Over the past 24 months, the major Dutch banks have shifted from being general lenders to strategic financing partners. The banks are financing extensively, but are doing so very selectively. The focus is explicitly on capital-intensive projects that respond to major transitions, such as substantial loans for sustainability, digitisation and complex real estate developments. This is the playing field where the expertise of the major banks comes into its own. Although the approval rates for financing applications remain exceptionally high (around 90%), this is not a sign of flexibility, but proof of extreme selection at the gate. Only applications that are professionally structured, financially sound and perfectly aligned with the bank's risk criteria will even get that far. The message is clear: the bank will provide financing, but only if everything is fully prepared.
The shift
The most commercially relevant development is the declining dominance of banks as the first point of contact for entrepreneurs. Banks are no longer the obvious first choice. The percentage of entrepreneurs who turn to banks for guidance has fallen to around 56 per cent. Entrepreneurs are increasingly finding their way to the broader financing ecosystem, such as fintech, crowdfunding and specialised funds. This situation creates a complex, fragmented market. There is a range of options, varying from bank loans with low interest rates but high requirements to non-bank fast-money solutions with flexibility but higher costs. This is the crucial gap that is being closed: the increase in both bank selectivity and the diversity of the non-bank market means that the financing question has become a strategic choice. Without an independent guide, entrepreneurs risk unnecessary rejections due to insufficient preparation at the bank or overly expensive financing due to ignorance of better alternatives from non-bank parties.
Specialist navigation
The role of a specialist is to navigate this market, translate the entrepreneur's ambitions into the optimal financing profile, and ensure that the application has the highest possible chance of success at the most competitive terms. Whether that's with a major bank or a fintech party!