Founding Director National AI Hub

Launch and build the Netherlands' National AI Hub with the ambition to bring together AI founders and, where relevant, connect to the quantum ecosystem. The hub will be a landmark destination for product-driven AI with openness to future extensions toward quantum technologies. As Founding Director of the hub, you’ll lead this mission from the ground up. From shaping the strategy and physical space to building an international brand and a high-quality community, you’ll be at the helm of one of the significant ecosystem projects in the Dutch tech landscape.

This role combines entrepreneurial drive and operational leadership with public visibility, strategic ecosystem development, and community curation. You’ll serve as statutory Director of TechHub B.V., work closely with Techleap, AI Cooperative and Quantum Delta NL, ensuring that founders remain at the heart of the initiative.

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll be responsible for building the hub from concept to reality and leading its expansion. To start, you’ll drive the build-up phase: shaping the community proposition, securing key partners, managing stakeholder alignment, and overseeing the development of the first 3,000 m² of physical space (with growth to 9,000–10,000 m² expected). After that, you’ll lead the launch and scale-up of the hub as a full-time statutory director.

Your core responsibility is to design and deliver a high-value environment for scaling AI and Quantum companies: a curated, membership-driven model that attracts top-tier founders and aligns corporate, public, and investor support. You’ll bring events, programming, and infrastructure to life, ensuring community cohesion and operational excellence. You will connect the hub with an international network of landmark European hubs.

You’ll also lead a multidisciplinary team (5–10 FTE), manage all legal and financial responsibilities of the AI Hub, and report transparently to shareholders. You’ll act as a bridge between public and private stakeholders, navigating relationships with Amsterdam’s municipality, ministries, and strategic partners like Prosus, Booking.com, and Google.

Externally, you’ll position the hub as a visible, credible, and international brand, representing the voice of Dutch AI entrepreneurship in media, events, and high-level institutional settings. Internally, you ensure the Hub is embedded within broader national efforts to boost AI innovation.

Who You Are

You’re an entrepreneur with a strong strategic lens and operational fluency. You know how to build something from scratch and scale it globally, and you thrive at the intersection of ecosystem building, community development, and executive responsibility. You’re comfortable operating across public, private, and community governance layers.

You bring credibility within the AI ecosystem and are recognized by founders, institutions, and stakeholders alike. Whether shaping a real estate vision or representing the hub on stage, you bring clarity, confidence, and alignment. You care deeply about the future of AI entrepreneurship in the Netherlands and are ready to help define it.

Qualifications

• Ambitious and entrepreneurial, with experience as a director, including legal, financial, and team leadership responsibilities.
• Strong understanding of the AI ecosystem and market landscape.
• Experience building or scaling founder-focused initiatives, hubs, or programs.
• Credibility and network within the Dutch and international tech scene.
• Comfortable engaging with government, corporates, and founder communities alike.
• Strategic understanding of real estate development, tenancy, and infrastructure planning.
• Strong public presence and communication skills.
• Fluency in the English language is required; being able to speak Dutch is a preference.

How You Work

• Connect: You build meaningful, trusted relationships across founders, corporates, and government.
• Make Impact: You create tangible value, delivering a home base for scaling AI and quantum companies.
• Growth Mindset: You lead through uncertainty, adapt quickly, and always push for better.
• Truly Care: You ensure founders remain at the center, and that the hub reflects their needs and ambitions.

Your Success in 6 Months

• Deliver a compelling, community-driven value proposition for the hub.
• Finalize plans and stakeholder alignment for the Hub’s physical space and team.
• Build visibility and trust across the ecosystem, locally and internationally.
• Establish key governance processes, reporting lines, and operational roadmaps.
• Represent the Hub publicly with clarity, credibility, and strategic intent.

What We Offer

• A leadership role with statutory director responsibilities at AI TechHub B.V.
• The opportunity to shape a landmark national initiative for AI and Quantum innovation.
• Close collaboration with Techleap, the AI Coöperatie, Quantum Delta and a broad stakeholder field.
• High visibility and strategic influence within the Dutch tech ecosystem.
• 8% holiday allowance.
• 15% pension allowance for you to allocate.
• Home- and BYOD allowance.
• Travel allowance.
• Unlimited holidays.
• Hybrid working setup (max. 2 days WFH).
• A full-time contract.

If you want to build the home base for AI and Quantum scale-ups in the Netherlands and help shape the next chapter of tech innovation, we look forward to hearing from you.