The sun is shining! Here’s everything you need to know about the Dutch startup scene.
Recap & funding
Catawiki, an online auction platform for collectibles items, announced the closing of a €75 million Series C round from a group of international investors to accelerate its growth.
European VC firms raised 2 billion euros in the second quarter of 2015. Twice as much as in Q1.
Compass (formerly known as Startup Genome) published a global startup ecosystem report. Amsterdam entered the top 20 of worldwide startup ecosystems.
Updates
Aruba’s first ever tech conference, ATECH* takes place on August 28 & 29 – Launching to invigorate the entrepreneurial spirit of the “Silicon Beach of the Caribbean.” The conference aims to bring together talented tech entrepreneurs from North America, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and is part of a broader mission to develop Aruba as a viable and attractive place to build the world’s top tech companies.
LaunchLab is YES!Delft’s 3-month pressure cooker for graduates, scientists and (young) professionals with the ambition to start a tech business. Test your ideas, find potential customers and create a solid business model. If you would like to know more, join the info sessions on August 4 or 20.
Gemeente Haarlem, Stichting Present your Startup, Haarlemvalley Capital en StartupHaarlem.nl organise a Mega Summer Startup Breakfast on Friday the 7th of August at 9 AM in the Startup Meetingpoint in Haarlem.
Morning Read
Iced coffee?
Equity crowdfunding is growing, and fast becoming a real alternative to raising Venture Capital. Investment crowdfunding platform Crowdcube claimed their first crowdfunded exit – Here’ s the founder’s guide to crowdfunding vs VC.
In this day and age, it can be hard to keep your child from being exposed to Elon Musk. Although you may do your best on the home front, they may inevitably stumble across a profile piece or news item. For that reason, it’s better to be prepared for your child’s eventual exposure to Elon Musk and to know how to respond to the questions you may be asked.