Stefan Braam
Startup Incubation Lead
The startup incubator at the heart of Utrecht Science Park – supporting researchers, entrepreneurs and student from first idea to scaling company.
About UtrechtInc
Utrecht's startup incubator since 2009
About us
At UtrechtInc, we empower entrepreneurship as a catalyst for innovative solutions and significant societal impact. As a top 10 global university-linked startup incubator and top 15 European incubator, we cater to the needs of science and student entrepreneurs across all stages. We provide an assortment of programs and resources designed to aid entrepreneurs in transforming their ideas into viable businesses.
Our mission
Our commitment at UtrechtInc is to create and maintain an engaged, inclusive community of entrepreneurs – individuals who are making tangible contributions to a better future. UtrechtInc was founded in 2009 as a not-for-profit organization by the joint knowledge institutes of Utrecht. Our mission centres around propelling the growth of startups by cultivating an environment characterized by dynamism, support, and a spirit of creativity and innovation.
Our programs
UtrechtInc offers free and paid programs for scientists, students, and founders at every stage: Ideation, Validation & Acceleration. Whether you’re a scientist exploring market potential or a founder ready to scale, we have a program tailored to your unique needs and background. Join one of our programs: Ready to Start (idea stage), Tech Validation, Science Validation, Life Science Validation, Student Validation, and The Foundership – a membership community for scaling startups at €75 per month.
Our team
Robin Lechner
Program Event Manager
Geke de Jongh
Office Coordinator
Nanna Rasmussen
Program & Event Coordinator
Saif Abdoelrazak
Startup Scout
India Flora Mazzei
Marketing Manager
Alessia Benedetta Zito
Marketing Intern
Our student startup scouts
Rezo Meshveliani Asatiani
Student Startup Scout
Sven Klein Gunnewiek
Student Startup Scout
Sofiia Gromosiak
Student Startup Scout
Miguel Campos
Student Startup Scout
Are you looking for an internship or a job?
Building your dream team is a journey, and we are dedicated to helping our startups succeed. By leveraging our extensive network, we not only help founders assemble a team but also assist you—the talent—in finding your next great opportunity, whether that’s an internship or a new job. If you are interested in joining an early-stage startup as a co-founder, intern, or employee, explore our vacancies today.
Knowledge institute affiliations
Utrecht’s knowledge ecosystem
UtrechtInc was founded by and works closely with the following Utrecht knowledge institutes – providing direct access to research, talent, and academic networks.
Utrecht University
One of Europe's leading research universities, co-founder of UtrechtInc and primary source of science and tech spin-out talent.
Hogeschool Utrecht
University of Applied Sciences Utrecht - a key partner for student entrepreneur programs and applied research startups.
UMC Utrecht
University Medical Centre Utrecht - foundation partner with deep connections to health, medtech, and life science startups.
Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis
Children's hospital affiliated with UMC Utrecht, supporting paediatric health innovation and medtech startups.
Princess Máxima Center
Europe's largest children's cancer centre, located at Utrecht Science Park - a partner for oncology and health tech innovation.
Hubrecht Institute
A KNAW institute for developmental and stem cell biology, supporting deep science and biotech spin-outs at Utrecht Science Park.
Support for international founders looking for Visa
UtrechtInc receives many enquiries from international founders and visa seekers hoping to start a business in the Netherlands through our incubator. We want to be upfront about what we can and cannot offer. We provide guidance related to residence permits and the Dutch startup visa, exclusively to startups that satisfy these requirements:
- Accepted into an UtrechtInc program. We do not offer visa or immigration support as a standalone service; it is part of our incubation programs.
- Already based in the Netherlands. We work with startups that are operating in the Netherlands, not with founders looking to relocate from abroad who have not yet established themselves here.
- Connected to Utrecht Science Park or the Utrecht region. Our support is tied to our local ecosystem, and we prioritise startups with an existing link to Utrecht Science Park or the broader Utrecht region.
If your startup meets these criteria, we encourage you to apply to one of our programs. If it does not, we’re unfortunately not able to assist directly, but we recommend contacting the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) or the IND.