‘Our country is known worldwide for innovation and entrepreneurship, yet in my view the truth is different’, writes Vis. ‘The truth is that tall trees catch “too” much wind, entrepreneurship is not rewarded and shooting a lot or trying to change things creates an aversion. And I’m done with it.’
And so Robert Vis leaves the Netherlands. Vis, the forty-something who is worth €1 billion in the latest Quote 500, founded MessageBird in 2011 together with Adriaan Mol. This company, now known as Bird, provides software that allows companies to communicate with their customers.
Entrepreneurial climate in the Netherlands
But, Vis emphasizes on LinkedIn when asked, ‘This [vertrek] is for now purely about me personally. Bird will – for now – keep its seat in the Netherlands.’ The reasons that Vis gives for his departure, on the other hand, mainly relate to the business climate in the Netherlands. The United States, Switzerland and Singapore are considered countries where entrepreneurs can indeed move forward at full speed.
Fish writes that successful entrepreneurs in the Netherlands are viewed with suspicion, that innovation is nipped in the bud by expanding regulations, that employees cannot be rewarded in an advantageous way due to tax pressure, and that he no longer always feels safe on the street. He is also clear about Dutch politics: ‘Need I say more? Geert Wilders en Baudet – really?’
What do entrepreneurs think of Vis’ move?
Vis’ bombshell provokes many reactions in LinkedIn’s entrepreneurial bubble. Quote 500 member Stijn Koster responds in a nuanced way: ‘Every country has its populism in politics. Bad weather. Crime problems. Complex tax system. You are absolutely right, as soon as you accumulate wealth, you become more aware of your personal safety. But we have the “participation exemption” and the “innovation box” that offer enormous tax benefits. I hope you find what you are looking for and share it with your readers in the coming years.’
Jarell Habets of freight startup Shypple predicts a larger exodus: ‘A lot of entrepreneurs will follow in the coming period. I hear it everywhere!’ Investor Quintin Schevernels has seen it happening for some time now. ‘This evening during a dinner in Amsterdam with a group of founders, this was also the main topic of conversation, unfortunately a very recognizable part and I have seen many successful entrepreneurs leave the Netherlands in the past 12-24 months (Dubai, Monaco, Zurich and Singapore), a very bad and worrying development.’
Tech entrepreneur Stef van Grieken of Cradle invites Vis to Switzerland: ‘Zurich is recommended. Much better business climate. If you are considering coming here, let me know.’
Prince Constantijn: ‘Why don’t we celebrate success?’
We do not have to fear the departure of the driving force behind the Dutch tech industry: Prince Constantijn. In his message, Vis explicitly expressed his appreciation for the work of the tech prince, to which Constantijn van Oranje responded: ‘Thank you for your recognition. I have lived and worked outside the Netherlands for a long time and have experienced that it is different everywhere and not always better. In your own country, you are more concerned when things go wrong. … [Ik] share your comment that we should appreciate our entrepreneurs more and celebrate success, instead of trying hard to prove that something is wrong. Why don’t we celebrate the success of a great exit, a new round of investment, and the fact that we have entrepreneurs who make new technology and innovations available to us! But enough complaining. I’m staying here. I believe in NL. And want to make sure with Techleap that we use all that potential of fantastic technology and entrepreneurship to make NL a country that we are all proud of and that you will move back to in 10 years (sic.).’
Celebrating business success is something we at Quote like to do. Otherwise, take a subscription if you don’t believe that. You will also soon come across a big interview with Vis, because we are busy comparing the agendas. Furthermore, we try to help ambitious entrepreneurs to make some extra speed, by bringing them together in Club Quote. More information about this entrepreneurs club can be found here.
6x Quote + nazending editie 2024-04Credit: Quote 8 plus Abonnement