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Leaps

Leaps

Leaps

Welcome to LEAPs (Leading Ecosystem Action Projects), turning the State of Dutch Tech 2026's decisive action into long-term results.

Join a trusted group of fellow founders or senior leaders to tackle your toughest challenges together

LEAP topic: womens' health as opportunity

LEAP topic: womens' health as opportunity

Status:
Sprint 1 (Initialisation)

FemTech addresses some of the largest and most under-innovated health challenges globally. This LEAP will move this from a niche topic to a strategic innovation domain.

Mission

The Funding Gap

In 2024, female founders received less than 1% of all venture capital in the Netherlands. This isn't a pipeline problem—it's a structural funding gap. By 2030, we're engineering a measurable shift: doubling the number of female-led unicorns, tripling investor participation in female-founded rounds, and eliminating bias in pitch evaluation through data-backed frameworks.

THE COLD TRUTH

<1%

<1%

<1%

of VC funding goes to female founders

2.5B+

2.5B+

2.5B+

2.5B+

Economic Loss

Economic Loss

Economic Loss

Economic Loss

Untapped value annually

40%

40%

40%

40%

Talent Drain

Talent Drain

Talent Drain

Talent Drain

Female founders leaving NL

This is not advocacy.

This is ecosystem engineering.

This is not advocacy.

This is ecosystem engineering.

This is not advocacy.

This is ecosystem engineering.

This is not advocacy.

This is ecosystem engineering.

community ask

We Need Operators, Not Observers

We Need Operators, Not Observers

This sprint requires 8-12 committed individuals: VCs willing to instrument their deal flow, female founders ready to share rejection data, researchers to build the bias detection model, and operators to test new evaluation frameworks.

This sprint requires 8-12 committed individuals: VCs willing to instrument their deal flow, female founders ready to share rejection data, researchers to build the bias detection model, and operators to test new evaluation frameworks.

Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month

Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month

Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month

Sprint Lead

Sara van Bergen

Get in Touch

Get in Touch

Get in Touch

Get in Touch

FemTech in NL

FemTech in NL

FemTech in NL

Live Roadmap

Sprint Timeline 2026

2

3

4

Sprint 1

Initialisation

12 Feb - 16 Apr

Completed

Sprint 2

Foundation

16 Apr - 30 Jun

In Progress

Sprint 3

Scale

30 Jun - 29 Oct

Upcoming

Sprint 4

Impact

29 Oct - 12 Feb

Upcoming

Live Roadmap

Sprint Timeline 2026

Sprint 3

Scale

30 Jun - 29 Oct

Upcoming

Sprint 4

Impacy

29 Oct - 12 Feb

Upcoming

Sprint 1

Initialisation

12 Feb - 16 Apr

Completed

Sprint 2

Foundation

16 Apr - 30 Jun

In Progress

Live Roadmap

Sprint Timeline 2026

2

3

4

Sprint 1

Initialisation

12 Feb - 16 Apr

Completed

Sprint 2

Foundation

16 Apr - 30 Jun

In Progress

Sprint 3

Scale

30 Jun - 29 Oct

Upcoming

Sprint 4

Impact

29 Oct - 12 Feb

Upcoming

Testimonial Image

Let’s take more risks together to invest in those magnificent Dutch growth gems.

Let’s take more risks together to invest in those magnificent Dutch growth gems.

Rob Jetten, Prime Minister-Designate and Party Leader D66

Rob Jetten, Prime Minister-Designate and Party Leader D66

Still unsure of something?

Get in touch

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Still unsure of something?

Get in touch

What are LEAPs?

LEAPs (Leading Ecosystem Action Projects) are the execution arm of the State of Dutch Tech. They are active, gated working groups where founders, investors, and policymakers collaborate to turn the ecosystem's biggest friction points into tangible solutions.

How were LEAPS formed?

How do I join a working group?

Is this open to the public?

What happens inside a LEAP workspace?

What are LEAPs?

LEAPs (Leading Ecosystem Action Projects) are the execution arm of the State of Dutch Tech. They are active, gated working groups where founders, investors, and policymakers collaborate to turn the ecosystem's biggest friction points into tangible solutions.

How were LEAPS formed?
How do I join a working group?
Is this open to the public?
What happens inside a LEAP workspace?