Swedish Norrsken, founded by Klarna co-founder, to open impact tech center in Amsterdam
Amsterdam will gain a major new start-up hub next year when the Swedish-backed Norrsken Foundation opens Norrsken House Amsterdam in the Van Gendt Hallen in Oostenburg, east of the city center, FD reports.
Norrsken was founded in Stockholm in 2016 by Klarna co-founder Niklas Adalberth and operates through the nonprofit Norrsken Foundation alongside five for-profit venture funds managing nearly 1 billion euros in capital from international technology investors.
The project, backed by Dutch investors and supported by city funding, is expected to host about 1,000 start-up employees and will focus on technology companies with social and environmental missions. The hub will occupy part of the former Stork engine and steam locomotive factory, a vast industrial complex covering more than three soccer fields.
The city of Amsterdam is also contributing financially after setting aside 5 million euros this summer for investments in the tech sector, including technology education, with an unspecified portion allocated to Norrsken. Economic Affairs alderman Sofyan Mbarki said public investment is necessary to attract meaningful economic activity. “Other parties may do so primarily for financial return, but our return is that the city becomes a better place,” he said.
The organization has already established similar hubs in Stockholm, Barcelona, Kigali and Brussels and describes the Amsterdam location as its largest European base focused on “impact” technology.
The Van Gendt Hallen, located on one of Amsterdam’s three Oostelijke Eilanden, have been owned since 2018 by Eduard Zanen, co-founder of Dutch stroller maker Bugaboo, who is also among the Dutch financiers involved in the project. The site will include workspaces as well as meeting and catering facilities.
Norrsken Chief Executive Sara Kappelmark said the Amsterdam hub is intended to be highly visible and accessible rather than isolated. “We were determined to find a location that is easy to reach, but above all highly visible,” she told Het Parool. “So tech companies are not hidden away.” Entrepreneurs will be able to apply for membership by outlining their mission. “If it aligns with our goals – solving something in sustainability or social terms – they are welcome,” she said.
The project comes as Dutch tech investment is at a five-year low, with 1.7 billion euros invested in start-ups in the first three quarters of this year, and industry groups warning that many entrepreneurs are considering moving abroad.
