Scale-up companies (five years in business and a revenue of more than five million euros) often fail to make the next leap towards professionalisation. This is usually due to (a combination of) deficiencies in the following areas: specific managerial skills, knowledge of professional marketing/sales, HR or support services or growth capital (under the right conditions).

The EBTH believes it can overcome this problem where it specifically concerns scale-up B2B software firms in the industrial sector. Large Dutch corporations are constantly seeking innovative solutions and scale-ups (which are still agile and ‘fresh’) are often able to develop these solutions more successfully than they can themselves. At the same time, these corporations possess the knowledge that scale-up companies need for them to take the next step in growth (which scale-ups themselves lack). By connecting scale-ups with large companies, important needs can be met and The Hague can seize a vital opportunity.

We envisage a safe testing ground environment – The Plant of the Future – for software scale-ups that are active in the industrial sector (for example, energy, chemistry and technology). Here, scale-ups would have the opportunity to develop and test software for multinationals, showcase products and receive guidance and support. Companies could grow from local suppliers to regional or even global suppliers, a situation where both multinationals and scale-ups help each other to become more successful. A proven testing ground could benefit The Hague by attracting more scale-ups to the region. The EBTH is helping to develop this project by facilitating the involvement of relevant parties, developing an initial business case, considering potential locations and offering other forms of support.