HeadFirst

What HeadFirst does

HeadFirst is a Dutch HR-tech company founded in 1995 and headquartered in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, operating as a managed service provider that connects independent professionals (zelfstandig professionals) with Dutch enterprises and government organizations requiring external workforce ("inhuur") support. The company runs a dual-sided business: a B2B service organization serving corporate clients through direct enterprise sales, and a self-serve platform (Striive) where freelancers search and apply for assignments. HeadFirst's stated differentiator is end-to-end coverage of the external hiring lifecycle — from recruitment and matchmaking through onboarding, contract management, time registration, invoicing, and reporting — underpinned by deep specialization in Dutch labor law and regulatory compliance.

The technology core is the Striive platform, positioned as a marketplace where freelancers discover assignments with average yields of €90 per hour and typical durations of 16 months. The broader product portfolio is organized into client-facing offerings (Total Talent Management, Managed Service Provider, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Intermediair Management) and supporting service modules (Matchmaking, Contractmanagement, Talent Marketing, Urenregistratie & facturatie, Rapportage). HeadFirst also serves a supplier tier (leveranciers), onboarding staffing agencies and intermediaries into its workflow, indicating a three-sided ecosystem. No public AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or third-party platform integrations are disclosed; differentiation is described in terms of integration, ease of use, and compliance expertise.

HeadFirst's revenue model is usage-based managed services, capturing spread/fee on intermediated freelancer placements plus service fees for contract administration, time tracking, invoicing, and reporting. Pricing is quote-based for enterprise clients and not publicly disclosed. Named enterprise and government customers include Achmea, Aon, Vattenfall, NS, Rabobank, the Dutch Ministry of Justice & Security, and the Ministry of VWS, with named testimonial quotes from senior procurement and External Workforce managers. In July 2022, HeadFirst expanded into Belgium via the acquisition of Brussels-based HR-tech firm ProUnity, signaling intent to scale beyond the Dutch market. Leadership is headed by CEO Marion Van Happen. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds or investors.

Name

HeadFirst

Legal name

HeadFirst Group

Website

https://headfirst.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HeadFirst is a Dutch HR-tech company founded in 1995 that connects independent professionals with enterprise and government clients via its Striive platform and end-to-end external workforce management services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Management Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Services (5613), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Administration (BPAAAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Contractor / Freelancer Payments (FSAMAKAC), HRIS/HCM Implementation & EOR Platform Services (BPACAHAJ)

Keywords

• Workforce management services
• Freelance professional placement
• Managed service provider
• External hiring solutions
• HR tech platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoofddorp

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Placement Services: HeadFirst earns revenue by matching freelancers with companies and providing comprehensive HR services including contract management, time tracking, and invoicing. The company acts as an intermediary facilitating external hiring for organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HeadFirst is a Dutch HR-tech platform that connects self-employed professionals (freelancers) with organizations seeking external workforce. The company provides end-to-end external hiring services covering recruitment, matchmaking, contract management, time registration, invoicing, and compliance with Dutch labor laws. Its Striive platform enables freelancers to find assignments, while its enterprise services include Total Talent Management, Managed Service Provider, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, and Intermediair Management.

Product overview

HeadFirst is a Dutch HR-tech platform specializing in external workforce management. The platform operates as a unified offering combining multiple service modules including Total Talent Management, Managed Service Provider, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Intermediair Management, Matchmaking, Contractmanagement, Talent Marketing, Urenregistratie & facturatie, and Rapportage. The core platform is complemented by the Striive job assignment marketplace where professionals can find assignments. HeadFirst positions itself as a leader in HR-tech innovation, helping organizations optimize their external hiring from recruitment to onboarding and contract management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Striive: Platform through which HeadFirst offers assignments to professionals, featuring job listings with average hourly rates and assignment durations.

Products and services

• Total Talent Management

Quantifiable outcome

• Average assignment yields €90 per hour and lasts 16 months

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ProUnityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2022HeadFirst Group acquired Belgian HR-tech company ProUnity in July 2022. The acquisition was designed to expand HeadFirst's presence in Belgium and enhance its platform strategy. The acquisition increases HeadFirst's Belgian business and its capacity to serve international clients through its expanded HR-tech portfolio.
• ProUnityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2022HeadFirst Group acquired Belgian company ProUnity, based in Brussels, to expand its IT staffing business in Belgium. The acquisition allows HeadFirst Group to compete with larger service providers and strengthens its European growth strategy.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• USG People (Recruit Holdings): Major Dutch staffing group operating multiple specialist brands. Provides competitive overlap on professional staffing, MSP, and HR outsourcing in the Netherlands.
• Randstad: Dutch-founded global staffing and HR services giant. While much broader than HeadFirst, Randstad competes in Dutch professional placement, MSP, and RPO, making it a direct overlap on enterprise workforce solutions in the same home market.
• Robert Half: Global professional staffing firm with a Benelux presence through Accountemps and OfficeTeam. Overlaps with HeadFirst on finance, technology, and administrative freelance placement.

Direct peers

• Hays: UK-listed specialist in professional recruitment and workforce solutions, with deep Netherlands/Benelux operations. Hays is the closest international analog to HeadFirst's focus on highly educated freelance and permanent placement.
• Brunel International: Dutch-based specialist in engineering, technical, and professional staffing. Like HeadFirst, Brunel focuses on highly educated professionals in regulated, complex industries across Benelux.
• Michael Page: Global professional recruitment firm with significant Benelux operations. Directly comparable on placement of senior professionals and contract/freelance roles in finance, legal, technology, and government.
• Yacht (Randstad subsidiary): Dutch specialist brand of Randstad focused on highly educated professionals and interim/freelance assignments. Yacht is the most direct domestic head-to-head competitor for HeadFirst's core matchmaking offering.

Emerging players

• Toptal: Global freelance marketplace for top-tier technology and business professionals. Overlaps with HeadFirst's Striive platform in connecting enterprise clients with senior freelance talent, particularly in IT and consulting.
• Headhunter (Capterra-style job platforms): Online professional recruitment platforms and marketplaces. Partial overlap with HeadFirst's matchmaking and Striive platform as alternative channels for enterprise external hiring.

Regional players

• Young Capital: Dutch staffing and young-professional placement firm owned by USG People/Recruit. Adjacent on the Dutch staffing market but skews to entry-level and temporary rather than HeadFirst's senior freelance focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/headfirst
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/headfirst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about HeadFirst