the communities and support the programmes. Partners must add substantive value, the so-called ‘skin in the game.’ We seek partners with whom we can initiate mission-driven projects. This can involve sponsoring activities, but what we emphasize most is the importance of giving back time and expertise, adding value.
These are the areas where the Netherlands is lagging. For example, in diversity but also in topics like employee participation. We deploy our activities to solve these problems or as initiatives to address them in the long term. These could be communities or changes in the system.
There will always be issues to address to strengthen the strategic position of the Netherlands. Techleap selflessly works to improve them, especially when there are no commercial opportunities yet. Partly, these efforts can be continued from the market, and partly, it will always remain with Techleap. Therefore, there will always be a need for an organization that balances between the government and the business sector to keep the strategic position of the Netherlands strong.
Techleap has a visible, active community with strong, quality programs and insights. Techleap has a powerful brand that makes a difference for tech entrepreneurship in the Netherlands. By becoming a partner, you have access to a strongly connected network with the best tech entrepreneurs in the Netherlands.
It’s a network where you encounter tech entrepreneurs facing the same challenges, and therein lies the opportunity to learn from each other. The community reveals significant lessons for success or failure, which can be decisive for your own company’s success.
‘Giving back’ is essential in this community. Many tech entrepreneurs participate because they are proud—proud of what they have achieved with their own companies and, more importantly, proud of what the Netherlands can achieve. If you find that important, then Techleap is the platform to give back. Also, the appreciation and visibility of tech entrepreneurs can grow with Techleap. Just the association with Techleap can bring them a lot and open doors that would otherwise remain closed.
For Techleap, it’s mainly about the possibilities for the Dutch economy and society and what technology can mean for you. The debate about fears of new technology is age-old. For Techleap, it’s not about a specific technology but about the entrepreneurship behind it. It’s about tech entrepreneurs being able to bring something to the market. Tech is not the answer to everything, but a solution to meet market demand.
Support in the Netherlands is not well connected with the investor community. There are fragmented initiatives and public funding options. These are small and risk-averse, with little deep tech expertise and entrepreneurial values. In this aspect, we can make significant strides to put the Netherlands on the map.
Constantijn brings with him an immensely strong network and has the knowledge to make a difference for the Dutch tech industry. However, it’s also important that other figureheads step forward, precisely because they bring different perspectives, new knowledge, or expertise that deserves attention. All of these contribute to the authoritative position of Techleap.
This is because it involves capital-intensive industries with high risks, making rapid market growth challenging. However, it’s also an industry where the Netherlands has a lot of knowledge and where significant societal impact is made. Deep tech won’t scale further without the support of a mature community.
In the realm of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’ there is much to be gained in the Netherlands. The country is simply lagging behind in this regard. Look, for example, at the one-sided image of people securing funding. From a societal perspective, it’s important to improve in this area, from an individual perspective, it’s crucial to provide equal opportunities to people in the economy, and from a business perspective, companies perform better with a strong policy.
Techleap is a non-profit organisation, funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, helping to quantify and accelerate the tech-ecosystem of the Netherlands. Constantijn van Oranje is Special Envoy of Techleap.