What Nelen & Schuurmans does

Nelen & Schuurmans is a Dutch water management consultancy and IT firm founded in 1998 and headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands. It operates as two B.V. entities since January 2022: Consultancy (climate resilient cities, FloodSmart, integrated water management, data science for water) and Technology (software products). The firm serves Dutch water boards, municipalities, provincial and national governments, agribusinesses, and development organizations; international work spans Western Europe (Belgium, Germany, Ireland), Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia), Bangladesh, Taiwan, Oman, Australia, and Zambia, with a regional hub opened in Taiwan in 2019. Customer segments span government primary (water boards, municipalities, provinces, Rijkswaterstaat, ESA), agribusiness (Loc Troi Group, East-West Seed Indonesia), utilities (Vitens), insurance (Achmea), and engineering firms that embed its technology.

The company's core technology stack consists of three proprietary in-house-developed platforms: 3Di (hydrodynamic simulation software for 1D/2D/groundwater systems, co-developed since 2010 with Deltares, TU Delft, and Stelling Hydraulics, and integrated into Rana in January 2025 as the calculation core), Lizard (cloud-based data warehouse and analytics platform with GeoBlocks and REST API for integrating satellite, geo, and field data), and Rana Water Intelligence (collaborative dashboard/project management hub for water professionals). Around this stack sit sub-products including Delft-FEWS-based flood forecasting implementations, the Dam and Dike Monitor, Climate Atlas, Heat Stress Tool, WADIM (AI-based change detection), BODIS (land subsidence), the Dynamic Digital Twin for Sewerage, National Rain Radar, and field-delivery apps such as Sipindo and SALAD. AI/ML is applied across the stack: LSTM and Deep Learning models for groundwater and surface water, AI/ML with satellite imagery for change detection and crop monitoring, computer vision for reed area mapping, and a self-learning control algorithm operating sewer infrastructure in Almelo.

The business model is dual. Revenue stream one is project-based consultancy for government and private clients on multi-year frameworks, billed under the Dutch DNR 2011 standard terms. Revenue stream two is the sale and licensing of proprietary software platforms (Lizard, 3Di, Rana) with subscription/recurring elements, accompanied by implementation, training, and customization services; third parties and engineering partners also deploy the products. N&S Academy adds a third revenue line through paid courses and workshops (3Di, Lizard, Rana, QGIS for water managers, Python). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; software products are sold via enterprise licensing, consultancies are quoted per project. The firm employs 70+ academically trained consultants and software developers, holds ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 (2024-2027) certifications, and has dual Utrecht offices (Zakkendragershof and Vinkenburgstraat).

Name

Nelen & Schuurmans

Legal name

Nelen & Schuurmans

Website

https://nelen-schuurmans.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Nelen & Schuurmans is a Dutch water management consultancy and IT firm founded in 1998, operating Consultancy and Technology business lines to serve government agencies, water boards, and agribusiness globally with proprietary platforms (Rana, Lizard, 3Di) for hydrodynamic simulation, data analytics, and digital twin applications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consultancy Services: Advisory services on water management, climate adaptation, urban water, operational water management, and integrated water management. Provided to government agencies (municipalities, provinces, water boards) and private sector clients domestically and internationally. Revenue generated through project-based consulting engagements.
2. Software Products & IT Services: Revenue from proprietary software platforms (Lizard, 3Di, Rana) delivered as products and digital services. Technology business line designs, builds, and delivers software products and digital services independently of the consulting business line, enabling revenue from third-party clients and partners. Professional services (implementation, training, customization) also accompany product delivery.
3. N&S Academy Training: Training platform offering practical courses and workshops in water management, data, and digital solutions (e.g., 3Di courses, Lizard training, Rana training). Delivered as paid training programs for professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nelen & Schuurmans delivers water-management consultancy services alongside proprietary technology products used for hydrological modeling, flood forecasting and environmental data analysis. The consultancy line advises clients on climate adaptation, integrated water management and flood resilience, while the technology line develops and licenses software platforms — notably 3Di for hydrodynamic simulation, Rana for water-data management, and Lizard for browser-based visualization and monitoring. These offerings are targeted at water boards, municipalities, engineering firms and other public-sector clients managing water systems.

