TechMeUp
TechMeUp (Stichting TechMeUp) is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded in 2020 that provides interest-free loans (up to €7,500) to financially constrained adults in the Netherlands pursuing IT retraining through private bootcamps, with repayment beginning only after employment.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What TechMeUp does
TechMeUp (Stichting TechMeUp) is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded in November 2020 and headquartered in Amsterdam. The foundation provides interest-free loans of up to €7,500 to financially constrained adults in the Netherlands who wish to retrain for IT careers through private bootcamps that are not eligible for government student financing (DUO/STAP). Students only begin repaying after securing employment in the tech sector, with average loan amounts of approximately €5,316 (2025) and typical repayment within approximately 3 years. As of September 2025, 466 loans have been disbursed, 385 students have graduated, 151 loans have been fully repaid, and €935,920 has been returned by career switchers into the revolving fund.
The core platform combines a loan-management system with a Bureau Krediet Registratie (BKR) credit-check integration, a self-serve online application portal, and a personalized dashboard for partner education providers to track loan application progress for their students. Supporting proprietary features include a mentor-mentee matching system for the Corporate Volunteering/Mentorship program (starting from €25,000 per engagement) and a Leenlaptop laptop-lending service sourced from corporate donations. TechMeUp Academy, launched in partnership with Cisco in 2022, provides supplementary English and Java/Python coursework. There is no public API or SDK exposure; the technology stack is internally oriented and not a commercial product.
The foundation generates inflows through four mechanisms: (1) revolving loan repayments from graduates; (2) education-provider partnership fees (€1,000/year plus €500 per student referred); (3) Corporate Volunteering/Mentorship program fees (from €25,000 per engagement); and (4) donations and grants from a network of 20+ corporate and institutional donors including ASML Foundation, Rabobank, Start Foundation, Exact Foundation, Equinix Foundation, Huawei, CapitalT, Main Capital Partners, Nationale Nederlanden, and Gemeente Amsterdam. The primary customer segment is financially constrained career switchers (60% female, 82% with migration background); secondary segments are partner bootcamps and Dutch companies hiring entry-level IT talent (Capgemini, Basic-Fit, Lucanet, Vanderlande, OBI4wan, Netflix, TNO among them). The organization operates exclusively within the Netherlands and requires at least one year of Dutch residency for eligibility.
TechMeUp firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TechMeUp
- Legal name
- Stichting TechMeUp
- Website
- https://techmeup.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- TechMeUp (Stichting TechMeUp) is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded in 2020 that provides interest-free loans (up to €7,500) to financially constrained adults in the Netherlands pursuing IT retraining through private bootcamps, with repayment beginning only after employment.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TechMeUp industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Lending and Education Financing
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Computer Training (611420)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Career Training & Bootcamp Financing (ISA & Installment) (FSAKAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Technical Bootcamps & Accelerated Reskilling (Full-time/Part-time) (BPAEANAE), Government Student Financial Aid Agencies (EDADAHAA)
Keywords
Where TechMeUp is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
TechMeUp business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Loan Repayments: TechMeUp provides interest-free loans to students for IT retraining. Students repay the loan only after securing employment in the tech sector. Average loan amount is approximately €5,316 (2025). Since November 2020, €935,920 has been repaid by career switchers. The organization operates as a revolving fund: repaid loans are re-invested to support new students. As a non-profit foundation, they do not charge interest and even cover the costs of establishing the loan.
- Education Provider Partnership Fees: Connected training providers pay an annual fee of €1,000 plus €500 per student helped through TechMeUp. This covers TechMeUp's operational costs and allows providers to access a previously untapped student demographic (those who cannot afford tuition).
- Corporate Volunteering/Mentorship Program: Companies pay to participate in the Corporate Volunteering program, which starts from €25,000. This includes matchmaking, guidance, and coordination of mentorship relationships between company employees and TechMeUp students.
