Amsterdam startups employ more people than ever

Now in our fifth edition of the report, this year’s Amsterdam startup employment report uncovers the scale of Amsterdam’s startup ecosystem and a serious and important employer in the city, in partnership with Startup Amsterdam.

Homegrown tech companies in Amsterdam employ over 49K people. This is in addition to 23.5K jobs provided by foreign startups with a presence in the city.

There are now more people employed by Amsterdam startup than ever before. Of 49.2K current jobs, 16K have been created in since 2016. Startups are a powerful jobs growth engine, and also proved resilient during the pandemic, continuing to grow why other sectors paused or contracted headcount.

Citywide innovation

Startup jobs are spread throughout of the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, from Haarlem to Almere.

Amsterdam tech workers are also employed in a plurality of sectors. Fintech and travel top the lists for sector employment, led by a small number of large companies including Booking.com, Mollie and Adyen, but Foodtech and Energy have been the two fastest-hiring sectors in the last 12 months.

Startups + venture capital = more jobs

Startups are a jobs growth engine, but job creation is accelerated further still with venture capital. Startups that raise investment are more likely to employ more people, and more quickly. Entrepreneurship and startup job creation are also accelerating.

Younger cohorts of startups have reached scale in headcount quicker than older peers.

Amsterdam startup employment is a at an all time high. And though macro conditions look to be toughening, and some tech companies have already announced layoffs, so far the sector’s growth has well outstripped any jobs lost from the ecosystem.

And there are 1,400+ job roles at Amsterdam startups live online right now.