YES!Delft
YES!Delft is a company.
Active
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Financial History
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Leadership Team
Key people at YES!Delft.
YES!Delft is a company.
Key people at YES!Delft.
Key people at YES!Delft.
YES!Delft is a non-profit tech startup incubator based in Delft, Netherlands, founded to support entrepreneurs building complex, disruptive technologies.[1][5][6] It provides full-lifecycle services—including custom programs, recruitment, funding access, market connections, and a community of experts, mentors, and corporate partners—without taking equity, focusing on sectors like robotics, AI, quantum, medtech, and energy transition near TU Delft Campus.[1][4][5] With over 500 startups supported, 83% still active or acquired, and 95%+ securing pre-seed funding, YES!Delft plays a pivotal role in the Dutch and European startup ecosystem by prioritizing quality over quantity for high-run-up, capital-intensive tech ventures.[5][7]
YES!Delft launched in 2005 as one of the Netherlands' first tech incubators, established by Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the City of Delft, and Erasmus University Rotterdam (now a shareholder alongside the municipality).[1][5][6] Located next to TU Delft Campus, it began by offering office space, labs, and knowledge-sharing facilities to bridge academia and entrepreneurship.[3][5] Over two decades, it evolved from basic incubation to comprehensive 360-degree support, building custom ecosystems amid growing demand for deep-tech innovation; key leaders like Managing Director Ras Lalmy and Investment Director Jan Geert van Hall now guide its expansion.[1][5]
YES!Delft rides the wave of Europe's deep-tech boom, capitalizing on the Netherlands' strengths in R&D-heavy fields like AI, quantum computing, medtech, and energy transition amid global pushes for sustainable innovation.[4][5] Its timing aligns with post-2020 funding surges for hardware-intensive startups, where long prototyping timelines deter traditional VCs; by offering non-dilutive support near TU Delft—a hub for radical innovations—it accelerates university spinouts into market leaders.[1][3][5] This influences the ecosystem by densifying South Holland's tech cluster, connecting startups to corporate partners and investors, and boosting regional GDP through high-impact firms tackling societal challenges like climate and health.[4][5]
YES!Delft is primed to expand its influence as deep-tech funding matures and EU initiatives like Horizon Europe prioritize hardware innovation, potentially scaling programs to more campuses or international outposts.[5][7] Trends like AI-quantum convergence and energy transition will shape its portfolio, with its equity-free model attracting top talent amid VC caution on long-horizon bets. Its role may evolve toward hybrid accelerator-investor hybrids via partnerships, further solidifying Delft as Europe's deep-tech epicenter—empowering the next wave of world-changing firms without compromising founder control.[1][5]
