These are the important dates for you to know, and block in your calendar.

• October 13th: 15 Founders will be invited for an in-person Selection Day pitch with our independent Selection Board. It’s a 30min timeslot between 10.00 and 16.00 on Oct 13, in person in Amsterdam (Beurs van Berlage). The Selection Board will decide which 10 teams will join the program after this event.
• November 1st: public announcement of the selected teams!
• January 9th: program starts
• March 11th – 19th: US Business trip to New York and Boston.
• March 19th: program ends

10 companies are selected to join each edition of the program.

From all the applicants, 15 teams are invite to Selection Day. Our independent Selection Board is made up of entrepreneurs, investors and experienced advisors. After Selection Day, they will select the 10 companies that will join the program.

Applications are currently open, apply here!

The ScaleNL team makes a shortlist of 15 applicants to be presented during the Shortlist Showcase and Selection Day.

During our Shortlist Showcase (virtual) event, we present your video pitches (from the application) to a group of 40 advisors and partners based in the US and NL. They have experience in scaling to the USA, investing in startups, and building businesses. You do not need to join this event, we will share the valuable feedback from those advisors and partners with you after the event.

During Selection Day, you will pitch to our independent Selection Board in Amsterdam (30min timeslot between 10.00 and 16.00). Based on the input and feedback from both days, the Selection Board will select the 10 companies that will join the program.

The ScaleNL Accelerator is an ideal fit for companies that have an established business in The Netherlands and/or Europe (product-market fit, solid user base) and currently have US expansion in the next 12-24 months on their strategic roadmap.

Below are some minimum requirements that we look for.

• Working on innovative and scalable tech,
• Significantly contributing to a Sustainable Development Goal
• Have reached product-market fit and have a user or customer base
• Have financial runway for most of 2023
• Are already planning to expand to the US in 2023. Maybe you’ve even taken some steps towards making that happen.

This program is for all Dutch Tech startups with US expansion ambitions!

This next edition is focused on the East Coast of the US, which is especially interesting for B2B, SaaS, Big Data & Analytics, eCommerce and AI focused businesses in the BioTech, Life Science & Health, FinTech, CyberSecurity, Logistics, Photonics / optics, and Food & AgTech industries.

Not quite there yet? Check out the ScaleNL Ecosystem Community, Academy and Events.

First and foremost, we’re looking for companies that we can really help. 

More specifically, digital-first, scalable businesses that have proven they have a market for their solution. As long as you have planned to expand to the US and we can help you, you have a chance and should apply! 

Check out Who is this program for? for more details.

The main participant in the program should be the Founder of your company that is responsible for international / US expansion of the company. We ask that founder to be committed, responsive and present. They will attend the sessions, travel to the US at the end of the program, and be the main point of contact for the program team.

Other members of the leadership team will be invited to join relevant sessions. 

The program is funded by the Dutch government to help Dutch tech startups grow their businesses by entering the US market. 

You will have to cover your own travel costs during the US Business trip. We’ll be providing accommodation. 

We recommend having enough runway to join the program and until you can raise more funding, and having a budget internally to invest in your expansion to the US.

No other costs are involved in your joining the program.

As one of the ten companies joining the program, our goal is to get you ready to enter the US Market competitively from day 1. We have the network, resources and time to focus on each companies’ individual needs.

Our program is built around coaching from local American advisors, Ask-Me-Anythings with Founders that have done this before, and 1-1 sessions on your business with seasoned experts in the US market. The highlight of the program is the US Business trip to New York City and Boston, where you’ll be immersed into the local ecosystem.

• 10 weeks of intense focus on shaping your US market expansion.
• Virtual and in-person sessions in The Netherlands
• Business trip to New York and Boston

The government recognizes that startups are a driving force of the Dutch economy. For example, as job creators: 250 000 new jobs in the last 3 years alone. Scaling up your Dutch company abroad will also grow your home base in The Netherlands. 

That’s why our goal is to help you grow your business abroad, and help you reach your full unicorn potential.

You are invited to still apply to the ScaleNL Ecosystem to gain access to the digital events! Here is the application form.