Product overview

Nelen & Schuurmans is a water management consultancy and IT company offering a portfolio of software products and services. The core technology products include Rana Water Intelligence (collaborative project dashboard), Lizard (datawarehouse and analytics platform), and 3Di (hydrodynamic simulation software). These products are designed to work together: 3Di provides the calculation engine for water simulations, Lizard serves as the data integration and storage layer, and Rana acts as the unified interface for project management and collaboration. Beyond core products, the portfolio includes specialized tools for flood forecasting (Delft-FEWS implementations), dam and dike monitoring, climate analysis (Climate Atlas, Heat Stress Tool), agricultural advisory (Sipindo, SALAD apps), change detection (WADIM), land subsidence (BODIS), and digital twins for urban water. The company also offers consultancy services in climate adaptation, water management, data science, and operational systems, supported by training through N&S Academy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rana Water Intelligence: Collaborative and data-driven dashboard platform for water projects, serving as a central hub for water management data and analytics.
• Lizard
• 3Di

Products and services

• 3Di A high-resolution hydrodynamic simulation software used to model flooding, water quality and climate adaptation scenarios for water boards, municipalities and engineering consultancies.
• Rana An open-source data management platform for hydrological and environmental datasets, enabling organizations to ingest, organize and share water-related time-series and spatial data.
• Lizard A browser-based data visualization and monitoring platform that displays time-series and spatial water data for operational decision-making by water authorities and project teams.
• Climate Resilient Cities consultancy Advisory service helping municipalities and urban stakeholders assess climate risks and develop adaptive strategies for heat, drought and flooding in urban environments.
• Integrated Water Management consultancy Strategy and advisory service supporting water authorities and public-sector clients in integrated water-resource planning, governance and policy design.
• Data Science for Water Management consultancy Analytical and data-science advisory service that applies statistical and computational methods to water datasets for operational and strategic decision support.
• FloodSmart consultancy Advisory engagement focused on flood preparedness, response planning and resilience for communities, water boards and public authorities facing flood risk.
• N&S Academy training programs Structured training and capacity-building programs delivering instruction on 3Di, Rana, Lizard and water-management methodologies to practitioners and partner organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• SpiceUp project provides geo-information supporting 100,000 Indonesian pepper farmers to improve crop quality, quantity, and income security.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability10 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NEOcoreTechnology or IntegrationNelen & Schuurmans and NEO are co-developing WADIM (Water systems Detection Identification and Monitoring), an information service for detecting changes in water systems using satellite data and AI. Developed within the SBIR trajectory of RVO, commissioned by Netherlands Space Office.
• Stichting RIONEDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the Dynamic Digital Twin for Urban Water Management project. RIONED is the industry association for Dutch urban water management, ensuring developments align with national standards. Together they developed the GWSW to CityGML converter for 3D representation of sewerage infrastructure.
• Future Insight BVcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in the Dynamic Digital Twin for Urban Water Management project, collaborating on the GWSW to CityGML converter and 3Di plug-in integration within the 3D digital twin environment.
• DeltarescoreTechnology or IntegrationCo-development partner for 3Di hydrodynamic simulation software (developed with Deltares, TU Delft, and Stelling Hydraulics starting in 2010). Also partner in BOSBO 3.0 (RTC-Tools optimization model) and Texel Off-Grid project.
• Flanders Environment AgencycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNelen & Schuurmans acted as partner in setting up the Delft-FEWS flood forecasting system for the Flanders Environment Agency, including educating their team on FEWS setup and operationalizing the system in Microsoft Azure.
• ESA – European Space AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the EO4SD (Earth Observation for Sustainable Development) Agriculture and Rural Development Cluster. ESA initiated the program to achieve uptake of satellite-based environmental information in multilateral development bank projects. Nelen & Schuurmans served as Data Integrator, deploying the Lizard platform to host and share project data.
• Partners voor Water / RVOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners voor Water and RVO were commissioning partners for the Dam and Dike Monitor (DDM) feasibility study in Vietnam (2010-2014), investigating large-scale map services and risk assessment/monitoring systems for dam and dike safety.
• VanderSatcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner in multiple agricultural projects (Angkor SALAD, SpiceUp) providing satellite-based remote sensing data that is integrated into the Lizard platform for agricultural monitoring and advisory services.
• AkvocoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner in multiple agricultural information service projects (SMARTseeds, Angkor SALAD, SpiceUp), providing data platform capabilities that complement the Lizard platform in the consortium.
• World Vegetable CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Angkor SALAD project providing agricultural expertise and research capabilities for vegetable farming information services in Cambodia.
• VinaNedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch partner in the Sat4Rice project for Vietnam, contributing to the development of geo-information services for rice farmers in the Mekong Delta.
• Can Tho UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVietnamese university partner in Sat4Rice project, providing local agricultural expertise and research capabilities for rice production optimization in Vietnam.
• Virtual City SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner and supplier of the 3D platform for the Digital Twin project in the German Hof district (Hoferland Digital). Nelen & Schuurmans contributes water management expertise and technology (3Di) to the 3D digital twin.
• TU DelftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner in the creation of 3Di hydrodynamic simulation software, initiated in 2010 alongside Deltares and Stelling Hydraulics.
• Stelling HydraulicscoreTechnology or IntegrationCo-development partner in the creation of 3Di hydrodynamic simulation software, initiated in 2010 alongside Deltares and TU Delft.
• ActemiumminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in BOSBO 3.0 project, responsible for communication of control advice from the RTC-Tools optimization model to pumping stations and weirs for the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland.
• MovaresminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in the provincial infrastructure climate stress test for Provincie Noord-Holland.
• PlanterraminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in the regional climate adaptation stress test for Twents Waternet, collaborating on content, scope, and methodology of climate stress tests.
• PWNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Texel Off-Grid LOGiC Dashboard project, contributing to energy optimization of water infrastructure on Texel.
• LianderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Texel Off-Grid LOGiC project for energy optimization of water infrastructure.
• TexelEnergieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Texel Off-Grid project contributing to the ambition of balancing sustainable energy supply and demand on Texel island.
• Gemeente TexelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Texel Off-Grid LOGiC Dashboard project, aiming to make all water infrastructure on Texel climate-neutral.
• IPB (Institut Pertanian Bogor)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndonesian agricultural university partner in SMARTseeds and SpiceUp projects, providing agricultural research expertise for smallholder farmer advisory services.
• East-West Seed Indonesia (EWINDO)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerClient and partner in SMARTseeds project; EWINDO operates the Sipindo smartphone app through which agricultural advice is delivered to 40,000+ vegetable farmers. Nelen & Schuurmans provides the underlying Lizard-based information services.
• TractebelminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in the Ireland Flood Forecasting System project (alongside IMDC), setting up an operational flood forecasting system for all river basins in Ireland.
• IMDCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in the Ireland Flood Forecasting System project (alongside Tractebel), implementing an operational flood forecasting system for all river basins in Ireland using Delft-FEWS on Microsoft Azure.
• OKRA landschapsarchitectenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape architecture partner in the Antwerp climate resilience district development plans project. OKRA takes the design requirements from Nelen & Schuurmans' analyses to create streetscapes integrating water and greenery.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Arcadis: Arcadis is a global design and consultancy firm with a sizable water and climate adaptation practice. It competes for large Dutch and international water infrastructure programs and offers broader services but with a similar data-driven water-resilience value proposition.
• Xylem: Xylem is a global water technology company providing smart metering, network analytics, and software (including legacy wastewater info systems). It partners with N&S on municipal wastewater information systems and competes at the utility-IoT layer of the water stack.
• Sweco: Sweco is a European engineering, design, and consultancy firm with water management and climate adaptation teams across the Nordics and Benelux. It serves similar municipal and water-board clients and increasingly competes for Dutch climate-resilience frameworks.
• Bentley Systems: Bentley Systems provides infrastructure engineering software including OpenFlows for water and hydrology. It competes with 3Di in the hydraulic modeling segment and targets the same municipal and water-utility buyer.

