KVK Business Dynamics 2024, annual overview

The decline in the number of starters is evident across all sectors, but is particularly pronounced in healthcare and construction. These sectors also see the sharpest rise in the number of businesses ceasing trading. Construction and healthcare are also the sectors with the highest number of registered businesses in the Business Register, alongside retail and business services. The number of businesses ceasing trading has increased in almost all sectors.

“We are seeing a historic break in the trend, with a decline in the number of starters for the first time in 10 years. In particular, the number of new businesses set up by people born in the Netherlands has fallen sharply (-12%); the number of starters by people born abroad remains fairly stable (-3%). A shift is taking place in the Dutch entrepreneurial landscape towards people who were not born here: in 2024, 30% (69,024) of starting entrepreneurs were born abroad,” says Erik Stam, professor of strategy, organisation, and entrepreneurship at Utrecht University.

Zzp

The number of self-employed professionals without staff (zzp'ers) rose from 1,710,161 to 1,772,367 in 2024 (1 January 2024 compared with 1 January 2025), representing an increase of 4%. However, the rate of growth is slowing; in 2023, growth was still at 7%. A decline of 9% is also evident in the number of new zzp'ers. This is comparable to the overall decline in the number of starters (-8%). The number of zzp'ers ceasing their activities has increased by 20%. This figure is significantly higher than the increase in the total number of those ceasing their activities (+11%).

“Although there is uncertainty, the drive towards entrepreneurship in the Netherlands remains strong. For although the growth in the number of zzp'ers is slowing, 2024 still shows an increase in the number of zzp'ers compared to 2023. This shows that the need for autonomy and the desire to shape one’s own working life are still stronger than the pressure from tax cuts and enforcement measures against false self-employment. “The working climate is changing, but the desire to be in control of one’s own work remains as strong as ever,” says Cristel van de Ven, chair of the Vereniging Zelfstandigen Nederland (Dutch Association of Self-Employed Persons, the umbrella organisation for zzp'ers).

Bankruptcies

In addition to the number of business closures, the number of bankruptcies also rose in 2024 compared with 2023, by 34%. There were 4,467 bankruptcies in 2024, compared with 3,326 in 2023. The number of bankruptcies increased in virtually all sectors. In absolute terms, the retail sector recorded the highest number of bankruptcies at 1,053, representing a 51% increase compared to 2023. This was followed by the provision of services (657 in 2024, 519 in 2023) and the catering industry (432 in 2024 and 293 in 2023).

“The number of bankruptcies is rising, as expected. The wave of bankruptcies following the coronavirus crisis is growing, but it is still not the tsunami that was anticipated. Even from a historical perspective, the situation is not as bad as it could be: for example, the number of bankruptcies in 2024 is still much lower than in 2017”, says Erik Stam.

Starter profiles

• In 2024, 38% of new entrepreneurs were women. In 2023, this figure stood at 37%.
• Most female new entrepreneurs are active in the personal services (83%) and healthcare (73%) sectors.
• The average age of a new entrepreneur is 34. The average age is lowest in the retail sector, at 30.

Business owner profiles

• The proportion of men (62%) and women (38%) on 1 January 2025 changed slightly compared with 1 January 2024. At that time, the male-to-female ratio was 63% to 37%.
• The average age of an entrepreneur is 45 (the same as in 2023).

View the full report (in Dutch) on this page. 

Find more up-to-date figures and trends, as well as reliable insights into the Dutch business sector, at kvk.nl/en/figures-and-trends.