Waag Futurelab

What Waag Futurelab does

Waag Futurelab is a Dutch research foundation founded in 1994 by Marleen Stikker and Caroline Nevejan, operating at the intersection of art, science and technology to investigate the cultural, economic and ecological assumptions embedded in technology. The organization runs from a landmark 15th-century building at Nieuwmarkt 4 in Amsterdam with a second site in Leeuwarden, and operates thirteen thematic research labs covering digital fabrication (FabLab), biotechnology (Open Wetlab), textiles (TextileLab), smart-citizen sensing, urban ecology, future internet, commons, open design, maker education, future heritage and space/earth observation. Its unifying intellectual asset is the "Public Stack" six-dimension framework used to assess and design technology aligned with public values, deployed through the Public Stack Academy, open toolkits and Creative Commons-licensed publications.

The business model blends multi-year structural public funding with project-based research grants and selective commercial training. Core revenue streams are Dutch Cultural Basic Infrastructure funding from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (2025-2028), a four-year grant from Amsterdam Fund of the Arts, EU project funding across Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ (Mobifree, RenAIssance, S+T+ARTS, Enforce, Algo-Resist, Tracks4Crafts), project grants from CLICKNL and Grant for the Web, fee-based Academy and Public Stack Academy programs, and venue hire of historic spaces (Theatrum Anatomicum, Maker's Guild, Mason's Guild). Waag serves a heterogeneous mix of citizens and civil society, government and municipal officials, artists and designers, research institutions, educators and textile-industry professionals, with named engagements across the Municipality of Amsterdam, Tilburg University, Port of Amsterdam, WETSUS, Waterschap De Dommel and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.

Distribution is built around a community-led model: a dedicated Mastodon node (~500 active users), monthly Waag Open events, art-science residencies, the Public Nodes program for decentralized social media, the three-year National Design Debate partnership with Next Nature Museum during Dutch Design Week, and open-source knowledge commons. The organization holds no commercial product pricing, no patents or trademarks, and operates under Dutch Supervisory Board governance with a five-person board chaired by Hans Rob de Reus.

Name

Waag Futurelab

Legal name

Waag Futurelab

Website

https://waag.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Waag Futurelab is a Dutch research foundation that uses art, science and technology to design technology aligned with public values. It runs thirteen research labs, the Public Stack Academy training program, and art-science residencies across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Research & Education Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Educational Support Services (611710), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC), Advanced Project-Based Learning & Portfolio Mentoring (STEM/arts portfolios, maker projects) (EDANAKAI), Higher Education Course Design & Online Program Development (EDAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Technology research labs
• Creative technology education
• Digital fabrication services
• Citizen science research
• Public values design

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding (Government Grants): Waag is a Dutch foundation receiving structural funding from government bodies. In 2025-2028 period, supported by Cultural Basic Infrastructure of Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (assigned role of Futurelab within this structure). Also receives four-year grant from Amsterdam Fund of the Arts as part of Plan for Arts 2025-2028.
2. Project-Based Research Funding: Executes many projects funded by public institutions including European Commission, CLICKNL (Creative Industry), and Grant for the Web. EU-funded projects include Mobifree, RenAIssance, S+T+ARTS, Enforce, Algo-Resist, and others.
3. Venue Hire: Offers venue rental of historic Waag building spaces including Theatrum Anatomicum (55-60 capacity), Maker's Guild workshop space (25-30 seats), and Mason's Guild meeting room (10 seats). Includes technical support and vegetarian catering.
4. Academy Educational Programs: Offers courses for education and professionals through academy.aaag.org including intensive residential courses, one-off workshops, and customized training programs like the 4-day Public Stack Academy.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Waag Futurelab operates a portfolio of eleven thematic research labs and a professional Academy that collectively deliver technology-and-society research, professional training, public programming, and fabrication facilities. Its signature paid offering is the Public Stack Academy, a four-day training program plus customized organizational workshops that teach technology decision-makers how to evaluate technology choices using Waag's proprietary Public Stack framework. The organization also delivers venue hire in the historic Waag building, artist and journalist residencies, and Creative Commons-licensed research publications.

