BlueCity
BlueCity is a circular economy innovation hub in Rotterdam's transformed Tropicana building, hosting 25+ circular entrepreneurs through workspace rentals, lab facilities (including Fungi Lab and FoodHub), event venue hire, and accelerator programs such as Startup Studio and Circular Factory, serving startups, SMEs, and corporate clients in the Netherlands circular-economy ecosystem.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersRotterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BlueCity does
BlueCity operates a circular economy innovation hub inside the former Tropicana swimming pool building in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which it acquired in 2015 and adaptively reused as a co-working, lab, and event venue. The organization serves circular entrepreneurs ("BlueCitizens") - startups and small teams in food, materials science, textiles, cosmetics, construction, and bio-based products - by providing physical infrastructure including dedicated offices, production spaces, the BlueCity Lab (with a Fungi Lab specialization), and the FoodHub food-production facility.
BlueCity generates revenue across three streams: recurring workspace subscriptions (ranging from a Super Flexwerkplek at 1 day/week through Kantoorunit offices, Productieruimte production spaces, FoodHub units, and BlueCity Lab full-time/part-time/day-pass tiers); pay-as-you-go event venue rental across six distinctive spaces (Ballroom, Dome, Skybox, Studio, Deck, Bar Stroom) for corporate clients and private functions; and structured programs including Startup Studio (six-month concept-to-proof program), Circular Factory (nine-month pilot-to-demo-plant accelerator), Circular Challenge (six-week challenge), and Het Nieuwe Nassen (sustainable menu program for restaurants and healthcare). The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with public events (Fuckup Nights, Townhalls, CHANGEZ), building tours, newsletter, and Eventbrite ticketing serving as both revenue streams and top-of-funnel acquisition channels for workspace tenants and program participants.
The business is anchored to a single iconic building (Maasboulevard 100, Rotterdam) and a community of 25+ named tenants and alumni. In 2025 the organization underwent a leadership transition (Marije Stijkel appointed director) explicitly framed around recalibrating operations and addressing significant financial challenges, alongside a co-development partnership with YES!Delft to extend its programmatic surface into tech-startups.
BlueCity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BlueCity
- Legal name
- BlueCity
- Website
- https://bluecity.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- BlueCity is a circular economy innovation hub in Rotterdam's transformed Tropicana building, hosting 25+ circular entrepreneurs through workspace rentals, lab facilities (including Fungi Lab and FoodHub), event venue hire, and accelerator programs such as Startup Studio and Circular Factory, serving startups, SMEs, and corporate clients in the Netherlands circular-economy ecosystem.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BlueCity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Circular Economy Innovation Hub
- akta.pro primary industry
- Circular Economy & Sustainable Products (Reuse, Repair, Upcycling) (BPAGALAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Circularity Consulting & Program Management (EPR, Design-for-Circularity, LCA) (EUAIANAH), Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH), Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM)
Keywords
Where BlueCity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rotterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
BlueCity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Workspace Rentals: BlueCity rents various workspaces including Super Flexwerkplek (1 day/week), Flexwerkplek (5 days/week), dedicated offices (Kantoorunit), production spaces, and BlueCity Lab subscriptions (full-time 40hrs/week, part-time 8hrs/week, or day passes). This is a recurring revenue stream from circular entrepreneurs and startups.
- Event Space Rental: BlueCity rents out multiple event spaces including the Ballroom, Dome, Skybox, Studio, Deck, and Bar Stroom for corporate events, workshops, talks, and private functions. Revenue is generated through venue bookings and catering services.
