Amsterdam, a Leader in Impact Entrepreneurship 

Amsterdam, a Leading Impact City

Impact entrepreneurship is an essential part of the city’s mindset. Amsterdam has a long history as a home base for entrepreneurs who do business in a responsible way and create added value for society with their companies. Amsterdam is working hard to become a leader in the well-being economy, creating social and financial value. To achieve this, everyone will have to work together, collaborate and co-create innovative solutions. Think of start-ups, SMEs, large companies, financiers, civil servants, network organisations and knowledge institutions. Together we can work on a growing ecosystem of impact entrepreneurs that will lift Amsterdam to a higher social level.

What Is Amsterdam Impact?

Amsterdam Impact is an initiative of the municipality of Amsterdam, founded in 2015. The aim of the Amsterdam Impact program is to support all companies that tackle social challenges through entrepreneurship in their development. Besides this, the initiative helps to position the city of Amsterdam as a top location for impact-driven companies.

What Does Amsterdam Impact Focus on?

1. Transition: the municipality of Amsterdam wants to turn the city into a global centre of expertise. They believe that the role of local governments is to contribute to the transition towards an economy focused on creating shared value.

2. Market access: with Amsterdam Impact, the city helps to stimulate the continuity and revenue growth of impact companies. In this way, social challenges are tackled through entrepreneurship, resulting in more social value being created by companies.

3. Capital: entrepreneurship obviously also means that capital is needed. Amsterdam Impact helps to ensure sufficient capital is available for impact companies at every stage of the business cycle. They do this by encouraging close collaboration and knowledge exchange between various financiers.

4. Internationalisation: one of the goals of the initiative is to make Amsterdam a leader in the international impact economy. Amsterdam as a hotspot for growing and scaling impact companies, creates a growing ecosystem of impact entrepreneurs and deepens collaborations with international governments – on a municipal, regional or national level.

5. Impact of entrepreneurship in the neighbourhood: entrepreneurial initiatives with a focus on social cohesion, labour participation and sustainability contribute to the economic growth and quality of life in Amsterdam. Amsterdam Impact supports this in various ways.

6: Connections in the ecosystem: Amsterdam Impact strengthens the connections between the various players of the Amsterdam ecosystem for impact entrepreneurship. They do this by sharing expertise, helping them know who is who in different industries and how to do business with each other.

How Can Amsterdam Impact Help You as a Conscious Entrepreneur?

Amsterdam Impact can help you develop and take the next step as a conscious, social and/​or social entrepreneur. Are you a startup, SME, investor, civil servant, network organisation or knowledge institution and do you want to be part of the growing ecosystem of impact entrepreneurship in Amsterdam? Discover together with Amsterdam Impact how your company can make the transition to an impact-driven business model. For example, join their impact investment networks. Or receive tools to grow your own impact company. Sign up for the Impact Ecosystems Network to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs from all around the world.

Amsterdam Impact’s website has more information about how entrepreneurs can participate in Amsterdam’s transition to becoming a leader in impact entrepreneurship.