Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship

What Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship does

Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE) is a Dutch private limited company (B.V., KVK 24469423) operating as an entrepreneurship education and research centre affiliated with Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). Headquartered at Aert van Nesstraat 45 in Rotterdam, the organisation delivers a multi-product portfolio spanning open educational programmes (ELITE, Groeicollege, Strategic Foresighting, Executive Training), specialised domain courses (Innovatie in het Medische Domein, Leergang Versterken Weerbaarheid Tuinbouwcluster, Orchestrating Innovation in Public-Private Ecosystems), the Startup Visa Facilitator service for international founders, and contract research services delivered under EUR research governance standards. Its flagship intellectual output is the annual Top 250 ranking of fastest-growing Dutch companies, published since 2017 and now in its 2026 Lustrum Edition, applying the OECD high-growth firm definition over a decade of longitudinal data with partners Dealroom, Gain, and the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. The 2026 'Founders Frustrations' book, co-published with HelloPrint, extends the content franchise into consumer publishing.

ECE generates revenue through three primary streams: tuition fees from open enrolment programmes, fee-based tailored programmes for organisational clients, and contract research assignments, with additional sponsorship revenue supporting the Top 250 publication and annual event. EUR alumni receive a 10% discount on open programme tuition; cancellation penalties of 50–100% apply on a sliding scale based on proximity to programme start. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer segmentation is horizontal across three primary groups: individual entrepreneurs and startup founders seeking training, organisations and corporations procuring tailored executive education and research, and policy makers plus ecosystem partners consuming Top 250 intelligence. The GTM mix is event-driven and sales-led, combining the annual Top 250 showcase and research publications with direct outreach through website contact forms and EUR-anchored partnerships with entities including NLgroeit, the Municipality of Rotterdam, Rabobank, Van Lanschot Kempen, bunq, and Erasmus Enterprise. GDPR compliance is maintained under EUR governance with a named Data Protection Officer.

Operationally, ECE employs 11–50 staff, holds no disclosed external funding or M&A history, is structured as a subsidiary under EUR's institutional umbrella, and markets through a multi-channel digital stack (website, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Mailchimp newsletter). The technology footprint is conventional edtech and web infrastructure with no proprietary AI capability evidenced.

Name

Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship

Legal name

Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship B.V.

Website

https://ece.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship is a Dutch B.V. affiliated with Erasmus University Rotterdam that delivers entrepreneurship education programmes, contract research, and the annual Top 250 ranking of fastest-growing Dutch companies for founders, organisations, and ecosystem partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Education & Research

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Management Consulting Services (54161), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business (EDAMAHAI)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education
• Executive training programs
• High-growth firm research
• Contract research services
• Startup education

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Open Programme Tuition Fees: Revenue from open enrollment educational programmes including ELITE, innovation courses, and entrepreneurship training. Tuition fees are charged per programme with discounts for EUR alumni.
2. Tailored Programmes: Custom educational programmes developed for specific organizational clients, contracted on a per-assignment basis.
3. Contract Research: Research services provided to clients under contract research agreements, with fees based on assignment scope plus expenses.
4. Top 250 Publication and Research Reports: Annual research publication tracking high-growth companies in the Netherlands, supported by partner sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship designs and delivers entrepreneurship education programmes (e.g., ELITE, Groeicollege, Orchestrating Innovation in Public-Private Ecosystems, Innovatie in het Medische Domein, Leergang Versterken Weerbaarheid Tuinbouwcluster, Strategic Foresighting) and executive training in collaboration with RSM professors. It also produces the annual Top 250 high-growth firm research publication, runs a Startup Visa Facilitator, and conducts contract research and tailored programmes for organisations, municipalities, and corporate partners.

