Number of new entrepreneurs rises in 2026, with regional differences
Starting your own business is popular. The number of new businesses increased in ten of the twelve Dutch provinces in the second quarter of 2026. Compared with the same period in 2025, the Chamber of Commerce welcomed 4.8% more new entrepreneurs nationwide. In addition, 9.2% fewer businesses ceased trading than a year earlier. There were also fewer bankruptcies.
On 30 June, the Netherlands had around 2.6 million businesses. However, entrepreneurial activity is not equally strong throughout the country. There are clear regional differences.
Strongest growth in Drenthe and Groningen
The north-east of the Netherlands saw the strongest growth in business numbers between April and June 2026. Groningen recorded an increase of 14%, followed by Drenthe and Overijssel at 12% and 11% respectively. Looking at the sectors driving growth, ICT and business services stand out. Groningen in particular is performing well in terms of economic growth.
North Holland (6%) and Flevoland (8%) are also doing reasonably well. Zeeland and North Brabant recorded a decline of 2%, while the number of entrepreneurs rose by around 3% in the other provinces. However, the percentage of new businesses does not tell the whole story. North Holland had the most new businesses per 10,000 residents, at 43.
In South Holland and Flevoland, 35 out of every 10,000 residents started a business. Drenthe, which ranked second in percentage growth, had 23 new businesses per 10,000 residents, the lowest figure nationally. This is naturally related to the absolute population of each province, which is considerably higher in the Randstad. Nationally, South Holland accounted for the largest share of new businesses, at 24% of the total, followed by North Holland at 23%.
Almost 80% of all new entrepreneurs were self-employed without employees.
Fewer closures than a year earlier
Not only did the number of new businesses rise in most provinces in 2026, but business closures also declined nationwide. Business closures do not exclusively mean bankruptcies. There are many other reasons why a business may close, including an entrepreneur’s retirement or death, or a merger. Flevoland saw the largest decline in closures, down 17% compared with the same period last year.
As in previous quarters, the proportion of closures was highest in South and North Holland. In absolute numbers, North Holland saw the most businesses close. Drenthe had the fewest closures in relative terms. The number of bankruptcies fell by almost 13% to 813.
Growth in business services
Growth among Dutch businesses is concentrated mainly in business services. KvK figures show that in 2026 there were particularly more new entrepreneurs in energy supply and mining and quarrying. Waste management is also growing, possibly connected to the government’s ambition to improve waste separation. ICT and financial services are also popular among new entrepreneurs. By contrast, the number of new hospitality businesses fell by 3%, while trade saw a decline of 9%.
Are you planning to start a business?
If you are considering becoming an entrepreneur, good preparation is essential. Investigate whether your business has a realistic chance of success, taking demand and competition into account. Think about the legal structure too, because changing it later can be quite cumbersome. Are you starting as a self-employed professional without employees? It may be attractive to hold off renting business premises.
This can save you considerable costs. If you would rather not use your home address as your company’s business address, you can use a virtual office. With an agreement in place, you can use the virtual office address as your company’s postal address and keep your home address private in the Business Register.
Source: KvK, 23 July 2026
