Vakmedianet

What Vakmedianet does

Vakmedianet, operating as VMN media, is the largest B2B media company in the Netherlands, reaching approximately 1.5 million professionals daily — equivalent to roughly 25% of the Dutch working population — across 36 sectors and 16 industry branches. The company operates a portfolio of 40 trade titles (vaktitels) delivered through a cross-media platform spanning online, print, and live events. Core titles include Cobouw (construction, 160 years), Vastgoedmarkt (commercial real estate), PW. (HR market leader), AMT (automotive), Misset Horeca (hospitality), Bakkerswereld (bakery), Tweewieler (bicycle industry), and Bike Europe, with many brands carrying 50 to 160 years of heritage.

The underlying technology is a multimedia publishing platform unifying online, print, and live event channels, with editorial, sales, and development teams organized to operate at the portfolio level. Recent corporate activity has been acquisitive: in 2024 the company acquired Telecompaper (TMT data and subscriptions), DETAIL Architecture GmbH (first international expansion into Germany), and ELBA\REC (spatial and urban planning), forming a strategic alliance around climate adaptation, housing, and energy transition themes.

VMN media monetizes through three revenue streams: B2B subscriptions (individual and organizational access to professional titles on annual contracts), B2B advertising and sponsorship (sector-targeted advertising across online, print, and events), and events and training (professional development programs). Go-to-market is sales-led, with direct sales teams handling enterprise subscriptions and major advertiser accounts, complemented by self-serve digital subscription channels for individuals and mid-market buyers. The company is privately held, headquartered in Zeist, Netherlands, with 101–250 employees.

Name

Vakmedianet

Legal name

Vakmedianet

Website

https://vakmedianet.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Vakmedianet (VMN media) is the largest B2B media company in the Netherlands, operating 40 trade titles across 16 sectors and reaching 1.5 million professionals daily through online, print, and live event channels via subscriptions, advertising, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Alphen Aan Den Rijn

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Subscriptions: VMN media generates revenue through individual and organizational subscriptions to its 40 professional titles, providing teams and businesses access to specialized industry knowledge, news, and analyses across sectors including HR, healthcare, construction, finance, and more.
2. B2B Advertising & Sponsorship: The company monetizes its professional audience reach by selling advertising solutions and sponsorship opportunities across its platforms (online, print, live events) to businesses targeting specific professional sectors and decision-makers.
3. Events & Training: VMN media organizes inspiring events and training programs that help professionals stay updated on trends and connect with peers, generating revenue through event attendance fees and sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vakmedianet (VMN media) is the largest B2B media company in the Netherlands, publishing 40 specialized trade titles across 16 sectors and delivering professional industry knowledge to 1.5 million professionals daily. Its portfolio spans heritage brands in construction (Cobouw), automotive/manufacturing (AMT), food/bakery (Bakkerswereld), and bicycles (Tweewieler), combined under a cross-media model of online, print, and live events. Revenue is generated through B2B subscriptions, advertising/sponsorship, and industry events and training programs.

Product overview

Vakmedianet (VMN media) is the largest B2B media company in the Netherlands, operating as a unified platform-plus-multiple-titles architecture. The company offers 40 trade titles (vaktitels) distributed across 16 sectors including construction, real estate, hospitality, food, automotive, HR, finance, logistics, and facility management. These titles deliver need-to-know knowledge and in-depth insights through powerful platforms: online, in print, and live events. The portfolio reaches 1.5 million professionals daily across 36 sectors. Key titles include Cobouw (construction, 160 years), Vastgoedmarkt (commercial real estate, 50 years), AM (insurance/financial services), PW. (HR market leader), Installatiejournaal (electro-technical), AMT (automotive, 80+ years), Bakkerswereld (bakery, 80+ years), Bike Europe (bicycle industry), Tweewieler (bicycle retail, 100+ years), and VMT (food professionals). The company also organizes inspiring events and training programs, and offers business subscriptions providing teams access to specialized industry news, analysis, and professional knowledge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cobouw: Leading medium for 160 years providing independent news, analysis, and data for the construction sector.
• Misset Horeca
• Vastgoedmarkt
• AM
• PW.
• de Architect
• AMT
• Bike Europe
• Tweewieler
• Bakkerswereld