- Donations and Foundation Grants: TechMeUp operates as a foundation (stichting) funded primarily by donations from individuals, companies, and foundations. The 'Investeer Anders' campaign in 2022 significantly expanded their donor base. Major donors include Rabobank, ASML Foundation, Start Foundation, Exact Foundation, Equinix Foundation, CapitalT, Main Capital Partners, Nationale Nederlanden, Huawei, and many others. Every €7,500 invested helps one highly motivated career switcher retrain.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Maximum loan amount per student |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Repayment terms |
| Subscription | Annual | Partner education provider fees |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Corporate Volunteering/Mentorship program |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
TechMeUp product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TechMeUp provides interest-free loans of up to €7,500 to individuals in the Netherlands who are retraining for IT careers through its network of 16+ vetted partner education providers. Repayment begins only after the borrower finds employment, and the repaid principal is redeployed into new loans, functioning as a revolving fund. Surrounding services include laptop lending, the Cisco-backed TechMeUp Academy, and a corporate volunteering/mentorship program.
Product overview
TechMeUp is a social banking organization providing interest-free loans to help financially vulnerable adults retrain into the IT sector. The core product is the Renteloze Lening (Interest-Free Loan) of up to €7,500, which students repay only after finding employment. Supporting this are several add-on services: the Mentorschapsprogramma (Mentorship Program) matching students with IT professionals, the Leenlaptop (Laptop Lending) service providing free laptops during studies, weekly Infosessie (Information Sessions) for prospective students, and TechMeUp Academy in partnership with Cisco for additional skills training. Together, these services form a comprehensive ecosystem removing financial barriers to tech education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Interest-free Career Switch Loan
- Laptop Lending Service
- TechMeUp Academy (with Cisco)
- Corporate Volunteering / Mentorship Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 385 graduates as of September 2025, with €935,920 in loan repayments received
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use TechMeUp
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
TechMeUp technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
TechMeUp partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- IronhackcoreIronhack is a global coding bootcamp with campuses in Amsterdam. As a connected education provider (aangesloten opleider), Ironhack refers financially constrained students to TechMeUp for interest-free loans to cover tuition and living expenses during the Data Analytics and Web Development bootcamps.
- TechGroundscoreTechGrounds is a Dutch IT training provider offering pathways and bootcamps in software development, data/AI, and other IT disciplines. They are one of the original partner training providers that refer students to TechMeUp's loan program.
- TechionistacoreTechionista is a Dutch online IT academy offering Data Analyst and Data Engineering courses. They partner with TechMeUp to help students who cannot afford tuition access their programs through interest-free loans.
- OptiSeccoreOptiSec offers cyber security training programs including SOC Analyst and Ethical Hacker courses. They are a connected education partner that refers students to TechMeUp's financing program for their 8-month part-time programs.
- Codam Coding CollegecoreCodam is a coding bootcamp in Amsterdam offering software development training. They are a connected education partner that provides TechMeUp's loan program to their students.
- Novi HogescholencoreNovi Hogescholen offers IT education including ethical hacking and cyber security programs. They are a connected education partner providing TechMeUp's loan program to their students.
- Amsterdam Data AcademycoreAmsterdam Data Academy offers data science and analytics training programs. They are a connected education partner that refers students to TechMeUp's loan program.
- Azure AcademycoreAzure Academy offers cloud and IT infrastructure training. They are a connected education partner providing TechMeUp's loan program to their students.
- Blue Road AcademycoreBlue Road Academy is a technology training provider. They are a connected education partner that refers students to TechMeUp's loan program.
- EqualscoreEquals offers technology training with a focus on women in tech. They are a connected education partner providing TechMeUp's loan program, aligning with their mission to support underrepresented groups in IT.
- Fast LanecoreFast Lane offers IT training and certifications. They are a connected education partner that refers students to TechMeUp's loan program.
- ICT TribecoreICT Tribe is a technology training and staffing organization. They are a connected education partner that works with TechMeUp to help students access their programs.
- IT VitaecoreIT Vitae offers IT training and placement services. They are a connected education partner providing TechMeUp's loan program to their students.
- Make IT WorkcoreMake IT Work offers IT retraining programs. They are a connected education partner that refers students to TechMeUp's loan program.
- OC ICTcoreOC ICT is an IT training provider. They are a connected education partner that provides TechMeUp's loan program to their students.
- ScriptcoreScript is an IT training provider. They are a connected education partner that refers students to TechMeUp's loan program.
- Verder in TechniekcoreVerder in Techniek offers technology training programs. They are a connected education partner providing TechMeUp's loan program to their students.