- Programs and Accelerator Services: BlueCity runs various programs including Startup Studio (6-month program to proof of concept), Circular Factory (scaling program for demo factories), Circular Challenge (6-week challenge for young professionals), and Het Nieuwe Nassen (sustainable food program for restaurants and healthcare). Programs may generate revenue through participant fees or attract funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Event space rental - Ballroom |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Event space rental - Dome |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Event space rental - Skybox |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fuckup Nights Festival Edition |
| Subscription | Monthly | Super Flexwerkplek |
| Subscription | Monthly | Flexwerkplek |
| Subscription | Monthly | Vast Bureau (Dedicated Desk) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Kantoorunit (Office Unit) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Productieruimte (Production Space) |
| Subscription | Monthly | FoodHub Space |
| Subscription | Monthly | BlueCity Lab Full-time |
| Subscription | Monthly | BlueCity Lab Part-time |
| Subscription | Monthly | BlueCity Lab Day Pass |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
BlueCity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BlueCity operates a circular economy innovation hub inside the repurposed former Tropicana swimming pool in Rotterdam, providing flexible workspaces, production and lab facilities, event venues, and structured accelerator programs to circular entrepreneurs and companies. Its offering combines a physical ecosystem of more than 25 resident ventures with programs (Startup Studio, Circular Factory, Circular Challenge, Het Nieuwe Nassen) that support circular ideas from concept through proof of concept to demo plant.
Product overview
BlueCity is a circular economy hub and event venue in Rotterdam's former Tropicana building, offering a physical ecosystem for circular entrepreneurship. The company provides workspace rentals (from flexible desks to production spaces and lab facilities), event venues (Ballroom, Dome, Skybox, Studio, Deck, Bar Stroom), and structured programs (Startup Studio, Circular Challenge, Circular Factory, Het Nieuwe Nassen). BlueCity acts as an aggregator space where circular entrepreneurs, makers, and pioneers work on new materials, products, and value chains, supported by events, tours, and catering services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BlueCity Lab: Laboratory space and program for biotech and circular innovation startups
- BlueCity Dome
- Circular Factory
- Startup Studio
- Het Nieuwe Nassen
- FoodHub
- BlueCitizens
- BlueSouvenir
- Circular Catering
Products and services
- Workspace Rentals Subscription-based flexible workspace solutions for circular entrepreneurs, including Super Flex (1 day/week), Flex (5 days/week), dedicated desks, lockable office units, production spaces, FoodHub units, and BlueCity Lab access (full-time 40hrs, part-time 8hrs, or daily passes).
- Event Space Rentals Rental of six unique venues inside the Tropicana building — Ballroom, Dome (old wave pool), Skybox with Maas river view, Studio, outdoor Deck, and Bar Stroom (old lazy river) — for workshops, dinners, talks, seminars, meetings and break-out sessions.
- BlueCity Lab Laboratory facilities within BlueCity, including a dedicated Fungi Lab and additional lab spaces, available through subscription plans (full-time, part-time, or day passes) for startups working on circular bio-innovations.
- Startup Studio Six-month accelerator program for circular entrepreneurs that guides founders from initial idea to prototype and business plan, with structured expert guidance and access to the BlueCitizens community.
- Circular Challenge Six-week challenge program where young professionals develop circular business cases based on waste streams from participating organizations.
- Circular Factory Nine-month scaling program that guides circular startups through the phase from pilot to demo plant, preparing them to build a demo factory with circular alternatives.
- Het Nieuwe Nassen Program that helps restaurants and organizations make menus sustainable, healthy and future-proof, providing practical tools to measure and transform dishes.
- BlueCity Tours Guided tours of the BlueCity building, showcasing the transformation of the former Tropicana swimming pool into a circular economy hub and the work of resident entrepreneurs.
- Circular Catering Sustainable catering service that applies circular principles by treating waste as a residual flow in food preparation, aiming to eliminate waste entirely.
