Meet Our Partner - EBC Amsterdam

1. What is EBC Amsterdam?

Euro Business Center (EBC) Amsterdam is a full-service business center located in beautiful historic canal houses along Amsterdam’s Keizersgracht, right in the heart of the city and within walking distance of Amsterdam Central Station. Founded in 1977, we will proudly celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2027.

We help Dutch and international companies establish and grow their businesses in Amsterdam. Today, we offer everything from virtual offices and flexible desks to private offices for larger teams, meeting rooms, and secretarial services.

What makes EBC special is that we have remained personal. We have a small, dedicated team that genuinely knows the companies and people working from our locations. Many clients stay with us for several years, moving to larger offices within EBC as their businesses grow.

2. Why do you do what you do?

Our goal is quite simple: we want our clients to be able to focus on their business while we take care of everything around it.

An office is not just four walls and a desk. It is the place where you welcome clients, build your team and grow your company. We want to create an environment where you feel professional welcoming an important client, but also comfortable enough to stop by reception for a chat.

For international companies in particular, starting or growing a business in another country comes with many practical questions. Having a local team around you that knows Amsterdam, knows the building and is there to help when something comes up can make a real difference.

The way people work has changed enormously over the years, but our reason for doing what we do has remained the same: making it easier and more enjoyable for people to do business in Amsterdam.

3. Which products/services do you offer?

EBC offers private serviced offices, shared desks, virtual offices and business addresses, meeting rooms, event spaces and secretarial services.

One of the advantages of EBC is that our services can grow together with your business. A company might begin with a virtual office or a single desk, move into its first private office and later expand to a larger space for an entire team. Because we operate from several locations along the Keizersgracht, we can often move with a company as its needs change.

And “full-service” really means full-service to us. We welcome guests, handle mail and telephone calls, support meetings and take care of the practicalities surrounding the workplace. Our clients do not have to make large investments in furnishing and managing their own office; we take care of that for them.

We also offer several meeting rooms and unique spaces such as our garden and garden house, providing places to meet, present, celebrate or simply step away from the office for a while. 

4. What is the current market like in your industry?

The flexible office market has changed enormously. Flexibility has become the norm rather than the exception. Hybrid working has changed how much space companies need, while at the same time making the quality of the office more important. If people are no longer expected to be at the office five days a week, there needs to be a good reason for them to come in.

We therefore see increasing value in workplaces that offer more than square metres: character, service, flexibility and human contact. At the same time, companies increasingly want to avoid large investments and long-term commitments when they do not know exactly what their organisation will look like in two or three years.

For us, that means continuously evolving with the way our clients work, while holding on to the personal service that has always been at the heart of EBC.

5. What are your unique selling points for the international community?

We offer international companies something that can be difficult to find: a professional Amsterdam business address combined with a local team that actually knows you.

Our offices are located in historic canal houses along the Keizersgracht, within walking distance of Amsterdam Central Station. This gives international companies a central and easily accessible Amsterdam base, while still offering the character of working in one of the city’s historic canal houses.

But we believe the real difference is what happens behind the front door. Our team is used to working with people from all over the world. We help with the practical side of running an office, welcome international clients and visitors, answer local questions and connect people with our network when needed. You are not calling an anonymous service desk; you are speaking to people who know you, your company and your office.

And because companies can grow within EBC, they do not necessarily have to find a completely new home every time their business changes. We move with them.
 

6. What has been your most memorable moment working with internationals?

It is difficult to choose one single moment. For us, some of the most memorable stories are the companies that took their first steps in Amsterdam from EBC and grew from there.

Over the years, we have welcomed international businesses that started their Amsterdam or Dutch operations from one of our offices and later grew into much larger organisations. We have seen companies move from their first small office to larger spaces within EBC, build local teams and eventually outgrow us altogether.

Of course, losing a client because they have become too big for us is probably the best reason to lose one. Being a small part of that journey is something we are very proud of.

At the same time, many international clients stay with us for years. Those long-term relationships are just as special and are a big part of what makes EBC feel like EBC.

7. Do you have any industry tips for our readers?

When looking for an office, do not only compare the number of square metres and the monthly rent. Think about everything that comes with running a workplace yourself: furniture, internet, reception, meeting facilities, maintenance, contracts and, perhaps most importantly, your own time.

For international companies, we would also recommend choosing a workplace that can grow with you. Your needs when first entering the Dutch market may be completely different a year later, so flexibility can be extremely valuable.

And visit the location before making your decision. An office can look perfect on paper, but ultimately it is somewhere you and your team will spend a significant part of your week. The building matters, but so do the people who welcome you when you walk through the door.