8 TopDutch firms in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50

The Deloitte Fast 50 looks at the fastest growing technology firms in the Netherlands, based on their percentage growth in turnover over the past four years. The TopDutch region is home to eight of these in 2020, with growth rates between a whopping 1,040 and 338 percent.

The TopDutch region has a long-established reputation as a pioneer in digital innovation, powered by the leading research hubs from the University of Groningen and the multiple universities of applied sciences in the North. But the region has also invested heavily in the digital literacy of the broader workforce, meaning that all TopDutch citizens – regardless of age or education level – are primed to push forward the digital economy. Added to the nurturing start-up scene in the region; communities such as Founded in Groningen and Founded in Friesland, ikbendrentsondernemer (I am a Drenthe entrepreneur), and the NOM, the TopDutch region is a strong environment for fostering fast-growing tech firms.

Parkos

Industry: Leisure and Tourism
Ranking: #12
Growth: 1040%

Founded in the TopDutch city of Groningen in 2014, Parkos’s goal is to make airport parking cheaper, easier and more transparent. The company realized a flaw in the, otherwise fast-developing, travel industry: Traveling and flying has become significantly cheaper and more accessible in recent years. So why is finding an airport parking spot still such an expensive and unreliable experience?

Over the past few years, Parkos has grown rapidly (it also ranked #9 in the Fast 50 2019), and has become the market leader in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Italy, as well as starting their expansion into Australia and America last year. In total, they’re active in 12 countries worldwide.

Simplicate

Industry: Software
Ranking: #18
Growth: 717%

In just 6 years, B2B software providers Simplicate have achieved an impressive amount. Founded in Groningen in 2014, they have since grown to include two offices, over 45 employees and 1000s of clients. They managed this by building their operations with the client in the center. As the name suggests, their goal is to make better business, through simple software.

This is their second appearance on the Fast 50, indeed last year they ranked forth, with an overall turnover growth of 3,013%. Despite the challenges that have come with the pandemic in recent months, they are still continuing to grow rapidly, by also helping their clients grow and develop.

Nova Incasso

Industry: Financial Services
Ranking: #21
Growth: 548%

FinTech and its ability to make money-matters easier, simpler and more transparent is one of the most talked about sides of the digital economy. A great example of this is Groningen-born Nova Incasso. Their no-win no-fee debt collecting agency places transparency and simplicity at the core through their self-developed software.

Their journey began in the TopDutch region in 2011, and since have placed on the Deloitte Fast 50 Netherlands twice – apart from 21^st place this year, they also reached 18^th overall and 1^st in FinTech last year with a 681% growth rate – as well as the EMEA Fast 500 in 2020.

Acquaint

Industry: WaterTech
Ranking: #22
Growth: 533%

From their home in Leeuwarden, the European Capital of WaterTech, Acquaint are one of the numerous successful start-ups in the TopDutch WaterTech sector. Having been founded in 2014, they found their home in the TopDutch region in 2018, where they are aided by the close proximity of research center Wetsus and business accelerator WaterAlliance.

By bringing together data science and innovative inspection methods, they have developed a revolutionary approach to making water networks safer and more reliable. In just five years they’ve achieved a leading position in the Netherlands, and are now in the midst of an internationalization process to bring their solutions to the whole world.

Jellow

Industry: Recruitment
Ranking: #25
Growth: 492%

With a base in both the TopDutch city of Groningen and Naarden in the province of North Holland, the scale-up Jellow brings together their some 3,000 clients with a talent pool of over 40,000 freelancers. Founded in 2012, in 2016 they gained significant growth investment from the TopDutch Investment and Development Agency (NOM), amongst others, and a ran a successful further investment round earlier this year.

From starting in an attic room, the freelancer platform now has two offices, from which they service their clients from across the Netherlands and Belgium, including major multinationals such as Booking.com and T-Mobile, as well as fresh start-ups and SMEs.

Appwiki

Industry: Software
Ranking: #33
Growth: 370%

Located in the heart of the youngest city in the Netherlands, Groningen, Appwiki has a knack for attracting the brightest tech talent. Their innovative software consulting model attracts a large number of Dutch SME entrepreneurs who want to make their business better with the best software for their needs, and not pay a hefty price. They’re so good at it, in fact, that it has made them the number one software advice platform in the country.

With great growth ambitions to become the number one in Europe, they’ve not been unnoticed. In 2017 they were nominated for the Young Entrepreneurs Award, and in recent years also achieved EU funding to continue their Big Data-based innovation.

Payt

Industry: Software
Ranking: #37
Growth: 349%

For the third year in a run, smart debtor management firm Payt has found itself on the Deloitte Fast 50. Currently the largest credit management company in the country, and expanding into the UK, Ireland and Belgium, their goal is to make credit management not just more efficient, but also more personal.

Born in 2013, by 2016 they had already collected over €1billion in invoices for their clients. 2018 was their first appearance on the Fast 50 ranking, where they premiered in 11^th place. The following year they took 20^th place, after collecting an insane €10billion for their clients.

Cloud ++

Industry: Software
Ranking: #40
Growth: 338%

Headquartered in the quaint Frisian lake town of Joure, Cloud ++ services clients from across the world. The team creates customized business applications for clients such as AkzoNobel, FleuraMetz and Dulux that drive innovation, collaboration and customer-focus.

Founded in only 2015, Cloud ++ has grown at a rapid pace. Having achieved 16^th place in last year’s Fast 50 ranking, they now have a presence in the Netherlands, Estonia, Ukraine and Brazil.

The TopDutch region has laid the foundations for some of the world’s most exciting tech start-ups and scale-ups. Take, for example, HackerOne – recently ranked number 5 in Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies – which was born in Groningen and now has branches across the world. Or Catawiki, who was Europe’s fastest-growing tech company when it scaled-up by 45000% in a year. Both of the companies are on their way to the exclusive ‘unicorn’ status.

The tight-knit business community and collaborative culture of the Northern Netherlands makes fertile ground for innovative start-ups across a wide range of industries. Well-established firms are always willing to give the youngsters a hand, and the presence of communities such as Campus Groningen – which houses both knowledge institutions and highly-specialized companies – makes the sharing of knowledge and skills all that easier.