- Winc AcademycoreWinc Academy offers technology and coding training. They are a connected education partner that refers students to TechMeUp's loan program.
- JCDecauxminorJCDecaux hung posters of TechMeUp's 'Investeer Anders' campaign throughout the Netherlands in 2022, significantly increasing awareness and donor acquisition for the organization.
- Kredietbank (BKR)coreTechMeUp works with the Kredietbank (Credit Bank) for the BKR (Bureau Krediet Registratie) credit check process required before issuing loans. All loans over €250 with a duration over one month are registered with BKR.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
TechMeUp competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Climb Credit: US-based lender that provides financing specifically for bootcamp and career-training programs, with income-contingent-style repayment structures. Closest functional analog to TechMeUp's interest-free, employment-contingent loan model.
- Vemo Education: ISA design and management platform used by schools to fund career-training programs via income-share agreements. Comparable in mechanism (employment-contingent repayment for bootcamps) though operates as a B2B SaaS rather than a non-profit foundation.
- Ascent Funding: Student and bootcamp financing provider offering loans for coding and trade schools with deferred/employment-based repayment options. Direct US comparable to TechMeUp's career-training lending model.
Emerging players
- BloomTech (formerly Lambda School): Income-share-agreement-based tech education provider. Compares to TechMeUp in targeting career switchers into IT with deferred/employment-contingent repayment, but operates its own curriculum rather than financing partner bootcamps.
- Springboard: Online tech bootcamp offering deferred-payment and ISA options for career switchers into data, software engineering, and UX. Comparable in targeting the same career-changer/IT-retraining segment with employment-contingent payment models.
Regional players
- House of Skills: Dutch public-private initiative focused on retraining and skills development for the Dutch labor market. Comparable regional peer in addressing career-switcher financing and IT training pathways in the Netherlands.
- UWV (Employee Insurance Agency): Dutch government agency administering unemployment benefits and workforce reintegration programs. Functions as a structural alternative for subsidized career-switcher financing in the Netherlands, directly relevant to TechMeUp's addressable market.
- Codam Coding College: Amsterdam-based coding bootcamp and TechMeUp partner. Comparable regional peer as a tuition-free/alternative-funded coding school addressing similar Dutch career-switcher audiences.
Broad incumbents
- Ironhack: Global coding bootcamp operating in Amsterdam and a core partner of TechMeUp. Comparable as the training-provider side of the same IT-retraining value chain TechMeUp finances.
Others
- Le Wagon: Global coding bootcamp with an Amsterdam campus and a similar audience of career switchers into tech. Adjacent peer — same customer segment and partner-network overlap, but does not offer its own financing product.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TechMeUp social profiles
Digital presenceTechMeUp financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TechMeUp leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
TechMeUp funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TechMeUp M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TechMeUp
What does TechMeUp do?
TechMeUp provides interest-free loans of up to €7,500 to individuals in the Netherlands who are retraining for IT careers through its network of 16+ vetted partner education providers. Repayment begins only after the borrower finds employment, and the repaid principal is redeployed into new loans, functioning as a revolving fund. Surrounding services include laptop lending, the Cisco-backed TechMeUp Academy, and a corporate volunteering/mentorship program.
Is TechMeUp a public or private company?
TechMeUp is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was TechMeUp founded?
TechMeUp was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is TechMeUp based?
TechMeUp is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does TechMeUp make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Loan Repayments are the primary driver. The others are education Provider Partnership Fees, corporate Volunteering/Mentorship Program and donations and Foundation Grants.
Who are TechMeUp's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Climb Credit, Vemo Education and Ascent Funding. Emerging players are BloomTech (formerly Lambda School) and Springboard. Regional players are House of Skills, UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) and Codam Coding College. Ironhack is listed as a broad incumbent. Le Wagon is listed as an others.
Does TechMeUp have an API?
No public API is recorded for TechMeUp.
What industry is TechMeUp in?
TechMeUp's product category is Social Lending and Education Financing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAEAI, Career Training & Bootcamp Financing (ISA & Installment), with a secondary code of BPAEANAE, Technical Bootcamps & Accelerated Reskilling (Full-time/Part-time). Its NAICS code is 611710.