Delft Circuits is doing things differently. Founder Sal Bosman refused to sign a deal with a VC firm due to the common drag-along clause, giving the firm the right to force the sale of the company. Instead, he’s keeping the quantum hardware company going on angels, government grants and bank loans — and is keen to keep it independent for as long as possible.

Still, Delft Circuits has a pretty secure niche — providing cables for quantum computers used by Intel, Microsoft and QuTech. Quantum computers need to be supercooled, which faults ordinary cables.

Why this Dutch quantum company walked away from a VC deal

Here is where big corporates can order up a new startup like a pizza

The delivery-only supermarket connects customers with local farmers to tackle food waste — and clearly that's appealing to customers, especially during a pandemic. It offers supplies from over 300 small producers, including bakers, fishermen and farmers. It's a clear alternative within the grocery market which is actually expected to grow by 20% between 2017 and 2025 — plus, foodtech is the fastest growing sector in the Netherlands according to Dealroom.

In 2020 it saw a seven-fold increase in sales, more than likely due to Covid-19. In March 2021, the startup announced a raise of €30m from Target Global and Keen Venture Partners.

Get the full lowdown on what makes Crisp different.

Covid-19 needed a startup like LipoCoat, which spun out of the University of Twente. It's on a mission to combat something called biofouling, when medical devices lose performance over time due to the formation of biomolecules and even bacteria on their surfaces. LipoCoat's nanocoatings prevent this from happening using naturally-inspired molecules that mean contact with the human body doesn't impact the device as much.

Investors saw this potential early on in the pandemic — it raised €1.5m from the High Tech Fund based in Enschede and Innovation Fund Rabobank, allowing it to bring further innovations to market faster. LipoCoat is currently conducting seven research projects.

Designed for manual labourers and manufacturers, SkelEx supports posture and heightens human strength. Since 2017, the company has seen sales of its flagship product, SkelEx 360, quadruple.

In 2019, they told Sifted they expected non-powered exoskeletons to be made mandatory; in 10 years commonplace; and by 2045 significantly evolved. Regardless, external estimates state the exoskeleton market is expected to hit $1.9bn by 2015.

Read more: Seven exoskeleton startups rising up in Europe

Another electric mobility startup, you ask? Well, Amsterdam, the city where everyone cycles, is at the forefront of all things new in the mobility market. Cargoroo is focused on the countless families who roam the city — and indeed, 70% of its rides have transported kids. The bike has a low-slung box behind the front wheel and is battery-powered. Moreover, the company won the European Startup Prize for Mobility in 2019 and even won EU money to launch in seven EU cities. The future’s bright.

Read more: E-Cargo bikes aim for the family market