What Goin' does

Goin' B.V., founded in 2020 and headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands, operates a mobile-first social community platform purpose-built for university student onboarding and engagement. The platform enables prospective and current students at partner institutions to connect with classmates before arriving on campus, form interest-based groups, organize events, and access institution-specific arrival information. Goin' distributes three tailored product lines under one core platform: Goin' for Degree Students (undergraduate and graduate degree seekers), Goin' for Mobility Students (exchange and international mobility cohorts), and Goin' for Business Schools (MBA and executive programs). The platform's technology stack includes privacy-by-design architecture with end-to-end encryption, local data storage where feasible, aggregated and anonymized data processing, and simple algorithmic matching based on activity and engagement signals rather than personal traits, with no advertising profiling.

The company operates a B2B SaaS model, charging universities and higher education institutions annual subscription fees for access to branded community spaces, while keeping the consumer-facing mobile application free for students. Distribution occurs through direct enterprise field sales targeting university administrative staff in admissions, international affairs, and student services functions, complemented by app store distribution on iOS and Android and event-driven demand generation through monthly live demos and partner story videos. The company has built a customer base of more than 150 universities across 29+ countries spanning Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, with named marquee partners including UCL, University of Toronto, Monash University, Trinity College Dublin, DTU, Uppsala University, Brown University, and Politecnico di Milano. The platform reports over 5 million student friendships created and more than 80,000 student-run groups, positioning Goin' as a self-managing peer-to-peer onboarding layer that reduces administrative burden on university staff while improving enrollment conversion and student retention outcomes. Goin' remains privately held with no disclosed funding rounds and 11-50 employees, suggesting a bootstrapped or quietly funded early-stage growth profile.

Name

Goin'

Legal name

Goin' B.V.

Website

https://goinconnect.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Goin' operates a mobile-first social community platform that enables university students to connect with classmates before and during their studies, sold as an annual B2B SaaS subscription to over 150 higher education institutions globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Student Engagement Software

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Course Bundle Subscriptions & Learning Membership Marketplaces (EDAFAIAI)

Keywords

• Student community platform
• University onboarding software
• Higher education SaaS
• Student engagement platform
• Enrollment conversion software

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. University SaaS Subscription: Goin' charges universities for access to the platform and its student community features. Universities pay for branded communities that help with student recruitment, onboarding, and retention. The service is free for students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Goin' sells a B2B SaaS student community and friendship platform to universities and higher education institutions. Universities pay recurring subscription fees to provide prospective and current students with a closed, branded mobile app (iOS and Android) where they can form friend groups, join interest- or program-based groups, create and attend events, and access peer-to-peer support before and during their studies. The service is offered free of charge to students and is delivered through three specialized solutions: Goin' for Degree Students, Goin' for Mobility Students, and Goin' for Business Schools.

Product overview

Goin' is a student community and friendship platform that operates as a unified product with specialized solutions for different student segments. The core Goin' Connect platform provides mobile applications for iOS and Android that enable university students and prospective students to connect with each other through communities, groups, and events features. The product portfolio includes three specialized solutions: Goin' for Degree Students (for traditional degree-seeking students), Goin' for Mobility Students (for exchange and mobility students), and Goin' for Business Schools (for business program students). The platform facilitates friendship-building, peer connections, and student onboarding support, with features including connection invites, group formation, event creation, and arrival guide information. Goin' operates through partnerships with higher education institutions, providing both student-facing mobile apps and administrative dashboards for universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Goin' for Degree Students: Community platform for traditional degree students to connect before and during their studies.
• Goin' for Mobility Students
• Goin' for Business Schools

Products and services

• Goin' Connect A mobile-first student community and friendship platform that enables university students and prospective students to connect with each other, build friendships, join interest- or program-based groups, create and attend events, and access relevant student-life information before and during their studies. Sold on a subscription basis to higher education institutions and provided free to students.
• Goin' for Degree Students A specialized version of the Goin' Connect platform designed for traditional degree-seeking students, facilitating community building and friendship connections to improve enrollment conversion, onboarding, and student experience at partner universities.
• Goin' for Mobility Students A specialized version of the Goin' Connect platform designed for exchange and mobility students, helping them connect with peers before arriving on campus to ease the cultural, social, and logistical transition of studying abroad.
• Goin' for Business Schools A specialized version of the Goin' Connect platform tailored for business schools, providing community-building and networking tools specifically designed for MBA and other business program students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000,000+ student friendships created
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