Product overview

Waag Futurelab is a Dutch research organization (Futurelab) focused on technology and society, operating a portfolio of research labs and educational programs. The organization does not offer commercial products but provides public research services, educational programs, and community facilities. Key offerings include: the Academy platform with the Public Stack Academy professional training program; multiple themed research labs (FabLab for digital fabrication, Smart Citizens Lab for citizen science and sensing, TextileLab for textile innovation, Urban Ecology Lab, Future Internet Lab, Commons Lab, Open Wetlab, Maker Education Lab, Open Design Lab, Future Heritage Lab, and Space Lab); public programming including Waag Open monthly events; and research publications shared under Creative Commons license. The Public Stack model serves as the overarching framework for examining cultural, economic, and ecological assumptions embedded in technology across all programs. Work is shared under CC BY-NC-SA Creative Commons license.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Stack Academy

Quantifiable outcome

• 120+ testers engaged in Mobifree project researching de-Googled mobile ecosystems
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• MakeSocialsSocialAgain CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Coalition with Bits of Freedom, PublicSpaces, DeGoedeZaak, and Noorderlicht calling for governments and citizens to transition to open, public, decentralized social media platforms.
• Amsterdam University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Public Stack Academy development. Joint development of professional training program for technology governance.
• Tilburg UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlgo-Resist project partnership - organizing workshops for municipal officials on ways to resist potentially problematic applications of technology.
• WETSUSmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology in Leeuwarden. Partner for S+T+ARTS AQUA MOTION water-related art installations including Michael Pinsky's Your Shit Smells Like Roses at Water Bar.
• WaterCampus LeeuwardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on water technology and art-science projects in Leeuwarden area.
• Municipality of LeeuwardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Water Bar installation and S+T+ARTS AQUA MOTION programming.
• Next Nature MuseummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year partnership (2026+) for National Design Debate during Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven. Annual platform for critical reflection on design and technology.
• Det Digit Art HousemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint residency program for artists/researchers at Det Digit Art House in Knegsel, focusing on regenerative technology, permacomputing, and degrowth philosophies.
• EuroskymajorTechnology or IntegrationEuropean PDS hosting provider. Waag moved Bluesky data to Eurosky's Personal Data Server for greater control over data sovereignty and digital autonomy.
• Port of AmsterdammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funded Michael Pinsky's art-science residency. Provided network access and port facility access for material flow research resulting in All the Tyres from Iceland installation.
• Waterschap De DommelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater management authority for Dommel river in southeastern Netherlands. Partnered on Arcangelo Constantini's Vortex Harmonies installation for water reoxygenation.
• Society for Promotion of Natural Technology (PKS)minorOthersAustrian organization. Collaborated on Vortex Harmonies project, bringing Schauberger's vortex water revitalization philosophy into artistic practice.
• Commons NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner calling on Amsterdam city council for digital independence and explicit technology policy.
• CybersoekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner for Amsterdam digital autonomy campaign. Works on digital inclusion and alternative digital infrastructure.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Creative Commons: Global nonprofit that built the licensing framework Waag uses for all its publications. Comparable as a public-interest technology organization promoting knowledge commons, though Creative Commons is more policy/licensing oriented while Waag is research-and-practice oriented.
• IRCAM: French public research institute for music and acoustics, pioneering art-science integration. Comparable to Waag's Open Wetlab and art-science residency model as a publicly funded institute blending research, technology, and creative practice.
• IDEAS Orlando / ICAT: Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology at Virginia Tech, blending art, science, and technology research. Comparable to Waag's Open Design and Maker Education Labs as a multi-disciplinary creative technology research outfit, though university-anchored rather than foundation-anchored.

Broad incumbents

• Mozilla Foundation: US-based nonprofit focused on open internet, trustworthy AI, and digital rights. Comparable to Waag's Future Internet Lab and MakeSocialsSocialAgain coalition work, but operates globally with substantially larger resources and a more explicitly advocacy-driven posture.
• MIT Media Lab: Leading academic research lab at the intersection of technology, design, and society. Comparable through its multi-disciplinary lab model and maker/biotech research orientation, but operates at vastly larger scale with university backing rather than foundation grants.

Direct peers

• Tactical Tech: Berlin-based NGO working on the social and political impacts of technology. Comparable to Waag's Future Internet and Commons Labs in its focus on digital autonomy, data sovereignty, and public-interest technology research.
• Nesta: UK innovation foundation operating at the intersection of technology, society, and public policy. Highly comparable to Waag as a grant-funded research/advocacy organization running labs, fellowships, and applied research programs with a mission-driven foundation structure.
• Ars Electronica: Austrian research and cultural institution focused on art, technology, and society. Comparable to Waag through its Futurelab, art-science residencies, public programming, and Creative Commons-style knowledge sharing, with similar public-funding dependence.
• Research Institute for Arts and Technology (V2_ Lab for the Unstable Media): Rotterdam-based art and technology research lab. Highly comparable to Waag as a Dutch public-interest technology lab running art-science residencies, experimental fabrication, and critical technology research with public funding.

Others

• PublicSpaces: Dutch coalition of public organizations promoting ethical internet and digital autonomy. Comparable to Waag's Future Internet Lab and coalition advocacy work, functioning as a partner organization within Waag's broader network (e.g., MakeSocialsSocialAgain coalition).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgitlab.waag.org/explore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waag-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/waagnl
• Xx.com/waag
• Facebookfacebook.com/waagsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Waag Futurelab