Curio

What Curio does

Curio is a Dutch Regional Training Centre (ROC, Regionaal Opleidingen Centrum) headquartered in Etten-Leur that delivers pre-vocational (vmbo) and vocational (mbo) education across the West-Brabant region. It operates 34 physical locations serving approximately 6,000 vmbo students, 16,000 mbo students, and a workforce of 3,000+ staff, offering more than 250 mbo programs across four domains: economics/entrepreneurship, technics/technology, health/social care, and food/green/hospitality, plus creative-industry programs such as AV-specialist. Specialized sub-brands include Johan Cruyff College (sports-focused mbo for elite athletes) and Veiligheid en Vakmanschap (VeVa), a military preparation pathway into the Dutch Armed Forces.

The core product surface is a regulated vocational-education platform: classroom instruction combined with work-based learning through erkend leerbedrijf internships validated by S-BB. The supporting technology stack is built on commodity enterprise EdTech — Microsoft 365, It's Learning LMS, Azure Active Directory single sign-on, Microsoft Teams for distance learning, ZIVVER for secure communications, and Vimeo/Curio Video for instructional video. Curio operates its own proprietary Curio Hub (lerenbij.curio.nl) for teacher professional development and blended-learning design, and runs Curio Connect, a challenge-based career-orientation program linking vmbo feeders to mbo programs. Adult education, NT2 Dutch-as-second-language courses, vavo (adult secondary education), and customized business training round out the lifelong-learning portfolio.

The business model is predominantly government-funded through the Dutch bekostiging regime for mbo and vmbo, supplemented by regulated tuition (€1,511 BOL; €314/€762 BBL for school year 2026-2027) and by adult-learner course fees with partial municipal subsidies. Erasmus+ accreditations (2015, 2020, 2025) enable international mobility revenue. Distribution is direct-to-student through online enrollment (inschrijvenmbo.nl), open days, meeloopdagen, and the regional school network. Curio is not a venture-backed company and discloses no commercial revenue; it is a publicly-funded educational institution whose strategic posture is shaped by Dutch education policy rather than capital-markets dynamics.

Name

Curio

Legal name

Curio

Website

https://curio.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Curio is a Dutch Regional Training Centre (ROC) delivering pre-vocational (vmbo) and vocational (mbo) education to ~22,000 students across 34 locations in West-Brabant, offering 250+ programs funded primarily through Dutch government bekostiging with supplementary adult education and NT2 course fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leadership & People Skills (Influence, Managing Up, Supervisory Readiness) (EDAAAKAI), Language Learning Centers (ESL/EFL & World Languages) (EDANAHAG)

Keywords

• Vocational education
• Pre-vocational education
• Adult education
• Dutch language courses
• Secondary adult education

Headquarters

HQ city

Etten

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-funded vocational education: Primary revenue from Dutch government funding for mbo and vmbo education programs. Government sets tuition fees for different programs (BOL vs BBL) and levels.
2. Adult education courses: Revenue from Dutch language courses (NT2) and other adult education programs where participants pay course fees, with partial subsidies from municipalities for residents of West-Brabant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Curio is a Dutch Regional Training Centre (ROC) that delivers pre-vocational (vmbo) and vocational (mbo) education, alongside adult education and lifelong-learning programs, across 34 locations in the West-Brabant region. It serves roughly 22,000 students (6,000 vmbo and 16,000 mbo) with 3,000+ staff through more than 250 programs, including specialized tracks such as Johan Cruyff College (sports), VeVa (defense preparation), Curio Entree, and NT2 Dutch-language courses for non-native speakers.

Product overview

Curio is a comprehensive vocational education institution operating as a unified platform with multiple educational products and services. The core offerings include MBO programs (250+ vocational programs at levels 1-4) and VMBO programs (pre-vocational education across 8 schools) within the public education system. Supporting products include Curio Connect (career orientation linking vmbo to mbo), Lifelong Learning (adult education), and specialized sub-brands like Johan Cruyff College (sports education) and VeVa (military preparation). The institution also operates location-specific programs at facilities like Dr. Ir. van Veenweg 8 (creative industry) and Meulenspie 2 (defense programs). Supporting services include the MBO Studentenfonds (financial aid) and sports support facilities. Programs span five interest areas: Economics and entrepreneurship, Technics and technology, Health and social care, Food/green/hospitality, and Creative industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mbo-opleidingen (MBO Programs)

