The company that founded New Netherland was the Dutch West India Company, established in 1621. This company was granted a monopoly on navigation and trade in the Atlantic Ocean and was tasked by the States-General of the Dutch Republic with colonizing New Netherland to protect it from English encroachment. The Dutch West India Company built Fort Orange in 1624 and settled families in the colony, officially founding New Netherland as a Dutch colony on the North American mainland

. Before the Dutch West India Company, the New Netherland Company, a chartered company of Dutch merchants, was formed in 1614 to maximize profits from trade with Native Americans, mainly fur trading. It held a monopoly on trade between the 40th and 45th parallels for three years starting in 1615 but was not renewed in 1618 due to the upcoming formation of the Dutch West India Company. The New Netherland Company also established early trading posts such as Fort Nassau near present-day Albany, New York

. In summary:

• The New Netherland Company (1614) initially organized Dutch trade and exploration in the region.
• The Dutch West India Company (1621) officially founded and colonized New Netherland, establishing settlements such as New Amsterdam (now New York City)