What DFFRNT Media does

DFFRNT Media (also trading as DFFRNT) is a Netherlands-headquartered strategic consultancy and venture builder founded in 2016, operating from EDGE Olympic in Amsterdam with a stated team of approximately 50 professionals drawn from tech and creative-sector backgrounds including Booking, eBay, Endemol, Facebook, Sony, Talpa, Think, and Warner. The firm offers five integrated service lines — Strategy (digital transformation consulting), Immersive Media (AR/VR experience design), Lab (lean digital product development), Storytelling (content production across online, mobile, VR, and AR), and Learning (organizational training and transformation programs) — delivered primarily through direct, senior-level engagement with enterprise clients such as Vodafone, Hewlett Packard, PON (Audi/VW/Porsche), Albert Heijn, ING, VIVAT, Chiquita Bananas, and WHO.

Beyond client services, DFFRNT operates four proprietary ventures that function as both internal R&D platforms and independent revenue assets: Fitchannel, described as the largest and fastest-growing health and fitness platform in the Netherlands; HearHear, a media company enabling audiences to question and vote; EarthToday, a conservation engagement platform that partnered with Chiquita and Shazam to deliver visual recognition content on 220 million banana stickers; and Future Society, a multi-disciplinary thought-leadership circle convened with VodafoneZiggo. Revenue is generated through professional services fees, project-based engagements, and venture-level monetization, with no publicly disclosed pricing or revenue figures. Founders Bas Verhart and Taco Ketelaar co-lead the firm, which raised a 2018 funding round from Talpa Network and TCC Global.

Name

DFFRNT Media

Legal name

DFFRNT Media

Website

https://dffrnt.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DFFRNT Media is a Netherlands-based, 50-person strategic consultancy and venture builder serving large enterprises with digital transformation, AR/VR experiences, digital product development, content production, and organizational learning programs, alongside four proprietary venture platforms in fitness, civic media, and conservation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Strategy and Transformation Consulting

NAICS

Media Buying Agencies (54183)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology & B2B PR (MPAAADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital & Programmatic Media Buying (Display, Video, CTV, Audio) (BPAFABAB)

Keywords

• Digital strategy consulting
• Immersive media production
• Digital product development
• Venture building services
• Digital transformation training

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Growth Programs: Strategic programs that accelerate organisational capacity for digital leadership, growth-hacking, innovation, and venturing.
2. Strategy Consulting: End-to-end digital solutions at scale helping strategic partners develop future business models and lead digital transformations.
3. Digital Product & Venture Building: Partnering with entrepreneurs and industry leaders to build, launch and scale digital products and ventures.
4. Digital Content Creation: Online, mobile, VR and AR content creation for unique experiences and IP development.
5. Learning & Transformation Services: Programs training boardrooms, innovation teams and professionals in creative capacities, including workshops, facilitation and online tracks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

DFFRNT Media is a 50-person digital strategy and venture building firm that partners with enterprises and entrepreneurs to deliver five integrated service offerings: Strategy (digital transformation consulting), Immersive Media (AR/VR experience design), Lab (digital product development), Storytelling (digital content production), and Learning (training programs). The firm also builds and scales its own digital ventures, including Fitchannel, HearHear, EarthToday, and Future Society.

Product overview

DFFRNT Media is a group of 50+ professionals from the Tech and Creative Sector offering a portfolio of five integrated service offerings: Strategy (digital transformation consulting), Immersive Media (AR/VR experience design), Lab (digital product development), Storytelling (digital content production), and Learning (digital training programs). Beyond client services, DFFRNT has built and launched its own venture platforms including Fitchannel (health and fitness), HearHear (audience engagement/voting), EarthToday (environmental conservation), and Future Society (technology-society think tank). The company runs digital growth programs that accelerate organizational capacity for digital leadership, innovation, and venturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategy

Quantifiable outcome

• 220 million Chiquita Bananas stickers with visual recognition technology via Shazam
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Future SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDFFRNT launched The Future Society, a circle of multi-disciplinary creators from entrepreneurs and executives to artists and academics, to ideate how technology will shape society. Convened to spark exciting conversations and position VodafoneZiggo as a thought leader.
• FitchannelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDFFRNT's venture - the biggest and fastest-growing health and fitness platform in the Netherlands delivering high-quality content, guidance, and balanced-eating programs through advanced technology.
• HearHearcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDFFRNT's youngest venture - a media company combining brand strategy and journalistic excellence to empower audiences to question and vote together. Built with security and privacy as first principles.
• EarthTodaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDFFRNT created engagement platform for EarthToday - a mission to increase awareness and funding for land conservation globally, helping brands engage Millennial and Gen Z generations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Media.Monks (S4 Capital): Global digital creative and content production agency with roots in the Netherlands. Operates across advertising, content, immersive media, and product development for enterprise brands, making it the closest scaled comparable to DFFRNT's strategy + immersive media + lab offering.
• Dept Agency: Amsterdam-headquartered digital agency combining creative, technology, and experience design across enterprise clients (similar verticals to DFFRNT). Directly comparable on Dutch heritage, multi-disciplinary service stack, and immersive/digital product work.
• Sid Lee: Creative and technology agency with strong practices in digital storytelling, AR/VR, and brand experience. Overlaps directly with DFFRNT's immersive media and storytelling service lines and serves a similar enterprise brand portfolio.
• Unit9: Production company specializing in interactive experiences, AR/VR, and immersive storytelling for global brands. Closely comparable to DFFRNT's Immersive Media and Storytelling capabilities, particularly around VR adaptations of media properties.

Broad incumbents

• AKQA: Global digital agency operating at the intersection of brand storytelling, experience design, and emerging-technology production. Comparable to DFFRNT in blending strategy, immersive content, and venture-style product thinking for large enterprise clients.
• Mirum: Global digital agency network spanning experience design, commerce, and content creation for enterprise clients. Comparable to DFFRNT's Strategy + Lab + Storytelling stack on digital transformation and product development mandates.

Emerging players

• North Kingdom: Swedish digital creative agency with deep experience in immersive brand experiences and AR/VR production. Comparable to DFFRNT in combining digital craftsmanship with emerging-tech storytelling for enterprise clients.
• Imagination: Independent brand experience agency focused on immersive brand storytelling, AR/VR, and live brand experiences. Overlaps with DFFRNT's experience-design pillar and similar enterprise brand audiences.
• Resn: New Zealand-based creative technology studio producing award-winning immersive and interactive brand experiences. Comparable to DFFRNT's Lab and Immersive Media service lines on digital product and AR/VR development for consumer brands.
• Buck Los Angeles / Buck: Independent creative technology studio specializing in design, motion, and interactive experiences for brands. Highly comparable to DFFRNT's design-led, technology-enabled approach across brand engagement and storytelling projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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 DFFRNT Media