The Hague, best known as the city of peace and justice, wants to put itself on the map as the leading impact city in Europe. We talk to ImpactCity The Hague about their accelerator programme for startups that want to change the world
In brief
- The ImpactCity Accelerator programme will select 10 impact startups in sectors ranging from energy to health & wellbeing, food & agritech, climate and water
- The chosen candidates will be given access to a global network of investors and mentors during a 3-month programme
- Impact startups based in the Hague, or willing to move there, can apply until 11 March
The Hague is best known as the city of peace and justice. Now, it wants to put itself on the map as the leading impact city in Europe
ImpactCity The Hague and Startupbootcamp recently launched the ImpactCity Accelerator programme, which will select 10 ambitious impact startups that want to change the world in sectors ranging from energy to health & wellbeing, food & agritech, climate and water.
The chosen candidates will be given access to a global network of investors so they can experience rapid growth during an intensive three-month programme. The entrepreneurs will also be matched with experienced mentors from successful local impact scaleups, and companies including Dutch lender Rabobank, venture capital fund 4Impact and US global venture philanthropy firm DRK Foundation.
“This programme is really aimed at helping impact startups land their first investment and attract their first customers, which isn’t always easy for sustainable entrepreneurs,” Coos Santing, programme manager at ImpactCity The Hague, which supports startups and scale-ups, told Impact Investor.
The programme’s grand finale ends with a demo day, where the startups will present their business plans to ImpactCity, investors, potential partners, and other stakeholders. Startups interested in taking part can apply via this link.
There is only one prerequisite: the candidates either have to be based in the Dutch coastal city, or be prepared to move there.
“This programme is really aimed at helping impact startups land their first investment and attract their first customers, which isn’t always easy for sustainable entrepreneurs.”
Coos Santing, ImpactCity The Hague
‘Making the world a better place’
“The Hague is known as the city of peace and justice, and it’s really in our DNA to work on making the world a better place,” said Santing. “That is why the city has become a haven for impact entrepreneurs, NGOs and investors that combine doing business with doing good,” said Santing.
“And we also want to do that economically. We don’t just want technology and innovation, we also want to attract entrepreneurs in those fields who are trying to solve social issues, and try to contribute to a better world and a new sustainable economy. Startups play a very important role in that,” Santing said.
The deadline for applications is 11 March, with the programme running from April to the end of June. A large part of the programme will also be made accessible to other startups in The Hague who have not been selected.
“The Hague stands out when it comes to the number of impact startup entrepreneurs who work for a better world,” said Mercedes de Miranda, director of business development at Startupbootcamp, the world’s largest network of multi-corporate backed accelerators helping startups scale internationally.
Impact success stories hailing from The Hague include solar panel producer Exasun, energy-saving greenhouse manufacturer BBBLS, offshore solar energy company Oceans of Energy and Micreos, which is developing the world’s first targeted antibacterial products, set to replace antibiotics.
“The city invests in an attractive climate for startups and has acquired a recognisable economic profile with ImpactCity,” in recent years, said Saskia Bruines, alderman at the Municipality of The Hague. The search for the next big thing in the world of impact startups will give the city “an extra boost”, she added.
