These 9 Amsterdam-based successful female solopreneurs are a force to reckon with

Women across the globe are starting businesses in record numbers. They have busted stereotypes and are bringing about progressive changes in the business ecosystem.

According to data released earlier this year by the Dutch chamber of commerce – KVK, the number of female entrepreneurs in the Netherlands increased by 29 per cent in the past five years. 

However, women are still facing challenges on their way to entrepreneurship, but their hunger for success has made them cross all roadblocks and lead their businesses.

We have listed down 9 Amsterdam-based female founders that are running their startups solo. Do take a look. 

Kirsty Sharman – Referral Factory

Kirsty Sharman is the founder of Referral Factory, her third company. Previously, she co-founded Girl Geek Dinners JHB in 2012 and founded one of the first online media buying agencies in SA, merged with Webfluential in 2015. 

She has a decade of experience within technology and marketing, and is known for consistently identifying the latest consumer trends and building companies to address these needs.

Emily Huberts – TLNTHub

Emily Huberts is the founder of TLNTHUB, an online platform that connects the world’s most creative talents. She is also the founder, social media consultant, and brand designer at Studio Garnet, an online marketing service. 

Everlyn – Straw by Straw 

Everlyn founded Straw by Straw, an online eco-friendly, natural, biodegradable, and vegan-friendly straws. She also co-founded WhooHoo, a software tool that tracks real-time data with emojis. Everlyn finished her Bachelors in Business Administration, Master of Science, and Marketing in Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. 

Iffat Rose Gill – The Code To Change

Iffat Rose Gill is the founder of ‘The Code To Change,’ an Ed-Tech enterprise that provides customised digital-skills training programs.

Iffat is also building an AI-enabled talent marketplace to connect Code To Change graduates to employment opportunities worldwide.

She is a social innovator, digital strategist, and global leader for the digital inclusion of women. She has extensive experience in setting up programs, initiatives, and public-private partnerships that address the shortage of skilled labour and help empower women to take leadership roles within the technology industry.

Iffat was nominated for the UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education by the South Asia Foundation.

Wendy Bogers – Ligo

Wendy Bogers is a lawyer turned entrepreneur. She founded Ligo, a legal services company, in 2015 in Amsterdam to fundamentally change the legal industry. 

Ligo is an online platform for legal services and contract lifecycle management that offers legal documents, notarial services, and free phone consultations with lawyers and legal workflows. 

Wendy Bogers was named No. 39 in the Forbes list of 100 Female Founders to Watch and won the Dutch Legal Challenge. 

Diane Janknegt – WizeNoze

Diane Janknegt is the founder of Amsterdam-based edtech startup Wizenoze, which curates learning material to offer an ‘internet for education.’

Janknegt spent over a decade in Microsoft Netherlands between 1997 and 2012. She was selected by Forbes for the ‘100 Women Founders In Europe To Follow in 2019,’ ‘The 20 Most Successful Businesswoman to Watch 2018’ by Insight Magazine, and ‘Bad- Ass Female Entrepreneur 2018,’ by Silicon Canals. 

Hanneke Stegweg – iLost

Hanneke Stegweg is the founder and CEO of Amsterdam-based iLost, an online platform that helps find and report lost items. The company aims to focus on simplifying the lost and found process. 

Previously, she owned HS-Logistics, an ad interim management service provider. Stegweg finished her Master’s degree from the University of Utrecht. In 2013, Hanneke won the “The Next Woman Startup award,” and won the LOEY Starters Award in 2015. 

Marina Tognetti – Myngle

Marina Tognetti is the founder and CEO of mYngle, the global language learning platform that delivers professional one-on-one language tutoring over the web.

Before Myngle, she had a successful career focused on strategy & marketing in Procter & Gamble, Sara Lee, The Boston Consulting Group, eBay, and an INSEAD MBA.

Laura Hoogland – SUNT

Laura Hoogland founded SUNT in 2019 to make food products from discarded bananas. The company makes Banana bread, which is gluten-free, lactose-free, and without added sugars.

Hoogland finished her Bachelor’s degree in Event Management from EuroCollege Management School. She worked in various positions from Project Manager, Account executive, to Brand & communication manager before founding SUNT.