Five high-flying scaleups from the Benelux region have made it into TECH5 — the “Champions League of Technology.”
The classy quintet joins an exclusive group of Europe’s fastest-growing tech companies. Over the next two months, they will join six other regions — the Nordics, Southern Europe, France, the Baltic States, DACH, and the UK & Ireland — in a competition for the crown of hottest scaleup on the continent.
The contest will conclude on June 19-20, when the TECH5 champion will be announced on the main stage of TNW Conference. But first, the contenders have to win their regional title.
The challengers from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg were selected based on an analysis of their growth, impact, and future potential. Our evaluation led us to the following five finalists, listed in random order:
1. DataSnipper
DataSnipper has emerged as a shining star of Dutch tech. Over 500,000 audit and finance professionals across more than 125 countries now use the scaleup’s AI-powered software, which automates repetitive finance and audit procedures.
The company was profitable early on, scaled rapidly, and recently hit a $1bn valuation. Under the leadership of CEO Vidya Peters — one of the star speakers at this year’s TNW Conference — DataSnipper has be,en ranked by Deloitte as the fastest-growing tech firm in the Netherlands for two years in a row.
After finding success in Europe, the company has expanded globally, opening new offices in New York, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and Mexico City. “That’s been a huge component of DataSnipper’s growth,” Peters told TNW last month. “Another is investing in AI.”
2. Dexter Energy
Dexter Energy plans to transform the renewable energy landscape. To achieve this grand ambition, the scaleup provides AI-driven forecasting and trading-as-a-service for the short-term trading cycle. By making renewables trading profitable, Dexter Energy wants to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more affordable energy future.
“With our products, we empower energy companies across Europe to unlock the full potential of their wind, solar, and battery portfolios, maximising efficiency, profitability, and sustainability,” the company told TNW.
These plans have progressed rapidly since Dexter Energy was founded in Amsterdam in 2017. Last year, the scaleup reduced emissions equivalent to those produced by 100,000 households — a figure that’s been doubling annually.
3. Gorilla
Representing Belgium, Gorilla is reinventing the operations of energy retailers. The company supplies clients with real-time data and analytics, which lead to faster pricing, smarter decisions, and full visibility from sales to hedging.
“Our ambition is to become the commercial brain of energy retail,” Gorilla told TNW. “The impact? A more agile industry that can actually keep up with climate, policy, and consumer change.”
Founded in 2018, the Antwerp-based scaleup has partnered with many of the world’s top energy providers, including Shell, ScottishPower, ENGIE, and Centrica Business Solutions. Investors have been impressed by the progress. Last year, Gorilla raised €23mn in a Series B round led by US VC firm Headline.
4. Eye Security
Top-tier cybersecurity is often inaccessible to SMEs. Enterprise-grade solutions can be prohibitively expensive and complex. As a result, countless companies are left vulnerable to cyber threats.
Eye Security plans to change that. The Dutch scaleup combines a 24/7 managed security operations centre (SOC), integrated cyber insurance, and expert-led incident response to streamline safeguards for SMEs.
The company’s founders have deep experience with digital threats. Before launching Eye Security in 2020, all three of them were national security employees. They’re now focused on supporting the most vulnerable businesses. “Our approach simplifies protection — combining advanced threat detection with insurance in one seamless service,” the team told TNW.
5. Gain.pro
In the lucrative world of private market intelligence, Gain.pro aspires to set the global standard. The Amsterdam-based fintech has developed a platform that unearths powerful insights to guide investment decisions.
Inside the platform, human curation and generative AI combine to find, understand, and track companies that matter to each user. The benefits have attracted an illustrious list of clients — including all the MBB (McKinsey, Bain, BCG) and Big 4 (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC) advisory firms.
“Our platform brings together verified public information and proprietary insights, empowering users to focus on high-value work that truly sets them apart,” Gain.pro told TNW. “In doing so, we’re making the world of M&A more transparent, efficient, and fair.”
What’s next for the TECH5 scaleups?
All five of these scaleups would make worthy winners for Benelux, but only one can triumph. The victor will be announced soon. Stay tuned next week to meet the next region’s challengers for the TECH5 title.
TECH5 is part of a packed programme for TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam.Tickets for the event are now on sale. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the check-out to get 30% off the price tag.
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Thomas Macaulay