What Careibu does

Careibu (legally De Vinderij B.V., operating the Careibu Foundation, an ANBI-stichting) is a Dutch volunteer-matching platform founded in 2009 by sisters Lotte and Anne Van Oudheusden. The organization recruits young people aged 17–30 through a community-led GTM motion (digital self-serve sign-up via app.careibu.com, school and university outreach, an ambassador program, and citytrip-based engagement) and matches them with lonely seniors (65+), primary school children needing reading support (6–12), people with dementia, and disabled individuals (0–60) in the Utrecht region. Core product lines include Maatje van een Senior, Maatje van een Kind, Leesmaatje, MDT Jongerenbrigade, Activiteitenvrijwilliger, and Citytrips — all delivered as free 6-month MDT trajectories of approximately 80 hours per participant, structured around onboarding, coaching, and certification.

The underlying technology is a proprietary digital platform (app.careibu.com) that supports volunteer registration, intake, profile creation, match discovery, logbook entry, and trajectory coordination, supplemented by partner-integrated matching infrastructure (e.g., Handjehelpen's vacancy bank for Utrecht). Careibu does not employ AI/ML capabilities in disclosed product features; matching is human-coordinated. The platform sits on top of an ecosystem of at least eight named Dutch care-organization partnerships (Humanitas, Vitalis, BforYou, Laurens, Careyn, Handjehelpen, Vinci Toponderwijs, Samen Dementievriendelijk) that provide care-location access, pedagogical support, and client referrals.

The business model is mission-driven and non-commercial: Careibu is funded primarily by Dutch government Maatschappelijke Diensttijd (MDT) subsidies, with individual and corporate donations as a secondary stream. A previously operated paid services line (Senior&Student, PoetsStudent, OppasStudent) charging €35 per match was discontinued in December 2025 to focus exclusively on the volunteer mission. Careibu serves six Dutch cities/regions (Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Leiden, Delft) with a headcount of 101–250 and is privately held with no disclosed venture capital beyond a 2016 Startupbootcamp/WISE BCI investment of approximately $17,112.

Name

Careibu

Legal name

De Vinderij B.V.

Website

https://careibu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Careibu is a Dutch volunteer-matching platform connecting young people aged 17–30 with lonely seniors, children needing reading support, and disabled individuals in the Netherlands. It operates MDT trajectories across six Dutch cities, funded by government subsidies and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intergenerational Volunteer Matching Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Conversation, Cognitive Stimulation & Activity Facilitation (HSABAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Volunteer & Companion Support Services (Hospice Volunteer Programs) (HSABAFAO), Caregiver Support, Coaching & Training (HLADALAG), Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) with Memory Care (HLADACAD)

Keywords

• Intergenerational volunteer matching
• Senior companionship programs
• Youth community service
• MDT trajectory programs
• Reading buddy support

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government MDT Subsidies: Careibu receives government subsidies to operate Maatschappelijke Diensttijd (MDT) programs, which fund volunteer coordination, training, coaching, and certificates for young participants. This is the primary funding source for the organization.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Careibu raises funds from individual donors and corporate donors to support citytrips and additional programming. Donations cover travel, accommodation, and activities for the intergenerational citytrips. The organization also had a prior paid services revenue stream (Senior&Student, PoetsStudent, OppasStudent) which was discontinued in December 2025 to focus exclusively on the volunteer mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Careibu operates a volunteer matching platform that connects young people aged 17-30 with seniors, children, and vulnerable groups in the Netherlands. Through programs such as Maatje van een Senior, Maatje van een Kind, Leesmaatje, Jongerenbrigade, Activiteitenvrijwilliger, and Citytrips, the company coordinates structured 6-month MDT trajectories that pair youth volunteers with people needing companionship, reading support, or activity assistance, accessible via its proprietary app at app.careibu.com.

