- Since it was established as CIC’s first Innovation Campus in Europe in 2016, CIC Rotterdam has played an influential role in the growth of Europe’s innovation economy
- Among the awarded hubs, CIC Rotterdam stood out in the office space category, ranking 13th overall for this criteria
- CIC Rotterdam was one of only nine hubs awarded from The Netherlands, of which only three were in the Rotterdam and Delft region
CIC, a global leader in building and operating innovation campuses, proudly announces CIC Rotterdam has been recognized as one of the Leading Start-up Hubs in Europe by the Financial Times, in collaboration with Statista and Sifted.
Renowned for its comprehensive coverage of global business and economics, the Financial Times partnered with Statista and Sifted, a prominent media brand focused on European start-ups, to identify and showcase the most influential start-up hubs across Europe. The collaborative effort aimed to shed light on access to initiatives that significantly contribute to the success of emerging start-ups.
CIC Rotterdam emerged as a top performer, securing its place among the 125 hubs with the highest overall scores as Europe’s Leading Start-up Hubs 2024. Within the rankings, CIC Rotterdam stood out as one of only nine in The Netherlands and only three in the Rotterdam and Delft region. This accolade underscores CIC Rotterdam’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the growth of start-ups within the European entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Among the awarded hubs, CIC Rotterdam was also highlighted in the office space category ranking thirteenth for this criteria overall and as the only hub from The Netherlands, which is a testament to the benefits clients find in CIC’s approach to workspace design to inspire connection and community. Additional highlights impacting CIC Rotterdam’s recognition is its role as a Start-up Visa Facilitator for the country, which enables entrepreneurs to grow their business in Rotterdam, as well as its support of programs including TechLabs and Forward Incubator.
In a rigorous evaluation process, over 2,600 alumni from eligible hubs were invited to share their experiences between 2019 and 2022. Alumni evaluated their respective hubs based on various aspects, including mentoring, training, infrastructure, legal assistance, business development advice, networking opportunities, and funding support.
“We are thrilled to be recognized as one of Europe’s leading start-up hubs,” said Joyce Kornet-Vreugdenhill, General Manager, CIC Rotterdam. “CIC Rotterdam represents an outstanding entrepreneurial ecosystem, fostering growth, diversity, sustainability, and international collaboration. This accolade is a testament to our ongoing commitment to nurturing innovation and fostering the growth of start-ups.”
As Europe’s start-up scene continues to evolve and thrive, CIC is committed to empowering entrepreneurs and start-ups to drive positive change in society and connect them to the global innovation ecosystem.
CIC enables start-ups, scale-ups, corporations and public entities to tackle society’s biggest local and global challenges by providing the best possible environment and programming to foster innovation. Each CIC Innovation Campus provides a unique combination of workspace, bespoke programming, and consulting, and intentional community and culture developed to support the distinct makeup of the community in which it serves.
About CIC
CIC builds and operates a global network of innovation campuses where startups, scale-ups, corporations and public entities connect, work, and grow. Founded in 1999, CIC manages more than 111,000 square meters of innovation-focused workspace, laboratories, and event space across North America, Europe and Asia. Additionally, CIC develops innovation-related programming, builds and enables industry clusters, and provides world-class innovation consulting.
Learn more about CIC’s innovation campuses featuring workspace & labs, programming, and events at CIC.com. Follow along on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
