Showcasing Croatia’s Startup Ecosystem in Amsterdam: How Digital Dalmatia Crafts Europe-Ready Startups
AMSTERDAM – Eight startup teams from Digital Dalmatia’s GROWit accelerator recently concluded a high-intensity, three-day immersion in Amsterdam, gaining firsthand insight into one of Europe’s most sophisticated tech hubs. However, the mission’s value extended far beyond the founders. The Digital Dalmatia leadership returned to Split armed with concrete models and strategic partnerships poised to reshape the future of the Croatian innovation landscape.
The study trip served as the grand finale of the inaugural GROWit accelerator cycle. Following months of rigorous training, mentorship, and a successful "Investor Day," the cohort transitioned to the international stage. There, founders put their market knowledge and pitching prowess to the ultimate test, presenting before a global audience of investors, corporate leaders, and industry experts currently driving the European startup scene.
Day One: Insight into the Dutch innovation model
nlmtd: Open Innovation as a Bridge Between Startups and Corporations
The program commenced with a meeting at nlmtd (No Limits To Development), a leading Dutch consultancy specializing in corporate innovation. Founded in 2018, nlmtd currently boasts a network of over 90 experts assisting organizations with strategic planning, sustainability, and transformation. Particular interest was drawn to their Open Innovation model—a structured approach that connects startups with large corporations through clearly defined challenges and 100-day pilot projects. A primary advantage of this model is that the corporate client bears the mediation costs, allowing startups to participate without financial burden. This concept was identified as a potential framework for a similar program within Digital Dalmatia—a systematic bridge connecting regional startups with local and national companies.
Mollie – Scale-up Lessons from a European Fintech Unicorn
One of the most anticipated meetings featured representatives from Mollie, a leading European payment service provider. Founded in 2004, this Amsterdam-based fintech company has evolved into a unicorn valued at $6.5 billion, currently serving more than 130,000 merchants across Europe. Company representatives shared their experiences regarding the scale-up process, go-to-market strategies, and the realities of fundraising within the Benelux region. They specifically highlighted that Dutch investors often demonstrate higher levels of trust toward companies registered within the region, meaning that for serious capital raising, establishing a legal presence in the Netherlands becomes almost essential. For the Digital Dalmatia startups, this provided a direct and realistic insight into the challenges of scaling within the demanding European market.
Curiosity VC - Capital is important, but relationships are even more important
The day concluded with a meeting with the Curiosity VC fund, which invests in the early stages of development of AI software companies in the Benelux, Nordic and Baltic countries.
Investors spoke openly about the relationship between founders and funds, emphasizing that VC should not only be a source of capital, but a partner in business development, with a network of contacts and strategic support. Particularly interesting was their "peer success" model, in which the success of one portfolio company positively affects the others.
Startups could conclude that the problem in the EU is often not bureaucracy, but the availability of capital and the quality of the relationships you build.
Second day: Internationalization and global networks
DutchBasecamp - A strategic approach to entering foreign markets
The second day began with the organization of DutchBasecamp , a non-profit organization that has helped more than 900 startups expand internationally. Through practical examples, the cultural differences between the Dutch and Croatian business mentality were presented, as well as the advantages of the Dutch system, from transparency to incentives for entrepreneurs. The representatives emphasized that clarity, speed of decision-making and trust are the foundations of success.
Plug and Play - Global accelerator without taking equity
A special impression was left by the Plug and Play Tech Center , one of the world's most active investors and accelerators based in Silicon Valley and present in more than 50 locations globally. Their Amsterdam program connects startups with large corporations through networking, mentoring and dealflow, without taking an equity stake in the early stages. It is precisely this model of openness and a strong international network that was recognized as an inspiration for the further development of the GROWit accelerator of Digital Dalmatia.
B.Amsterdam and TNW - Ecosystem in practice
The delegation also visited B.Amsterdam , one of the largest startup hubs in Europe with more than 40,000 square meters of space that brings together startups, freelancers, corporations and creatives under one roof.
The philosophy of shared growth and interdisciplinary collaboration resonates strongly with the vision of Digital Dalmatia. The visit also included TNW (The Next Web), a platform that has grown from a conference into a globally recognizable tech media and community. TNW shows how media, coworking space, and events can together become a catalyst for the development of an entire ecosystem.
Networking event: Croatia on the European stage
The highlight of the study trip was the networking event "Founders re/Connected", where startups from Split pitched to an international audience. The reactions were extremely positive, the audience was delighted with the diversity and quality of projects from Croatia. The event was given special importance by the presence of a representative of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which sent a clear message that Croatia recognizes technological entrepreneurship as a strategic resource.
What did startups and Digital Dalmatia take home?
For the eight GROWit accelerator teams, the study tour brought access to international networks and investor bases, concrete 1-on-1 meetings with VC funds, realistic, honest feedback on readiness for fundraising and a clearer understanding of the internationalization process.
For Digital Dalmatia, the value is equally great. Inspiration for the implementation of the Open Innovation model, new partnerships and potential EU project collaborations, insight into the functioning of advanced accelerators, a model for developing hub spaces as the center of the ecosystem, and strengthening diplomatic and international ties.
A new beginning for the Dalmatian startup ecosystem
The study trip to Amsterdam is actually the beginning of a new phase of development. The contacts, knowledge and models gathered during the three days will serve as a foundation for further improving the GROWit accelerator and strengthening the regional innovation system. GROWit once again proves that quality startups are not created exclusively in large global centers, but also in Split, Dalmatia and Croatia.
Source: Digitalna Dalmacija