Product overview

Careibu operates as a volunteer matching platform connecting young people (17-30 years) with seniors and children for social connection and support. The core platform consists of app.careibu.com where volunteers register, create profiles, and get matched. The main programs include Maatje van een Senior (senior buddy), Maatje van een Kind (child buddy), and Leesmaatje (reading buddy). Additional offerings are MDT Jongerenbrigade for youth volunteering in Utrecht, Activiteitenvrijwilliger for activity support at care locations, and Citytrips for intergenerational travel experiences. The organization discontinued its paid services (Senior&Student, PoetsStudent, OppasStudent) in December 2025 to focus exclusively on volunteer programs. All programs provide MDT certificates upon completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maatje van een Senior (Senior Buddy) Volunteer matching program that pairs young people aged 17-30 with lonely seniors (65+) for approximately 8 hours per month of companionship visits, walks, museum trips, conversations, and shared activities to combat senior loneliness.
• Maatje van een Kind (Child Buddy) Volunteer matching program connecting young volunteers with children aged 6-13 for around 8 hours per month of companionship, confidence-building activities, games, and sport.
• Leesmaatje (Reading Buddy) Specialized reading assistance program where trained young volunteers help elementary school students aged 6-12 improve reading skills, vocabulary, and reading comprehension through weekly 1-2 hour sessions at school, BSO (after-school care), or library.
• Activiteitenvrijwilliger (Activity Volunteer) Volunteer program at care locations supporting group activities including bingo, flower arranging, music sessions, and social lunches, with approximately 8 hours per month of engagement.
• MDT Jongerenbrigade (Youth Brigade) Community service program in Utrecht, run in partnership with Handjehelpen, matching young people aged 17-30 with vulnerable individuals aged 0-60 for volunteer activities, yielding an MDT certificate upon completion.
• Citytrips Joint travel experiences in which youth aged 18-30 and seniors aged 60+ explore European cities together, including trips to Paris and Bruges, with subsidized costs covered by government subsidies and donations.
• Careibu App Platform (app.careibu.com) Proprietary digital platform for volunteer registration, profile creation, matching with seniors or children, and trajectory management including intake processes, logbook entries, and coordination throughout MDT trajectories.
• MDT Trajecten (MDT Trajectories) Structured 6-month community service trajectories, including MDT tegen eenzaamheid (loneliness), MDT voor dementie (dementia), and MDT voor kinderen (children), each totaling approximately 80 hours of service and yielding a recognized MDT certificate on completion.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,000+ people helped across all programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HandjehelpencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHandjehelpen provides its vacancy bank and local matching infrastructure for the MDT Jongerenbrigade program in Utrecht. Careibu recruits young volunteers through its platform and provides personal development support, while Handjehelpen handles local matching and field guidance for help requesters in the Utrecht region.
• HumanitascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitas is a partner for the child maatje program. They coordinate with Careibu to identify children who would benefit from a youth reading/activity buddy, and provide pedagogical support and guidance to volunteers.
• VitaliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVitalis is a partner for the child maatje program, providing access to children who can benefit from a youth companion and offering pedagogical expertise for volunteer training.
• BforYoucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBforYou is a partner for the child maatje program, working with Careibu to match young volunteers with children who need support, and providing coaching for volunteers.
• LaurenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaurens is a Rotterdam-based care provider. Careibu's Klank-Lab course takes place at Laurens Hof on Zuid in Rotterdam, where senior residents live. Volunteers are matched with residents at Laurens locations (Laurens Hof, Laurens Rubroek, Laurens Borgstede) as part of the course exchange.
• Vinci ToponderwijscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVinci Toponderwijs provides training for reading buddies (leesmaatjes) before they are matched with a child. The training gives volunteers all the tools they need to become effective reading companions.
• CareyncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareyn is a care provider in the Utrecht region. The Creative Writing course takes place at Careyn Buitenhof in Utrecht, where volunteers are paired with senior residents.
• Samen DementievriendelijkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSamen Dementievriendelijk provides training support for volunteers working with people with dementia, helping them prepare for interactions with seniors who have cognitive decline.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stichting Present: Stichting Present is a Dutch volunteer organization that mobilizes groups of volunteers to support people in vulnerable situations, including the elderly and families. It is a direct peer in volunteer mobilization and competes for community-level partnerships and government support.
• Handjehelpen: Handjehelpen is a Dutch nonprofit that matches volunteers with families and individuals needing support, including people with disabilities. It is both a Careibu partner (in the Jongerenbrigade program) and a direct peer in volunteer matching for vulnerable populations in Utrecht.
• Papa (Papa Health): Papa is a US-based platform connecting older adults and families with 'Papa Pals' for companionship and everyday help. It is a direct functional peer to Careibu's senior buddy matching model, though operating as a paid service — a model Careibu exited in Dec 2025.
• NLvoorelkaar: NLvoorelkaar is a Dutch volunteer matching platform that connects volunteers with social organizations and people in need of help across the Netherlands. It is the closest direct competitor to Careibu's core volunteer-matching model, with overlapping segments (seniors, vulnerable groups) and a similar digital sign-up flow.

Emerging players

• BuddyHub: BuddyHub is an emerging Dutch platform matching students with seniors for companionship and small services. It is a direct peer to Careibu's discontinued Senior&Student model and competes in the student-senior companionship niche in the Netherlands.
• Joinuz: Joinuz is a Dutch youth engagement platform connecting young people with volunteer opportunities. It overlaps with Careibu's 17-30 year-old volunteer recruitment funnel and competes for the same young participants in MDT-style programs.
• Vier het Leven: Vier het Leven organizes cultural outings and events for seniors who might otherwise stay home due to loneliness or mobility issues. It is comparable to Careibu's senior companionship mission and the citytrips program, addressing the same loneliness gap with a more event-focused approach.

Broad incumbents

• Humanitas: Humanitas is one of the largest Dutch volunteer organizations with multiple programs including senior companionship, child support, and refugee aid. It is also a Careibu partner for the child maatje program, making it both a competitor in volunteer matching and a strategic ally.
• Nationale Ouderenfonds: The Nationale Ouderenfonds is the major Dutch charity focused on combating elderly loneliness, with programs such as the BoodschappenPlusBus. It is highly comparable to Careibu's senior loneliness mission and competes for the same donor pool and senior target audience.
• Het Rode Kruis (Dutch Red Cross): The Dutch Red Cross runs large-scale volunteer programs supporting vulnerable groups including the elderly and isolated. It is a broad incumbent in the Dutch social services space and competes for both volunteers and government subsidies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/careibu
• Instagraminstagram.com/careibu
• Xx.com/careibu
• Facebookfacebook.com/careibu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Careibu