Product overview

Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE) is an entrepreneurship education and research center affiliated with Erasmus University Rotterdam. The organization operates as a multi-product portfolio offering: (1) Education and Training Programs including ELITE, specialized domain programs (Medical Innovation, Horticulture Resilience, Public-Private Ecosystems), Executive Training with RSM professors, Strategic Foresight workshops, and Groeicollege for Dutch-speaking teams; (2) Research Publications anchored by the annual Top 250 ranking of fastest-growing Dutch companies (published since 2017, now in its 2026 Lustrum Edition marking a decade of data), supplemented by the Founders Frustrations book co-published with HelloPrint; (3) International Support Services including Startup Visa Facilitation; and (4) Contract Research services for customized research assignments. The organization differentiates through evidence-based methodologies, academic rigor from EUR affiliation, and longitudinal research perspective spanning ten years of high-growth firm data.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ELITE Renowned executive programme from Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship designed for entrepreneurs and scale-up leaders, delivered with senior facilitators and RSM faculty.
• Orchestrating Innovation in Public-Private Ecosystems Programme focused on orchestrating innovation within public-private ecosystems, targeting organisations and regional partners involved in innovation and economic development.
• Innovatie in het Medische Domein (Innovations in the Medical Domain) Programme addressing innovation in the medical domain, aimed at founders, scale-ups, and organisations working at the intersection of healthcare and entrepreneurship.
• Leergang Versterken Weerbaarheid Tuinbouwcluster (Horticulture Cluster Resilience Course) Educational programme focused on strengthening the resilience of the Dutch horticulture cluster, for stakeholders in that sector.
• Groeicollege Educational programme (literally 'Growth College') from Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship aimed at entrepreneurs focused on growth topics.
• Strategic Foresighting Executive training offering on strategic foresight, delivered by Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship.
• Executive Training with RSM professors Executive training delivered in collaboration with Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) professors, available as part of ECE's educational offering for individual and organisational participants.
• Startup Visa Facilitator Service facilitating the Dutch Startup Visa for international founders looking to establish or relocate their startup to the Netherlands, leveraging Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship's recognised facilitator status.
• Contract Research Custom research services conducted by Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship for organisations, leveraging the centre's high-growth firm research expertise and data partnerships.
• Tailored Programmes for Organisations Bespoke entrepreneurship and innovation programmes designed for organisations, with pricing provided on request.
• Top 250 (High-Growth Firms Research Publication) Annual publication ranking and profiling the 250 fastest-growing companies in the Netherlands, sponsored by Rabobank, Van Lanschot Kempen, and bunq, based on OECD high-growth firm definitions.
• Foundations of High-Growth (Founders Frustrations Book) Book produced by Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship compiling research and insights on what drives and challenges high-growth founders in the Netherlands.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• nlgroeitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026NLgroeit is a core partner supporting the Top 250 research and annual event, contributing to the Dutch high-growth ecosystem intelligence.
• Municipality of RotterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Municipality of Rotterdam supports the Top 250 research and annual event, reflecting civic commitment to entrepreneurship ecosystem development.
• GaincoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Gain provides data for the Top 250 company selection process, enabling evidence-based methodology for identifying high-growth firms.
• DealroomcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Dealroom provides comprehensive startup and high-growth company data used in the Top 250 selection methodology, ensuring data-driven insights.
• Erasmus EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Erasmus Enterprise, the technology transfer office of EUR, supports the Top 250 research and entrepreneurial ecosystem activities.
• HelloPrintcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024HelloPrint co-published the 'Founders Frustrations' book with ECE, targeting aspiring and current founders with practical entrepreneurial insights.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship Centre: University of Oxford's Saïd Business School centre for entrepreneurship, offering executive education and research programmes. Directly comparable structure to ECE: academic centre delivering research and founder/executive training.
• Cambridge Judge Business School - Entrepreneurship Centre: University of Cambridge's entrepreneurship centre offering executive education, research, and founder programmes. Closely mirrors ECE's positioning as an academic centre combining research, executive training, and founder development.
• UtrechtInc: Utrecht University's startup incubator and entrepreneurship education hub. Comparable to ECE in serving Dutch academic entrepreneurs with programmes and ecosystem support; both operate as university-affiliated BVs in the Netherlands.
• YES!Delft: TU Delft's university-linked startup incubator and education centre. Directly comparable to ECE as a Dutch university-affiliated entrepreneurship centre offering founder programmes, training, and ecosystem support, though YES!Delft leans more toward venture incubation.
• INSEAD Entrepreneurship Centre: Global business school's entrepreneurship research and executive education arm. Comparable to ECE in combining longitudinal research, executive programmes, and founder development under a top-tier academic brand.
• Babson College - Lewis Institute for Social Innovation: US-based institution globally recognized for entrepreneurship education and research. Comparable to ECE's mix of evidence-based methodology, founder training programmes, and academic research output.
• Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - Centre for Entrepreneurship: VU Amsterdam's entrepreneurship education and support centre. Comparable Dutch university-affiliated entrepreneurship centre offering programmes for founders and SMEs in the same regional market as ECE.

Regional players

• StartupDelta: Dutch government-backed initiative to position the Netherlands as a startup hub. Comparable to ECE in promoting Dutch entrepreneurship, though StartupDelta focuses on ecosystem branding rather than education delivery.
• Holland Startup: Initiative supporting international entrepreneurs establishing startups in the Netherlands. Comparable to ECE's Startup Visa Facilitator service, though Holland Startup focuses specifically on international market entry support.

Emerging players

• Dealroom.co: Global startup and high-growth company data platform, which is also a Top 250 data partner for ECE. Comparable in publishing data-driven insights on high-growth firms, with a broader global scope that overlaps with ECE's Top 250 research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@erasmuscentreforentre8437
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erasmus-centre-for-entrepreneurship
• Instagraminstagram.com/entrepren_eur
• TikToktiktok.com/@entrepren_eur
• Xx.com/Entrepren_EUR
• Facebookfacebook.com/erasmuscentreforentrepreneurship

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship