Spotlight on 5 Dutch startups that raised funding in March
Every month, we list the investments that caught our attention the most.
Published on April 9, 2026
Team IO+ selects and features the most important news stories on innovation and technology, carefully curated by our editors.
RIFT raises €114 million for energy from iron
RIFT, a spin-off from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), secured €113.8 million to scale a technology that burns iron powder to generate heat without CO₂ emissions. This funding moves the company from pilot testing to commercial reality, positioning Iron Fuel as a strategic asset for European industry.
The €113.8 million package includes an €83.1 million Series B led by pension investor PGGM, with backing from Invest-NL, Oost NL, and Rubio Impact Ventures, plus a €30.7 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund.
In addition to building the factory, the funding will be used to complete the sustainability tests required for large-scale implementation.
Vitestro raises $70 million for blood collection robot
Vitestro, a company developing a blood collection robot, raised $70 million. Their system combines AI, imaging technology, and robotics to insert a needle and draw blood from a patient. The device is designed to automate routine blood draws, reducing healthcare personnel’s workload.
Participants in the financing round included Labcorp's venture fund, the American healthcare organizations Mayo Clinic and Sutter Health, and investors such as PGGM, ROM Utrecht, and Invest-NL.
With this money, the Utrecht-based company will develop a new generation of its system, Aletta, preparing it for use in hospitals.
Dutch startup lands €5M to cut farm chemical use by up to 99%
BBLeap, a Dutch startup active in agricultural technology, has secured €5 million in funding to scale its innovative precision-spraying technology globally. The company's system can deliver chemical usage reductions ranging from 20% to 99% and boost productivity by 40%, transforming agriculture through sustainable, plant-level precision spraying.
The €5 million funding round was led by new investors ESquare Capital and Yield Lab Europe, with participation from existing shareholders including BOM (Brabant Development Agency) and Beheermaatschappij Vriend. The funding will support the commercial release of LeapEye and prioritize the global expansion of the LeapBox technology.
Delphyr raises €1.75M to free doctors from administrative load
Delphyr, an Amsterdam-based AI platform, has raised €1.75 million to relieve healthcare workers from administrative burden.
Delphyr is an intelligent layer that sits on top of the existing Electronic Health Records (EHR) system. The AI agents with ambient listening capture patient consultations and convert them into structured notes. This frees the clinician from having to input the findings themselves and allows them more time with the patient.
Backed by the founders of Hugging Face, a central hub for open-source machine learning, and DEGIRO, a major European online broker, the company is now preparing to scale to the European market.
Startup behind one-step tape innovation secures LIOF support
Adhezy Technologies, a startup that has developed an innovative production technology to create customized double-sided tape in a single step, received funding from the Limburg development agency (LIOF).
The company is setting a new standard in the tape-and-seal manufacturing industry by developing its innovative Flexroll AP1 printer. The product allows printing custom tapes directly, offering new solutions across sectors such as automotive, electronics, and aerospace.
The financing came through the reopened Limburg Vroegefasefonds (LVFF) fund, which supports startups offering up to €450,000.