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of graduates with work (vs 72% national average for International Business Studies)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• S-BB (Stichting Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerS-BB assesses and validates companies offering internships to mbo students. Companies must be accredited by S-BB to provide recognized work placements (bpv/erkend leerbedrijf). This partnership ensures quality work-based learning experiences for students.
• Erasmus+ Program PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Commission program enabling student and staff mobility for internships, job shadowing, and educational activities abroad. Curio holds VET Mobility Charter (2015), VET accreditation (2020), and secondary education accreditation (2025). Mobilities funded through Erasmus+ Grant.
• Stichting LeergeldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation providing income verification for the Curio mbo student fund. Families must obtain income declaration from Stichting Leergeld to qualify for free learning materials (books, licenses, laptop, clothing). Partnership ensures equitable access to education materials.
• Topfysiotherapie DeltaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSport physiotherapy practice located at Johan Cruyff College. Provides treatment, manual therapy, and ultrasound services. Part of Olympisch Netwerk Brabant network supporting student athletes.
• Olympisch Netwerk BrabantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork supporting top athletes in Brabant with sporty and maatschappelijke development. Maintains dependance at Johan Cruyff College Roosendaal, providing consultant access one day per week for regional athlete support.
• Stephanie Kuiper (Sport Psychologist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited sport psychologist (VSPN) providing mental skills training for Johan Cruyff College students. Helps athletes manage competition emotions, motivation, pressure, and recovery.
• ZuidWest TVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional television company co-located with Curio at Dr. Ir. van Veenweg 8 location in Bergen op Zoom. Enables real-world learning environment where AV students study alongside working professionals.
• Facilitair BedrijfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent organization company co-located at Bergen op Zoom location, providing practical learning opportunities for event and show technology students alongside professional operations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Summa College: Summa College is one of the largest regional training centers (ROCs) in the southern Netherlands, based in Eindhoven. It is the closest direct peer to Curio given similar scale, similar mbo/vmbo program breadth across technology, health, business, and creative domains, and overlapping regional catchment in Noord-Brabant.
• Koning Willem I College: Koning Willem I College is a major ROC in the Den Bosch area of Noord-Brabant, offering mbo programs comparable in scope to Curio. It is a strong direct peer as a similarly sized regional vocational training institution in the same Dutch province serving overlapping student populations.
• Yuverta: Yuverta is a Dutch green/agricultural vocational education institution (formerly CITAVERDE and Wellant) offering mbo programs in agriculture, food, and green sectors. It is a direct peer in the Dutch vocational education space with overlapping domains in food/hospitality and plant/animal care.
• Aeres: Aeres is a Dutch vocational and higher education group with mbo, hbo, and training programs focused on agriculture, food, and green sectors. It is a direct peer to Curio in the Dutch VET space, with overlap in technical and green vocational domains and similar government funding structure.
• Helicon: Helicon is a Dutch vocational education institution focused on green, animal, food, and agricultural sectors. It is a direct peer in the Dutch mbo space with overlapping domains in plant/animal care, food, and green education comparable to Curio's program breadth.

Regional players

• ROC Mondriaan: ROC Mondriaan is a large ROC operating in the The Hague region of the Netherlands, offering mbo programs across multiple domains. It is comparable to Curio in operating model and program breadth, but operates in a different geographic catchment in Zuid-Holland.
• Deltion College: Deltion College is one of the largest ROCs in the Netherlands, based in Zwolle, offering mbo programs across technology, business, health, and creative sectors. It is comparable to Curio in scale and operating model but operates in the Overijssel region rather than West-Brabant.
• MBO Utrecht: MBO Utrecht is a regional training center offering mbo programs in the Utrecht province. It is comparable to Curio in operating model and program breadth but operates in a different Dutch region with its own catchment area and regional employer base.
• Landstede: Landstede is a Dutch vocational education group based in the Zwolle/Overijssel region offering mbo and adult education programs. It is comparable to Curio in the broader Dutch VET landscape with similar operating model and government funding structure, but serves a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• ROC van Amsterdam: ROC van Amsterdam (ROCvA) is one of the largest ROCs in the Netherlands, offering a broad portfolio of mbo programs in the Amsterdam metropolitan area. It is comparable to Curio as a Dutch regional training center but operates at significantly larger scale and in a major urban market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/curioonderwijsgroep
• Facebookfacebook.com/curioonderwijs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/curioonderwijsgroep
• Instagraminstagram.com/curio.onderwijs
• TikToktiktok.com/@curio.onderwijs
• Xx.com/curioonderwijs

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Curio