This mini report focuses on exporting starters in the Netherlands and deals with the following questions: What are the characteristics and behaviour of entrepreneurs that begin exporting right from the start and to what extent do they distinguish themselves from other starters? What are the characteristics of businesses that are export oriented from the very start and to what extent do these differ from the characteristics of other starting enterprises? What are the achievements of exporting starters compared to those of other starters?

The EIM Starters Cohorts 1998-2000 (starters in the period 1998-2000) are the source of the information used in this report. Since the date of their establishment the enterprises in this group have been monitored by taking annual measurements. This has made it possible not only to examine the characteristics of entrepreneurs at the time at which they started, but alsoto review their achievements during a period of a number of years.