Business expansion · MENA → Europe
Build your company in the Netherlands
From the first market study to a registered company, with partners who know both sides.
Built for
- SMEs & start-ups
- Investors
- Universities
- Municipalities
- Chambers of commerce
- International NGOs
Why it matters
International growth should not be reserved for those with deep pockets
The challenge
High costs, high risk
For young entrepreneurs and SMEs, expanding abroad usually means high upfront costs, unfamiliar rules and real financial risk. Many good ideas stop before the first market study.
The Shababeek approach
Secure, fast and cost-conscious
We offer a structured route in small, affordable steps: a focused market study, the right partners, then a safely established company. Every decision is based on evidence, not guesswork.
What we do
Three tracks, one bridge
Whether you are expanding a business, building skills or pursuing a degree, every track runs through the same trusted network in the Netherlands, Europe and the MENA region.
01Business expansion
Business Expansion & Company Formation
Two-way market entry: European companies exploring the Gulf and MENA markets, and MENA entrepreneurs establishing a company in the Netherlands and Europe.
02Training
Shababeek Academy
Practical training programmes in the Netherlands and Europe on business management, digitalisation and expansion strategy, built for the realities of the MENA market.
03Education
Academic Pathways
Guidance for MENA students towards Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD programmes in the Netherlands and Europe, including scholarships and complementary training.
Two directions
A bridge works in both directions
Our team works from the Netherlands and from the MENA region, so we can support you on both sides of the market.
EuropeMENA
For European and Dutch companies
Enter the Gulf and wider MENA markets with a clear picture of demand, regulation and business culture. We help you test the market, find reliable partners and build a local presence without committing too much too early.
- Market and partner scans
- Business missions and introductions
- Local representation through our MENA team
- Partnership and distribution set-up
MENAEurope
For MENA entrepreneurs and SMEs
Establish your company in the Netherlands and gain access to the European market. We guide you from first orientation to a registered entity, with the networks that help you land well.
- Market orientation and validation
- Company formation in the Netherlands
- Soft landing and ecosystem introductions
- Partnerships with Dutch and European firms
Why Shababeek
Built to reduce risk, not to add cost
01
Two-way market access
Direct routes in both directions: MENA businesses entering Europe, and European companies exploring the Gulf and MENA.
02
Cost-conscious by design
We start small, with market studies, partner scans and pilots, so you invest step by step and keep the risk of going abroad under control.
03
Practical over theoretical
Every programme is built to be used on Monday morning, not filed away. Our trainers are practitioners.
04
Dutch ecosystem expertise
We know which institutions matter, how they operate, and how an international newcomer is actually received.
05
Real networks, not lists
Introductions come from relationships we maintain in Europe and the MENA region, which is why they lead somewhere.
06
Genuinely international
We work across cultures as a matter of routine. Arabic, Dutch and English are all working languages.
Signature programme
Doing Business in the Netherlands
Understand the ecosystem. Build your network. Enter the market.
Our flagship programme combines structured training with real exposure: expert sessions, company visits and introductions to the organisations that matter. Available as an open programme, or tailored for delegations from the MENA region.
01Learn
02Experience
03Connect
04Grow
How it works
Four steps, whichever track you choose
1
Understand
We start with your ambitions and context: what you are trying to achieve, what you already know, and what is really in the way.
2
Design
We develop the right market study, training programme or business pathway. Nothing is pulled off a shelf.
3
Connect
We connect you with knowledge, experts, companies and institutions, and stay in the room while it happens.
4
Grow
Knowledge and connections become opportunities: a partner, a market, a first customer, a registered company, a university place.
Insights
Notes from both sides of the bridge
-
Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Eindhoven: Choosing Your Entry Point
Three very different ecosystems with three different logics. Which one fits your sector, stage and ambition.
-
Understanding Dutch Business Culture: What Directness Actually Means
Directness is not rudeness. Consensus is not indecision. What Dutch professionals actually expect from a first meeting.
-
Navigating Legal Structures in the Netherlands: BV, NV and More
Choosing the right legal form shapes liability, taxation and how a Dutch partner reads your seriousness. A practical comparison, plus…
Start here
Ready to open your next window?
Tell us where you are starting from and where you want to go. Every engagement begins with a conversation. Pricing and structure are always tailored and agreed in writing.