Entrepreneurship is becoming less concentrated in the Netherlands’ traditional economic centres. New figures from the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, KVK, show that the number of business starters increased in ten of the country’s twelve provinces during the second quarter of 2026.
The strongest growth was not recorded in Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Utrecht. It came from Groningen and Drenthe.
That shift matters to more than policymakers and local economic development agencies. It could also change how flexible office providers, coworking operators and property owners decide where—and what—to build.
As business activity spreads across the country, demand for professional workspace is likely to spread with it. But the next generation of regional offices may look very different from the large coworking hubs associated with major city centres.
Start-up growth is spreading across the Netherlands
The number of new Dutch businesses rose by 4.8% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same quarter a year earlier, according to KVK. At the same time, the number of companies closing fell by 9.2%, while bankruptcies declined by 12.8%. provinces recorded more business starters. Groningen led the growth with a 14% increase, followed by Drenthe at 12%. Only Zeeland and North Brabant registered small declines.
North Holland still has the largest number of starters relative to its population, and nearly half of all Dutch starters are located in North and South Holland. Nevertheless, the direction of travel is significant. New entrepreneurship is no longer purely a Randstad story.
KVK’s figures also show that 79% of new starters are self-employed. Specialist business services represented the largest sector, accounting for 17% of new companies, followed by trade and construction. businesses do not need a conventional office lease from day one. They may begin at home, in a café or at a kitchen table. As they acquire clients, recruit employees or need a place for meetings, however, their workspace requirements become more professional.
This creates a natural market for flexible offices, meeting rooms, coworking memberships and business-address services.
Smaller cities need a different office product
The rise of regional entrepreneurship does not automatically justify opening large coworking campuses in every provincial city. Local markets usually require a more measured model.
Recent US data offers a useful comparison. During the first half of 2026, the number of coworking locations increased faster than the sector’s total floor area. National location inventory rose by 2.7%, while total space grew by 1.5%, reducing the average size of a coworking location. Operators were increasingly opening smaller sites in secondary and tertiary markets rather than relying only on large metropolitan flagships. US markets are not identical, but the commercial logic is transferable. Smaller regional economies may support flexible workspace when the product is proportionate to local demand.
Instead of a multi-floor flagship with hundreds of desks, the right format might be a compact location offering:
- private offices for one to ten people;
- a small coworking area;
- bookable meeting and training rooms;
- a professional business address;
- reliable connectivity and call facilities;
- flexible agreements that allow companies to expand gradually.
This type of location can serve freelancers, start-ups, remote employees and established local companies at the same time. It can also provide a professional alternative to commuting several times a week to a major city.
Local accessibility becomes a competitive advantage
For years, office providers competed primarily on prestigious central locations. In regional markets, convenience may be a stronger differentiator.
A flexible office close to a railway station, residential area or regional motorway can appeal to entrepreneurs who value accessibility more than a metropolitan postcode. Easy parking, short travel times and proximity to clients may outweigh the status associated with a city-centre tower.
Regional locations can also become part of a distributed workplace strategy for larger employers. A company based in Amsterdam, for example, may have employees living in Friesland, Drenthe or Groningen. Giving those employees access to a professional workspace closer to home can reduce commuting without forcing them to work remotely every day.
That means the same office can serve two growing audiences: local entrepreneurs seeking professionalism and corporate employees seeking proximity.
The community element is equally important. In a smaller city, a flexible office can become a business hub rather than simply a place to rent a desk. Partnerships with municipalities, educational institutions, accountants, recruitment firms and local business networks can help operators build a more defensible position.
A regional opportunity for property owners
The trend also has implications for owners of underused office buildings.
Regional cities often have properties that are too large for a single small company but well suited to subdivision. Flexible workspace can help reposition these assets by creating smaller, serviced units and shared amenities.
However, operators should avoid assuming that a successful formula from Amsterdam can simply be copied elsewhere. Regional demand must be tested at a granular level.
Relevant indicators include the number and type of local businesses, new registrations, commuting patterns, competing office supply, nearby educational institutions and demand for meeting facilities. Operators should also examine whether local customers need full-time offices, occasional workspace or primarily a business address and meeting location.
Smaller locations may offer lower fit-out and operating risks, but they still require active management. Strong local sales, hospitality and community programming can be more important than expensive design.
Flexible offices should follow the entrepreneurs
KVK’s latest figures suggest that the geography of Dutch entrepreneurship is broadening. Groningen and Drenthe are currently leading the growth, but the larger message is that commercially relevant business communities are developing across the country.
For flexible workspace operators, the opportunity is not necessarily to build more of the same. It is to create smaller, smarter and more locally relevant offices.
Property owners and operators that study regional demand early can position themselves ahead of the market. The next important flexible-office location may not be in the centre of Amsterdam. It may be near a station in Groningen, Assen or another regional city where tomorrow’s employers are already starting their businesses.
Office operators and property owners should review regional business-registration data alongside local vacancy and mobility patterns. Where entrepreneurship is rising, a carefully sized flexible workspace could become essential business infrastructure.
