SOFTLANDING PORT & MARTIME VENTURES
DOING BUSINESS IN ROTTERDAM
Building something for the port or maritime industry? Rotterdam is a strong place to do it. PortXL helps you find your way in, navigating the ecosystem and connecting you to relevant partners to accelerate your entry to the region.
Doing business in Rotterdam
What you need to know before you land.
The essentials of setting up and scaling in the Netherlands — and where PortXL and its partners help you cut through them.
Register your company
Every business in the Netherlands registers with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK) in the national Business Register. That gives you a KVK number and, in most cases, a VAT number. These are the basics you need to invoice, hire and open a business bank account.
Business.gov.nl / KVK →Visa & residence for non-EU founders
Founders from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland can apply for the Dutch start-up residence permit: a one-year permit to build an innovative business, granted if you work with a recognised facilitator and your plan is approved by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), via the IND. PortXL is also a recognised facilitator
RVO / IND →R&D & tax incentives
The Netherlands rewards innovation. The WBSO scheme lowers payroll tax on R&D work up to 50% of the first tranche for young companies. The Innovation Box reduces corporate tax to an effective 9% on profits from qualifying innovation. Both run through RVO and the Tax Administration.
RVO (WBSO / Innovation Box) →Funding & regional capital
The region has patient capital for deep tech. InnovationQuarter, the Zuid-Holland development agency, runs funds such as UNIIQ (proof-of-concept), ENERGIIQ (energy) and the Rotterdam Energy Transition Fund, and helps international companies land in the region free of charge Want to know more about other sources of capital? Reach out to us.
InnovationQuarter →The port as your testing ground
Rotterdam is Europe's largest port and a live testing environment for maritime, energy and logistics innovation. Through PortXL you could get access to corporates, operators and real pilots in the port. It's where you prove your solution under real conditions before you scale it across Europe.
Port of Rotterdam →How we help
01
Tell us about your venture
A short intake, a few fields, five minutes.
02
We evaluate & route you
Our team reviews your intake and defines the appropriate next steps.
03
You connect and build
Match found? You start building where it matters.