Swedish Incubator Norrsken to Launch Its Largest Tech Hub in Amsterdam, Gradually Rivalling Paris’s Station F
The Swedish-founded Norrsken Foundation will open a new tech and innovation hub in Amsterdam in 2026, expanding its European footprint with what is expected to become its largest location to date. The new hub, named Norrsken House Amsterdam, will be located in the Van Gendt Hallen, a historic industrial site in the Oostenburg area of central Amsterdam.
Norrsken, created in 2016 by Niklas Adalberth, co-founder of fintech firm Klarna, operates a hybrid model combining a nonprofit foundation and a suite of five venture capital funds. Together, these funds manage nearly €1 billion in capital, with backing from global tech investors. The organization’s mission is to support entrepreneurs building solutions with positive social or environmental impact—an approach they refer to as “impact tech.”
The Van Gendt Hallen site comprises five large 19th-century factory halls, formerly part of the Stork locomotive and engine plant, which are now undergoing a large-scale sustainable restoration. The overall redevelopment covers 25,000 m2 of floor space, with 8,000 square meters of solar panels and 4,600 new window panes.
Although the exact surface area allocated to Norrsken has not been disclosed, the organization plans to accommodate up to 1,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators within the site. This makes the Amsterdam location the largest of Norrsken’s hubs, ahead of those already operating in Stockholm, Barcelona, Kigali, and Brussels.
According to Sara Kappelmark, CEO of Norrsken Foundation, the Amsterdam hub was chosen for its strategic visibility and accessibility. “We were determined to find a location that is easy to reach, but above all highly visible. So tech companies are not hidden away,” she told Dutch media. Entrepreneurs interested in joining the hub will need to demonstrate a mission aligned with social or environmental impact.
The project is being financed through a combination of private and public investment. The municipality of Amsterdamannounced a €5 million allocation this year for tech and education-related projects, with part of that funding directed toward the Norrsken initiative. The city aims to strengthen its position as a tech hub while also ensuring that developments contribute positively to local society. Sofyan Mbarki, alderman for Economic Affairs, emphasized that the city’s return on investment is not only financial: “Our return is that the city becomes a better place.”
Eduard Zanen, co-founder of stroller manufacturer Bugaboo, owns the Van Gendt Hallen site and is among the Dutch investors supporting the project.
The hub’s launch comes at a time when Dutch tech investment is slowing, with total startup investment in the first three quarters of 2025 reaching only €1.7 billion—a five-year low. Industry stakeholders have raised concerns that limited funding is pushing some entrepreneurs to consider relocating abroad.
Norrsken House Amsterdam is set to be one of the largest dedicated impact tech hubs in Europe, with its ambition drawing comparisons to Station F in Paris, which hosts around 1,000 startups in a 34,000 square meter space. While Station F focuses broadly on the startup ecosystem, Norrsken’s Amsterdam project maintains a specific focus on social and environmental innovation.
Unlike Station F, which operates in a single-purpose facility, Norrsken Amsterdam will be part of a multi-use urban regeneration project incorporating heritage architecture and sustainability goals.
With its Amsterdam expansion, Norrsken aims to reinforce its role as a pan-European leader in purpose-driven entrepreneurship. The foundation’s model—combining real estate hubs, investment capital, and curated startup communities—continues to gain traction as the demand for mission-led innovation grows across Europe.
The Amsterdam location is scheduled to open in 2026.
Pic source: Van Gendt Hallen website