Direct peers

• Deltares: Deltares is a Dutch applied research institute for water and subsurface that co-developed 3Di with Nelen & Schuurmans, TU Delft, and Stelling Hydraulics. It offers overlapping hydrodynamic modeling, flood forecasting, and water-management advisory services to similar government and international clients.
• HydroLogic: HydroLogic is a Dutch water-technology company providing water information systems, hydrological modeling, and decision-support tools for water boards and municipalities. It directly competes in operational water management and partners with Nelen & Schuurmans on projects like BODIS.
• Royal HaskoningDHV: Royal HaskoningDHV is a large Dutch engineering consultancy with water management, climate adaptation, and digital twin offerings. It is a co-founder of BlueLabel with N&S and Achmea and competes directly for Dutch water-board and international climate-adaptation projects.
• Witteveen+Bos: Witteveen+Bos is a Dutch engineering firm with deep water, delta, and climate adaptation expertise serving Dutch water boards and international clients. It competes for the same Dutch public-sector frameworks and offers overlapping hydraulic modeling and flood risk services.

Emerging players

• Tygron Geodesign Platform: Tygron is a Dutch software firm offering 3D urban planning and water-management simulation tools used by Dutch municipalities. It competes with N&S's Dynamic Digital Twin and climate-stress-test offerings in the same municipal buyer segment.
• KISTERS: KISTERS is a German-based provider of water data management, forecasting (FEWS-based), and environmental information systems. It overlaps with N&S Lizard and FEWS implementations for water authorities across Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance2 records

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 Nelen & Schuurmans