Swedish impact investor and start-up backer Norrsken is set to open a major new innovation hub in Amsterdam, transforming part of a former industrial complex into what it describes as Europe’s largest centre for mission-driven technology companies. The project, backed by municipal funding and Dutch private investors, is expected to host around 1,000 start-up employees from 2026, signalling a strategic push to strengthen Europe’s socially oriented tech ecosystem at a time of declining venture investment. This is reported by The WP Times, citing Dutch News and De Parool.
A former factory turned into Europe’s largest impact hub
The new Norrsken House Amsterdam will be located in the historic Stork engine factory on Oostenburg, east of the city centre. Once a symbol of Dutch industrial manufacturing, the site is being redeveloped into a modern campus featuring co-working areas, meeting rooms, event spaces and catering facilities, designed to foster collaboration between technology founders, investors and policy stakeholders.
According to Norrsken, the Amsterdam hub is intended to be highly visible and easily accessible, rather than isolated in a peripheral business park. The organisation believes physical presence and urban integration play a key role in shaping how technology interacts with society.
Norrsken’s vision: tech with a social mission
Norrsken was founded in Stockholm in 2016 by Niklas Adalberth, co-founder of buy-now-pay-later giant Klarna. Since then, it has expanded into a global platform supporting start-ups that aim to tackle social and environmental challenges, including climate change, healthcare access, food security and poverty reduction.
Chief executive Sara Kappelmark said the Amsterdam location will serve as a flagship hub for Europe. Speaking to De Parool, she emphasised that Norrsken deliberately seeks locations where technology companies are embedded in everyday city life, not hidden from public view.
Funding model: public support and private capital
The Amsterdam project is being co-financed by Dutch tech investors, including Eduard Zanen, founder of stroller brand Bugaboo and owner of the Van Gendt Halls. In addition, the City of Amsterdam has allocated part of a €5 million tech-sector investment fund to support the initiative, although the precise amount directed to Norrsken has not been publicly disclosed.
Amsterdam’s alderman for economic affairs, Sofyan Mbarki, defended the public contribution, stating that the city’s return on investment lies not in financial profit but in long-term economic resilience, education and innovation capacity.
A strategic move amid a downturn in tech investment
The announcement comes as the Dutch tech sector faces a prolonged slowdown. According to figures from the Dutch Startup Association (DSA), total investment in Dutch start-ups fell to €1.7 billion in the first three quarters of 2025, the lowest level in five years and down from nearly €2 billion during the same period last year.
The DSA also reports that one in three Dutch tech entrepreneurs is considering relocating abroad, citing more favourable tax regimes, stronger investor appetite and easier access to skilled migrants in competing markets.
Against this backdrop, Norrsken’s expansion into Amsterdam is widely seen as an attempt to counteract talent and capital flight, while positioning the Netherlands as a European hub for impact-focused innovation rather than purely growth-driven tech.
Who can join Norrsken House Amsterdam
Membership of Norrsken House is not automatic. Entrepreneurs must apply by clearly outlining their mission and demonstrating measurable social or sustainability impact. According to Kappelmark, start-ups that align with Norrsken’s goals are welcomed regardless of sector, provided they address a real societal problem through technology.
The organisation currently operates similar hubs in Stockholm, Barcelona, Brussels and Kigali, alongside a network of five for-profit venture funds managing nearly €1 billion in capital from international tech investors.
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