42 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCL uses Goin' for offer holder engagement and enrollment conversion. Students build social networks in a closed environment with other UCL offer holders before enrollment. Platform requires minimal investment in time and resource from the university.
• Technical University of Denmark (DTU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDTU uses Goin' to support students' transition from offer holder to enrolled student. The Goin' team works with DTU to find solutions for their specific needs and gives them input on platform development.
• Uppsala UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUppsala University uses Goin' as a self-managing system to engage new admitted students. The platform helps with conversion rates, integration, and student happiness.
• Humber PolytechniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumber Polytechnic in Canada uses Goin' to prepare international students for coming to Canada. Students use the platform to get prepared before arrival with zero staff resources needed.
• University of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Toronto uses Goin' to allow staff to focus on students who really need them. Staff has more time for serious concerns instead of repetitive logistical questions.
• Trinity College DublincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrinity College Dublin uses Goin' to build a global community and sense of connection earlier in the enrollment funnel. The platform brings significant support to student experience, onboarding, and conversion outcomes.
• Umeå UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmeå University uses Goin' which generates less questions to staff. Student ambassadors help other students through the platform, especially during summer when staff are on vacation.
• University of OulucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Oulu launched Goin' late in the process (early August) and was surprised by the positive student engagement numbers. The Goin' team handled implementation.
• University of AntwerpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Antwerp partnered with Goin' in 2022 for its innovative peer-to-peer onboarding app. The user-friendly interface and customizable features allow for a personalized experience.
• Monash UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonash University uses Goin' which helps with conversion rates, integration, and student happiness. The self-managing system allows engagement of new admitted students without effort from the university.
• Utrecht UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUtrecht University uses Goin' to reduce dropout rates and retain students. The platform helps gain insight into how students' connections help reduce dropout rates.
• Erasmus University RotterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErasmus University Rotterdam uses Goin' to help students assist each other, particularly with housing issues. Students have been able to find suitable housing through peer connections.
• Saxion University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaxion uses Goin' so international students feel more comfortable and already have people to contact and a community before their study starts.
• Sheridan CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheridan College uses Goin' as a great online community that speaks to today's learners. The platform allows students to manage connections and find answers anytime.
• Lund UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLund University uses Goin' with overwhelmingly positive feedback from incoming students. Students report feeling safer, less lonely, and that they already have friend groups before campus arrival.
• Hanze University of Applied Sciences GroningencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHanze University uses Goin' to have one onboarding solution for 16 schools, ensuring schools don't have to do more work than needed.
• Haaga-Helia University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaaga-Helia discovered Goin' when looking for ways to support students' well-being and integration. Student feedback has been extremely positive.
• Auckland University of Technology (AUT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUT appreciates how Goin' stands out from other social media apps with its relaxed, non-pushy approach focused on creating genuine friendships without ads.
• The Hertie SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hertie School chose Goin' for its intuitive, user-friendly networking experience for admitted students to make friends, create groups, and explore activities.
• Brown UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrown University uses Goin' as part of their student community building efforts.
• University of HelsinkicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Helsinki uses Goin' to invest in students feeling welcome before campus arrival. The platform is described as very low effort and maintenance.
• Stockholm School of EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStockholm School of Economics uses Goin' for student community building.
• Copenhagen Business School (CBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCopenhagen Business School uses Goin' for student community building.
• Wageningen University & ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWageningen University uses Goin' for student community building.
• Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitecnico di Milano uses Goin' for student community building.
• KU LeuvencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKU Leuven uses Goin' for student community building.
• Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTU Delft uses Goin' for student community building.
• University of PaduacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Padua uses Goin' for student community building.
• University of GroningencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Groningen uses Goin' for student community building.
• Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian University of Life Sciences uses Goin' for student community building.
• University of CanterburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Canterbury uses Goin' for student community building.
• University of SydneycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Sydney uses Goin' for student community building.
• RMIT UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRMIT University uses Goin' for student community building.
• Swinburne University of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwinburne University uses Goin' for student community building.
• University of CalgarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Calgary uses Goin' for student community building.
• Algonquin CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlgonquin College uses Goin' for student community building.
• Durham UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDurham University uses Goin' for student community building.
• University of EssexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Essex uses Goin' for student community building.
• Jönköping UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJönköping University uses Goin' to strengthen integration between domestic and international students and create an inclusive campus environment.
• Halmstad UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHalmstad University uses Goin' focusing on soft values compared to other initiatives. It is a service for students that enables them to feel safe and prepared.
• Technological University of the Shannon (TUS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTUS found Goin' to be very student-centered, helping build community and connectivity. The platform required zero effort - staff sent invites and hundreds of students joined.
• University West (Sweden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity West uses Goin' where founders who were students themselves understand the student perspective.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Unibuddy: Unibuddy provides a peer-to-peer messaging and community platform for prospective and current university students to connect during the recruitment and onboarding journey. It is the closest direct competitor to Goin' in the university student-community and offer-holder engagement category.
• CampusGroups: CampusGroups (by Campus Labs / Ready Education) is a student engagement platform used by universities to manage student organizations, events, and communities. It overlaps with Goin' on community/group management and event functionality for higher-ed institutions.
• Involved (formerly Vodori): Involved provides a student engagement platform for higher education, focused on orientation, retention, and student life features. It serves the same buyer (university student affairs teams) with overlapping functionality around community and onboarding.
• Ready Education: Ready Education builds mobile apps for higher education student engagement, including orientation, student life, and community features. It directly competes with Goin' in delivering branded student community experiences to universities.

Broad incumbents

• Salesforce Education Cloud: Salesforce Education Cloud (formerly Salesforce.org) provides recruitment, admissions, and student engagement CRM functionality to universities. It competes at the institutional layer where Goin' sells and could bundle community features.
• Instructure (Canvas): Instructure's Canvas is the leading LMS in higher education and increasingly bundles community and engagement features. It is a broad incumbent in the same buyer relationship as Goin' but with a much wider product portfolio.
• Microsoft (Teams for Education): Microsoft Teams for Education is broadly deployed across universities and provides chat, community, and event features that partially substitute for Goin'. It is a deep incumbent in the same institutional buyer relationships.

Others

• Crisp: Crisp is the live-chat provider integrated into Goin' for student support. It is an ecosystem partner / enabling vendor rather than a competitor, but useful as a reference for the broader student-engagement tooling stack.

Emerging players

• Oriel: Oriel is an emerging higher-ed student engagement and community platform with partial overlap to Goin'. It serves universities with onboarding and peer-connection tooling but at a smaller scale and narrower geographic footprint.
• Wisr (formerly UniFrog): Wisr builds community and engagement tools for universities and students. It overlaps with Goin' in the higher-ed student-engagement category though with a somewhat different product emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Goin_Connect
• Facebookfacebook.com/goinconnect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/goinconnect

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Goin'