Rabobank and Founded join forces to strengthen startups in Northern Netherlands

Rabobank (district Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe) and Founded have entered into a partnership to stimulate innovation and sustainable growth in the Northern Netherlands. This initiative aligns perfectly with Rabobank's broader mission to contribute to major transitions. "Innovation often arises within knowledge institutions and startups. We aim to stay close to these players to provide support and foster their growth. Founded is at the heart of this ecosystem," says Carlo Ezinga MBA , Cooperative Director of the Friesland District.

Structuring the ecosystem

Rabobank has been working on strengthening its position within the startup ecosystem for three years, but according to Ezinga, there was still a need for more structure and collaboration.

Ezinga: "The ecosystem is large, but lacked a collective vision. Founded changes that by acting as a bridge between education, business, government, and other stakeholders. They help realize a shared dream and build a thriving ecosystem."

The goal of this collaboration is to strengthen the ecosystem, enabling more high-quality startups to emerge and ensuring that a larger percentage successfully scales up. "What’s powerful about Founded is that they work across the entire Northern Netherlands, overcoming regional boundaries to unite forces in the North," Ezinga adds.

Supporting startups

"Rabobank plays an essential role in supporting startups, both through offering business networks and financing options. Through this partnership, we combine our strengths to provide optimal support to Northern Dutch startups," explains Bertwin Kampman , Director of Founded.

One of the key tools Rabobank provides is the innovation loan, a pre-seed financing option for startups. Currently, Rabobank is financing 48 startups with this loan. "We help startups in their early stages when there are often no proven results or paying customers. That’s where we can really make a difference," Ezinga says.

The importance of collaboration

Danny Mulder , Business Development Manager at Rabobank district Groningen/Drenthe, stresses the importance of the ecosystem in Northern Netherlands. "There are many great initiatives, but it’s all about pooling knowledge and expertise. At funding tables, we can assess what startups really need alongside other parties, and it often goes beyond just financial support."

Rabobank encourages other organizations to become partners with Founded. "We are big fans of the structure Founded has created. The more parties get involved, the stronger the network becomes, and the better Founded can fulfill its role as a leader in empowering startups," adds Mulder.

Kampman praises Rabobank’s strong reputation for supporting startups and scale-ups: "I am proud of the formalization of this collaboration."

Ezinga concludes with a clear message: "Now it's time to get to work!"