Quantifiable outcome
- 700+ visitors at major events like CHANGEZ against Black Friday consumerism
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use BlueCity
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BlueCity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
BlueCity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- YES!DelftcoreYES!Delft and BlueCity partnered in November 2025 to create a circular program for tech-startups. The partnership combines YES!Delft's strengths in helping founders move faster from lab to market with BlueCity's ecosystem for circular innovation. Scaling circular and tech-driven startups requires heavy infrastructure, patient capital, and strong networks that connect lab innovation to the market. By joining forces, the two organizations help founders navigate the challenging scaling phase.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BlueCity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The New Farm: Dutch circular agriculture initiative developing urban food systems and circular farming ventures. Comparable as a Dutch circular-economy startup enabler, though more focused on food systems specifically.
- YES!Delft: Dutch tech incubator and accelerator based in Delft, recently partnered with BlueCity (Nov 2025) to support circular tech-startups. Comparable as a Dutch startup support organization running cohort programs and providing ecosystem access, though more tech-centric and less circular-economy focused.
- Impact Hub: Global network of impact-focused innovation hubs offering workspace, programs, and community for social entrepreneurs. Directly comparable as an impact- and sustainability-oriented multi-service hub, though operating a franchise model across many cities worldwide.
- Impact Hub Amsterdam: Local Impact Hub in Amsterdam combining workspace, events, and accelerator programs for impact-driven entrepreneurs. Closely comparable in service mix (workspace, events, programs, community) and mission alignment with BlueCity.
Regional players
- Pakhuis de Zwijger: Amsterdam cultural and innovation platform in a former warehouse, hosting events, programs, and community gatherings on social and sustainability themes. Comparable as a Dutch event- and program-driven hub in an iconic adaptive-reuse building.
- Circulair Friesland: Regional circular economy network and program in Friesland supporting circular entrepreneurs and projects. Comparable as a Dutch circular-economy ecosystem builder, but operating as a regional network rather than a single physical hub.
- NDSM-werf: Amsterdam-based creative and circular hub on a former shipyard, hosting makers, artists, and circular entrepreneurs. Comparable as a Dutch adaptive-reuse circular hub with workspace and event venue offerings, but serving a different city.
Broad incumbents
- WeWork: Global flexible workspace provider offering offices, event spaces, and community programming. Comparable as a multi-revenue workspace and event venue operator, though not circular-economy themed and serving a broader corporate market.
- CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center): Global operator of innovation campuses combining workspace, labs, and venture programs for startups and corporate clients. Comparable as a large-scale workspace-plus-program operator, though more commercially focused and not circular-economy themed.
- Brightlands: Multi-campus Dutch innovation organization focused on sustainability, health, and materials with labs, programs, and tenant companies. Comparable as a larger, broader Dutch innovation campus operator with circular-economy tenants and accelerator-style programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
BlueCity social profiles
Digital presenceBlueCity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BlueCity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
BlueCity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BlueCity M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BlueCity
What does BlueCity do?
BlueCity operates a circular economy innovation hub inside the repurposed former Tropicana swimming pool in Rotterdam, providing flexible workspaces, production and lab facilities, event venues, and structured accelerator programs to circular entrepreneurs and companies. Its offering combines a physical ecosystem of more than 25 resident ventures with programs (Startup Studio, Circular Factory, Circular Challenge, Het Nieuwe Nassen) that support circular ideas from concept through proof of concept to demo plant.
Is BlueCity a public or private company?
BlueCity is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was BlueCity founded?
BlueCity was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is BlueCity based?
BlueCity is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does BlueCity make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Workspace Rentals are the primary driver. The others are event Space Rental and programs and Accelerator Services.
Who are BlueCity's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The New Farm, YES!Delft, Impact Hub and Impact Hub Amsterdam. Regional players are Pakhuis de Zwijger, Circulair Friesland and NDSM-werf. Broad incumbents are WeWork, CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center) and Brightlands.
Does BlueCity have an API?
No public API is recorded for BlueCity.
What industry is BlueCity in?
BlueCity's product category is Circular Economy Innovation Hub. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAF, Circular Economy & Sustainable Products (Reuse, Repair, Upcycling), with a secondary code of EUAIANAH, Circularity Consulting & Program Management (EPR, Design-for-Circularity, LCA).