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Doing Business in the Netherlands

Understand the ecosystem. Build your network. Enter the market.

Three days combining structured training with real exposure. Understand how Dutch business operates, then go and see it — inside companies, with the people running them, alongside a cohort of founders working on the same problem from different angles.


Duration
3 days
Location
Amsterdam
Cohort size
12 – 18
Language
English
Format
In person
Includes
Company visits

Who it is for

This programme suits you if…

  • International entrepreneurs considering or beginning a move into the Dutch market
  • Founders who have information about the Netherlands but no network in it
  • Companies sending a small team to assess a European entry
  • Professionals who need to work credibly with Dutch organisations
  • Investors evaluating Dutch or European opportunities

Learning outcomes

By the end you will…

  • Read the ecosystem

    Name the institutions that matter for your sector and know what each one actually does.

  • Operate in Dutch business culture

    Run a meeting, make an ask and read a room without misfiring.

  • Assess your own model

    Stress-test your business model against what a European market will bear.

  • Map your financing options

    Understand the Dutch funding landscape and where you plausibly fit in it.

  • Build a real network

    Leave with named contacts who know who you are and expect your email.

  • Define your next step

    A concrete, sequenced action for the ninety days after the programme ends.

Curriculum

Ten modules

Eight taught modules, two half-days of company visits, and a closing session that turns three days into a plan.

01

The Dutch Ecosystem

Who does what, who funds what, and how an international newcomer is actually received. Institutions, clusters, and the map you need before anything else.

InstitutionsNetworks

02

Dutch Business Culture

Directness, consensus, hierarchy and time. Why a Dutch “no” is a gift and a Dutch meeting is a decision rather than a discussion.

CultureCommunication

03

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

How Dutch innovation environments work, why they produce what they produce, and what is transferable to your context.

Innovation

04

Business Models for a European Market

Testing your model against European customers, pricing, regulation and expectations.

Strategy

05

The Financing Landscape

Grants, funds, banks, angels and regional development agencies. Who invests in what, at what stage, and what they need to see.

Finance

06

Market Entry in Sequence

Positioning, partners, first conversations, first customers — in the order that actually works.

Market Entry

07

Intercultural Communication

Negotiating, presenting and writing across cultures without losing precision or trust.

Skills

08

Working with Dutch Organisations

Procurement, partnership structures, decision cycles and what a Dutch counterpart expects you to bring.

Partnerships

09

Company Visits

Two half-days inside Dutch companies and innovation environments, with the people who run them. Not a tour — a conversation.

Experience

10

Your Next Step

A facilitated session translating everything into a sequenced ninety-day plan for your own business.

Action

FAQ

Questions people actually ask

No. The programme runs in English, and one of the things we teach is how to work effectively in Dutch business settings as an English speaker. Sessions can also be delivered in Arabic for a full Arabic-speaking cohort.

Pricing depends on the cohort and whether you are joining an open programme or commissioning an in-house version. We send full pricing with the programme details once you register interest.

No, and we are careful about this. The programme is training and business development. If your situation requires immigration, legal or tax advice, we will connect you with a regulated specialist rather than advising you ourselves.

Yes. Roughly half of what we deliver is in-house, built around a single organisation’s sector, team and objectives.

The closing module produces a sequenced ninety-day plan. Many participants continue with business development support, and we keep the cohort connected.

Twelve to eighteen. Small enough that everyone speaks and the company hosts can engage properly; large enough that the peer group has real range.


Experts & Trainers

Practitioners, not lecturers

Amira Haddad

Entrepreneurship & Business Models

Joris van Dijk

Dutch Business Culture & Communication

Sanne de Vries

Financing & Investment Landscape

Youssef Benali

Innovation Ecosystems


Upcoming dates

When it runs

Autumn 2026

October 12, 2026 – October 14, 2026 · Amsterdam

Open
Register

Winter 2026

December 7, 2026 – December 9, 2026 · Amsterdam

Open
Register

Spring 2027

March 15, 2027 – March 17, 2027 · Amsterdam

Waitlist
Register

Ready to Open Your Next Window?

Whether you are building a business, developing talent, entering a new market, or designing an international programme, let us explore what Shababeek can make possible.