Why Groningen is the coolest tech city you’ve never heard of
It is no secret that the Netherlands is a European leader when it comes to the tech and startup sector. The country moved €1.8 billion in investments more than double the €790 million raised in 2020 in 2021 alone.
While many people consider Amsterdam to be the country’s startup capital and a global tech powerhouse – and with success stories like Adyen, MessageBird and Mollie, they’re not wrong – the Netherlands’ lesser-known cities are becoming favorites among expats who want to be part of the dynamic tech scene of the country, without the hustle and bustle of big city life.
Take Groningen. Groningen, also known as the ‘capital of the north’, is a thousand-year-old city with a thriving student population thanks to its universities. This abundance of young, international talent, groundbreaking research and the presence of superpowers such as IBM and Google make the Groningen tech scene one to watch.
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For international talent looking to launch their technical career abroad, Groningen may be the answer.
Small in stature but big in opportunities
Groningen may not be big, but it is quickly becoming known for its startup scene.
The province of Groningen has just had ash for the second year in a row the fastest growing region in the Netherlands in terms of job growth, with around 1.2,000 local jobs being created by local startups.
Margarita Bernal-Cabas, Operations Resource Manager at EV Biotecha company developing microbial cell factories for industrial production, TNW says Groningen is an exciting place to be for its emerging biotech sector, spawning innovative companies thanks to its proximity to universities and wealth of local professors, researchers and industry encounters.
“There are a lot of new start-ups… there is a vibrant and growing biotech community with an exciting future and limitless possibilities,” she says.
And while it may seem like a disadvantage, one advantage that distinguishes a startup ecosystem like Groningen from larger cities like Amsterdam is its small size.
Stella Tsoutsouri, a mobile developer at the telecommunications startup Voyssays that because the city’s ecosystem is small, it gives people easier access to networking and making meaningful professional contacts: “There are plenty of meetings, conferences (one of the largest Python conferences is in Groningen), there is a new library /cultural center that conducts technical lectures, the university has numerous initiatives such as venture lectures and conferences, so a lot of great things are happening.
Tsoutsouri says Groningen’s size makes it easier for new startups, initiatives and groups to get off the ground. For example, when she moved to Groningen from Greece, Tsoutsouri was surprised to discover that the gender gap among IT students in the Netherlands was greater than in her home country. She then founded the Women Devs group, a community dedicated to female developers working or studying in technology.
“Here, the people who are active in the tech scene are so visible that it is very easy to set up a company or an initiative with those people because they are very accessible… For example, last year my group of Women Devs in contacted another group in the city, Lean In Groningen, and together we organized a web conference on International Women’s Day to share more knowledge with the women of Groningen about tech and other topics.”
Arne Bos, director at Parkos, an airport parking booking platform, added that many of his friends who have moved to Amsterdam and the Randstad are facing the challenge of finding affordable housing. But for the same price as a tiny apartment on the outskirts of Amsterdam, you can find a nice accommodation in the heart of Groningen.
“There are a lot of new young ambitious companies, which makes it a great place to find a job. Combine this with affordable living and living in a relaxed, quiet but lively city.”
Top universities fuel innovation and student life
Groningen is home to top universities such as the University of Groningen, which ranks in the top 100 universities in the world and has several Nobel Prize winners among its alumnae.
This means several things for the city’s tech ecosystem: a wealth of young international talent, spin-off funding opportunities, easy access to research institutes and professors who are leaders in their fields, and opportunities to network with a close-knit community.
Groningen is home to two leading universities, the University of Groningen and the Hanze [University of Applied Sciences]which brings great academic energy and student life.
“There are quite a few study programs… we have a very large department of microbiology and molecular genetics,” says Bernal-Cabas. “So there is a very long history of the university. Highly skilled professors, masters and PhD students. That creates many opportunities and many ideas.”
Proximity to universities means new opportunities for university spin-offs. The University of Groningen has seen multiple success stories including BioBTX, The Ocean Grazer Project and the Sustainable Buildings initiative, which helps make buildings more energy efficient. There have also been a number of health tech spin-offs from the university’s medical center, including Ancora Health and VRelax.
For Tsoutsouri, this proximity made it possible to achieve a long-term goal:
“There is something that Groningen has given me that I wasn’t sure if it would be possible in another city in the Netherlands: combining work with studies so that I could support myself financially. I work four days a week and do a master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence at the same time. The way Groningen is structured gives you the ability to leave the office, go to class and even go back if you need to, so it kept me present and energized both in class and in the office. I think in a city like Amsterdam it would be impossible because of the distances. I am very happy that I was able to fulfill my dream: getting a great education, while still working in the industry.”
As she explained, this can also make it easier for young and less experienced talent to break into the professional world:
“Local companies want to take in as many students as possible to keep that knowledge in the city. Companies do many projects at the university and take on interns. They are also more open to hiring junior professionals.”
A bite-sized cosmopolitan culture
“For me, the choice to move to Groningen was very easy,” says Victor FlickCustomer Success Manager at Clippaa scale-up that offers smart document processing powered by machine learning technology.
“I had been to the city once before and had a good feeling about it: not too big, not too small, clean, beautiful architecture, lots of young people and it felt dynamic! Moreover, the Netherlands is a very nice country to live in, so I didn’t think long about taking the opportunity.”
“I think we are close to 200,000 inhabitants, so it is about 1/5 of Amsterdam,” says Bos. “But with a very young population, there is also a very vibrant nightlife. I think Groningen is the only city in the Netherlands where pubs have no closing time. But also in the cultural field, a lot of cool things are happening with Eurosonic, which is a very nice music festival. It has all the amenities you need from the city, such as cinemas, shops, etc. It combines the coziness of a smaller city with the facilities of a larger city.”
This coziness, as Bos points out, makes Groningen very accessible – everything from nature to museums and nightclubs is all within easy reach.
“By bike you can get from one side of the city to the other within 10 minutes, which people really appreciate,” says Bos. “Also access to nature. I heard a colleague say that he can cycle to many different parks in a few minutes, which is very nice.”
But a small population does not mean a small town mentality. Groningen is also praised for its international appeal, thanks to its universities and emerging tech sectors. “You hear a lot of English and German on the street and occasionally other languages too, like Spanish, French, Chinese…,” says Flick. “It gives expats a sense of belonging, and a sense that there are other people in this city living a life similar to mine: being in another country and building a life here.”
So for international people who want to move and make Groningen their home, what should they keep in mind?
“If I move here, I would say the most important things to consider are the ‘legal’ things: registering in the city, getting health insurance, registering with a dentist/doctor. Also buy a bicycle and lighting for the bicycle,” says Flick. “On the other hand, as a non-Dutch person, you have to be aware of the straightforwardness of the Dutch… As a foreigner, this can sometimes be uncomfortable at first. So that’s a process you have to go through when you get here. Adapt to that immediacy and become absorbed in the whole. I would also say that the Dutch will really respect you if you are down to earth and direct like them, they see you more as one of them.
But once you’ve adjusted, says Flick, “it’s such a great city to live in. You never get bored.”
If you’re thinking about moving to Groningen, here are some great resources to check out:
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