Finding the right business location

You need an address in the Netherlands to register your business at the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK. See step 1:

Registering your company, step 1 and 2

Which Dutch region is right for my company?

To find out more about a specific region of the Netherlands, contact one of the Regional Development Agencies (RDA) or ROMs. These are non-profit corporations with public shareholders, whose aim it is to make their region an appealing location to set up your business. They provide information, host network meetings, and can provide funding.

Industry hubs in the Netherlands

These are some of the largest industry hubs in the Netherlands:

Startup hubs

There are more regions that have a thriving startup business culture, for example Assen, Utrecht, Maastricht, and Enschede. Go the website of the Regional Development Agencies to find out more.

Resources

• KVK has economic data per region available (in Dutch).
• Or read the KVK article on finding the right location for your business by focussing on the key sector hubs.
• On the website Regiobedrijf.nl you can find an interactive map of the Netherlands and all its industries and business sectors (in Dutch).

Area analysis

Once you have narrowed down the location within the country and you know in which area you want to start your business, there are still many things to consider. You will need to analyse the area. The economic situation. Who live and work here? What businesses are located here? Is it a region with a lot of employment or is unemployment comparatively high? Is this area growing, are there plans to invest? Do your research and check with the municipality.

Environment plan

The plans you have for your location must be in line with the municipal environment plan (omgevingsplan). An environment plan includes detailed rules on how a certain plot of land or area can be used. For instance, you cannot build a factory in a residential area. If you want to buy or rent an existing building, you will need to check if your activities are allowed. For instance, if you have bought a house you will need to check if you can start a restaurant there. Environment plans can be viewed at the municipality or province and via the Dutch-language website Ruimtelijkeplannen.nl.

Target group and competitors

Do you want to sell a product and do you know who your target group is? Then it is good to know what the population structure is like in your municipality. Where do your customers live? What do they spend their money on? Why would they want to buy your product? Young families, for example, have a different spending pattern than residents of an ageing district. Consult the CBS website for data per neighbourhood (in Dutch).

Are there competitors in the area? Learn about them. Do you offer something your competition does not? How will your business stand out? Read more about this.

The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK offers a location scan in Dutch, intended for companies that focus on consumers. You can choose an industry from approximately 500 available so-called SBI codes. The Location Scan provides you with an overview containing basic information about the population (demand) and competition (supply) in a location (municipality or district) of your choice.

Environment

Will your business have an impact on the environment? Businesses in the Netherlands have to deal with environmental regulations concerning issues such as noise, energy, waste, air and soil quality. Read more here and find out if you need any permits, for instance an All-in-one permit for environmental aspects.

Permits and licences

In the Netherlands, you need a permit for most building, renovation, demolishing, construction, living, monuments, environment, nature and open space activities. This is the so-called All-in-one permit for physical aspects (Omgevingsvergunning in Dutch). Take the online permit check (in Dutch) to assess the exact type of All-in-one permit you need for your specific activity. After an environmental analysis, you will know whether or not the conditions are favourable for your business at a certain location. Your environmental analysis is part of your SWOT analysis.

Costs

Another important consideration is the cost of renting or buying offices, warehouses and/or a factory. In the so-called Randstad area (roughly speaking, the provinces North and South Holland and Utrecht), prices tend to be higher than in the rest of the country.

Who can help me find the right business location?

• KVK: a public service provider that helps business owners run their businesses successfully. If you start a business in the Netherlands, you have to register with them.
• The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland, RVO) is an executive body of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. It helps business owners run sustainable, agricultural, innovative, or international businesses. It also executes many subsidy schemes of the Dutch government.
• Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) helps and advises foreign companies on the establishment, rolling out and expansion of their international activities in the Netherlands.
• Higher Level: an online forum for and by entrepreneurs, this website offers advice and help 24/7 for all your business questions. The website is available in English via Google Translate.
• Regional Development Agencies, RDAs (regionale ontwikkelingsmaatschappijen, ROMs) help entrepreneurs with innovation, investments and internationalisation. There are 9 RDAs in the Netherlands.