High-growth enterprises, European standard; SIC2008

High-growth enterprises, European standard; SIC2008

SIC 2008 Periods High-growth enterprise population (number) Employees in high-growth enterprises (number) Young fast-growing companies (aantal) Employees young, fast-growing companies (aantal)
72 Research and development 2022 122 9,604 11 471
721 Research on natural sciences 2022 109 8,786 11 471
722 Research on social sciences 2022 13 817 0 0
73 Advertising and market research 2022 138 9,085 8 292
732 Market research and opinion polling 2022 54 3,733 6 .
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table includes information on business demography according to the European standard. Figures in this table are also submitted in this form to Eurostat. Information concerns the population of high-growth enterprises. These are enterprises with an average yearly employee growth of at least 10%, over a period of three subsequent years. Data is broken down by size class based on number of employees and by the National Classification of Economic Activity 2008 (NCEA 2008, based on NACE Rev 2.0). Data also includes employees in these enterprises. NACE is taken at the end of the growth period.

Data available from: 2010

Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are final.

Changes as of October 16, 2024:
The data for 2022 has been modified on basis of new information and is now final.

When will new figures be released?
Figures on a new reporting year (T – 2) will be published in July of the current year T.

Description topics

High-growth enterprise population
High-growth enterprises, based on employment. A high-growth enterprise or fast grower is an enterprise with an average annual growth rate of 10% or more, over a period of 3 consecutive years, measured by number of employees.

This means that a total growth of at least 33.1% must be achieved over a period of 3 years. In addition, enterprises must have at least 10 employees at the beginning of the growth period and enterprises established in the starting year of the growth period are not counted.

Thus, a high-growth enterprise in year t has achieved growth of at least 33.1% in the period t-3 to t, has a minimum of 10 employees in year t-3 and is established before year t-3.
Employees in high-growth enterprises
Employees in high-growth enterprises, based on employment. The number of employees is determined based on the employees on the payroll excluding director-major shareholders. The number of employees per enterprise is calculated from wage tax data of the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration.
Young fast-growing companies
High-growth enterprises, based on employment that were founded a maximum of 2 years before the start of the 3-year growth period.
Employees young, fast-growing companies
Employees in young high-growth enterprises, based on employment. The number of employees is determined based on the employees on the payroll excluding director-major shareholders. The number of employees per enterprise is calculated from wage tax data of the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration.