ZWINC.

What ZWINC. does

ZWINC (Zwolle Incubator) is a non-profit startup incubator founded in 2014 and headquartered at Ceintuurbaan 15, Zwolle, Netherlands, operating from De Makersfabriek — a former Philips factory converted into a hardware prototyping and workspace facility. The organization supports early-stage startups and scale-ups in the manufacturing industry and IT sectors, providing physical infrastructure (flexible workspaces, machine parks, experiment rooms, 3D printing labs), structured programming, coaching, and access to a regional network of financiers and corporates. Core service offerings include the free two-day Startup Track validation training, a nine-month Growth Program for scaling companies, ongoing coaching, and a €2,750 innovation budget disbursed to qualifying startups.

The business model is explicitly non-commercial: ZWINC states it has no profit motive (geen winstoogmerk) and is funded to stimulate innovation in the Regio Zwolle area. Public/regional funding flows indirectly through partners such as Oost NL (administrator of Vroegefasefinanciering / VFF Overijssel on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the province of Overijssel). The go-to-market motion is community-led: startups are attracted via Windesheim campus pick-up days, Saxion referrals, LunchUp community events, the Build Better Startup Cup co-organized with Heijmans and Value Factory Ventures, and word-of-mouth within the regional ecosystem. Marketing channels include LinkedIn, Instagram, email newsletters, and content/blog. The portfolio spans medical devices (Bondus), circular furniture (Shelduck), SaaS/e-commerce (MyDeasy), solar energy (Mito Solar, Wattage), building materials (Orange Parrot), climate (Eelgrass), agricultural technology (Nivavi, Regra), and data infrastructure (CloudProud), with multiple portfolio companies winning regional and national innovation awards in 2023 and 2026. ZWINC employs a small core team (Validatie & innovatie expert, Strategisch Partner Manager, Manager en startup coach) and is regionally scoped to Overijssel/Regio Zwolle with no global footprint.

Name

ZWINC.

Legal name

ZWINC

Website

https://zwinc.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZWINC is a non-profit startup incubator in Zwolle, Netherlands, supporting manufacturing and IT startups with workspace, prototyping facilities, coaching, validation training, and a 9-month growth program, funded to stimulate regional innovation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubator Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Startup incubation programs
• Business coaching services
• Co-working workspace
• Prototyping facilities
• Regional innovation support

Headquarters

HQ city

Zwolle

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Non-profit incubator funding: ZWINC operates as a non-profit incubator with no commercial motive. The organization is funded to stimulate innovation in the Zwolle region, providing free or subsidized services to startups including workspace, coaching, and access to equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ZWINC is a non-profit startup incubator that helps early-stage and scaling companies in the manufacturing industry and IT sectors start, build, and grow their businesses. It offers free Startup Track validation training, a 9-month Growth Program for scaling, physical workspace and prototyping facilities at De Makersfabriek in Zwolle, coaching by startup experts, and a €2,750 innovation budget per qualifying startup. Services are delivered primarily through on-site engagement, community events, and partnerships with regional stakeholders.

Product overview

ZWINC is an incubator for innovative startups in the manufacturing and IT sectors in the Zwolle region. It operates as a platform providing a suite of interconnected support services rather than a single unified product. The core offerings include the Startup Track (free validation training), the Growth Program (9-month scaling program), physical workspace through De Makersfabriek, coaching services, network access, and an innovation budget. Startups work within this ecosystem, benefiting from the combination of these services to start, build, and grow their businesses. The company has no proprietary software products or SaaS offerings; instead, it acts as a physical startup community supporting entrepreneurs in sustainable innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Startup Track A free two-day training program for (future) entrepreneurs with an innovative product idea, helping participants validate whether there is real demand for their solution, discover their WOW-factor, and develop a concrete 100-day action plan.
• Growth Program (Groeiprogramma) A 9-month custom program for ambitious entrepreneurs with growth potential, focusing on scaling their business through focus, commercial strength, financing, team development, and leadership.
• Workspace at De Makersfabriek Physical workspaces in the Makersfabriek offering both workstations and access to knowledge, inspiration, and the right network for startups in manufacturing and IT, including machine parks, experiment rooms, and 3D printing labs.
• Innovation Budget €2,750 innovation budget provided to qualifying startups for developing and testing innovations.

Quantifiable outcome

• A single solar carpet on a sports field generates enough electricity to power 85 households for a year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• HeijmansminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2024Heijmans, a construction and property development company, partnered with ZWINC through the Build Better Startup Cup. Orange Parrot won a pilot project with Heijmans as part of the competition.
• Kennispoort Regio ZwollecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2023Kennispoort Regio Zwolle connects startups to funding opportunities like VFF Overijssel and supports with applications. They also organize the Innovatieprijs Regio Zwolle.
• RabobankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRabobank partners with ZWINC on the 'Versnellingsuurtje' (Acceleration Hour) program where startups pitch to bank representatives, bankers, and advisors who then connect them within their network. Rabobank also offers the Rabo Innovatielening (Innovation Loan) for startups.
• WindesheimcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWindesheim Hogeschool is a key educational partner, with students from various programs (IPO, Ondernemerschap, Mechatronica) involved in startups. ZWINC organizes pick-up days from Windesheim campus.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HighTechXL: Eindhoven-based deep-tech accelerator/incubator focused on hardware and manufacturing startups. Comparable as a Dutch regional ecosystem builder with structured cohort programs and corporate partnerships.
• Yes!Delft: Dutch tech incubator/accelerator affiliated with TU Delft offering workspace, coaching, and seed funding to deep-tech and IT startups. Directly comparable as a regional Dutch non-profit/university-aligned incubator with structured startup and growth programs.
• Novel-T: Twente regional incubator supporting hardware, manufacturing and tech startups with workspace, programs, and connections to Saxion and UT. Closest geographic and functional analog to ZWINC in size and approach.
• Starterschool / Novel-T programmes: See Novel-T above; included once for stronger peer comparison via the same domain listing programs comparable to ZWINC's Startup Track.
• UtrechtInc: Regional Dutch startup incubator serving Utrecht and central Netherlands with workspace, coaching, validation programs, and growth tracks. Same horizontal incubator model targeting early-stage startups.

Broad incumbents

• Station F: World's largest startup campus in Paris offering workspace, programs, and partner programming across thousands of startups. Comparable as a physical hub-and-program ecosystem operator, though at vastly larger scale.
• Antler: Global early-stage VC and accelerator with a structured 'residency' program providing validation and coaching to founders. Comparable as an early-stage founder-support program, though equity-taking and international in scope.
• Techleap.nl (formerly StartupDelta): National Dutch organization supporting the broader startup ecosystem with programs, talent initiatives, and policy advocacy. Operates at scale across the Netherlands as a meta-layer that includes and overlaps with regional incubators like ZWINC.
• Techstars: Global accelerator offering structured mentorship-driven programs and seed investment. Comparable in the cohort/mentorship operating model, though larger and equity-taking versus ZWINC's non-dilutive model.
• CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center): Global provider of coworking, lab, and incubator infrastructure to startup and innovation ecosystems. Comparable as an operator of physical startup workspaces and community programming, though commercial and global vs ZWINC's regional non-profit positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zwinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/zwinc.nl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 ZWINC.