Products and services

• B2B Trade Titles Portfolio (40 trade titles across 16 sectors) A portfolio of 40 specialized B2B trade titles published across 16 sectors, delivering professional industry content in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, automotive, food/bakery, and cycling. Titles are offered through cross-media channels (online, print, and live events) to Dutch and select European professional audiences.
• B2B Subscriptions (online and print) Paid subscription access to Vakmedianet's trade titles and online platforms, providing individuals and corporate teams with continuous professional industry intelligence.
• B2B Advertising & Sponsorship Advertising and sponsorship placements across Vakmedianet's online platforms, print magazines, and live events, enabling B2B advertisers to reach 1.5 million professionals daily across the Dutch B2B audience.
• Industry Events & Training Live industry events, conferences, and professional training programs organized by Vakmedianet for the 16 B2B sectors it serves, including corporate training and event sponsorship opportunities.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TelecompapercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024VMN media acquired Telecompaper to strengthen its data and subscription strategy. The acquisition adds a leading player in the telecom, media, and technology (TMT) sector to VMN media's portfolio, supporting high-quality journalism, data, and market research capabilities.
• DETAIL Architecture GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024VMN media made its first international expansion by acquiring DETAIL Architecture GmbH, a reputable German media company focused on the architecture sector. The acquisition aims to accelerate digitalization and improve online products and subscription conversion rates.
• ELBA\RECcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024VMN media acquired 100% of ELBA\REC shares and formed a strategic alliance to better support professionals in spatial and urban domains. The partnership aims to strengthen their combined role in addressing urgent societal challenges including climate adaptation, housing construction, and energy transition through enhanced knowledge sharing and innovation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sijthoff Media: Dutch independent B2B media company operating a portfolio of trade titles across multiple professional sectors. Closest direct comparable to VMN given shared NL base, multi-vertical trade publishing model, and similar go-to-market for advertisers and team subscriptions.
• FD Mediagroep: Dutch media company behind Het Financieele Dagblad and adjacent B2B brands, monetizing professional audiences through subscriptions and advertising. Comparable B2B trade publishing motion with a strong NL professional audience focus.
• Haymarket Media Group: UK-based privately held B2B and consumer media company with dozens of specialist trade brands across verticals. Strong structural analogue to VMN's 40-title multi-vertical portfolio with both subscriptions and B2B advertising revenue.
• EMAP: British B2B media publisher operating a portfolio of vertical trade titles. Same multi-vertical trade publishing model with print, digital, and event monetization targeting professional audiences.

Regional players

• DVV Media Group: German B2B media group focused on transport, logistics, and mobility trade titles. Comparable multi-title trade publishing model serving German-speaking professional audiences, directly relevant given VMN's first international acquisition into Germany (DETAIL Architecture).
• Sanoma: Nordic-based multi-title media company operating B2B trade, consumer, and learning brands. Comparable multi-vertical portfolio and subscription/advertising business model, but primarily serving Finland, Netherlands, and broader Nordic markets.

Broad incumbents

• Wolters Kluwer: Dutch-headquartered global professional information, software, and services company with deep B2B content and subscription heritage. Overlap is in professional publishing and subscriptions for B2B decision-makers, though scope is much wider than VMN's trade-media core.
• Informa: Global B2B events, academic publishing, and trade media conglomerate with vertical brands across many sectors. Comparable in operating B2B trade titles and events businesses, though much larger scale and global footprint.
• RELX (Reed Elsevier): UK/Netherlands-headquartered professional information and analytics company. Relevant comparable for paid B2B subscriptions, data products, and vertical content targeting professionals, but operates at significantly larger scale.
• VNU Group: Dutch trade and B2B media company with a portfolio of professional titles and events across multiple sectors. Historically comparable trade publishing model serving NL and European professional audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vakmedianet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Vakmedianet