IJsfontein
IJsfontein is a 25+ year-old Dutch studio that designs custom serious games, VR/AR experiences, and interactive museum installations for healthcare, education, cultural, and corporate clients across Western Europe, combining proprietary design frameworks with academic research validation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersMönchengladbach, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What IJsfontein does
IJsfontein is a Dutch serious-games and interactive-experience studio founded in 1997 by Hayo Wagenaar and Jan Willem Huisman, two HKU (Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht) students, and headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The company designs and builds custom serious games, interactive museum installations, VR/AR experiences, and digital learning platforms for four verticals: healthcare (e.g., abcdeSIM — used by 40% of Dutch hospitals — Delirium Experience, Into D'mentia VR, Lunchroom Zondag), museums and cultural institutions (e.g., Canon van Nederland, Museum für Kommunikation Bern, Waterliniemuseum, Liberation Garden), education (e.g., HiRO, Letterprins, Maakkunde, Moving Stories), and corporate clients (e.g., Albert Heijn, ABN AMRO, Mercedes-Benz HoloLens experience, Siemens, Gemeente Amsterdam onboarding). Underlying technology spans PHP/Laravel and JavaScript web frameworks, VR/AR development for HoloLens and VR headsets, motion-sensor and projection-mapped installations, and app-store-distributed mobile applications, all developed through a proprietary 'Playfulness Canvas' design framework and an 'Evidence Based Design' methodology that involves continuous testing with target audiences and collaboration with 14+ PhD researchers across UMCG, Erasmus MC, Radboud Universiteit, Utrecht University, and Trimbos Instituut.
The business model is primarily B2B sales-led and project-based, with custom engagements initiated via canvas sessions to define scope. Pricing is one-time / perpetual license, ranging from approximately €30,000 (audio tours) to over €1 million (large serious games and major exhibition installations), with mid-size serious games at €80,000-€120,000. A small portion of revenue comes from standalone canvas-session consulting and from subscription/recurring platform products (e.g., Seggsy, Groeistad, Maakkunde). Distribution is direct-to-enterprise with no disclosed channel partners, supplemented by App Store and Google Play presence for selected consumer-facing apps. Marketing is content-driven through the ijsfontein.nl blog, direct contact, and academic conference presence. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding, and the founding team remains in active creative-director roles after 25+ years.
IJsfontein firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IJsfontein
- Legal name
- IJsfontein
- Website
- https://ijsfontein.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- IJsfontein is a 25+ year-old Dutch studio that designs custom serious games, VR/AR experiences, and interactive museum installations for healthcare, education, cultural, and corporate clients across Western Europe, combining proprietary design frameworks with academic research validation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IJsfontein industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Serious Games and Interactive Experiences
- NAICS
- Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Serious Games & Simulation Studios (Training, Defense, Enterprise) (MPAFAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Simulation, Scenario & Serious Games Design (EDAGAKAH), VR/AR/XR Game Studios (MPAFAAAE)
Keywords
Where IJsfontein is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mönchengladbach
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
IJsfontein business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Serious Game Development: Full-service development of serious games for specific client needs. Games range from small single-device applications to large multi-player experiences. Pricing varies significantly based on complexity, with small games starting at €40,000, mid-size games at €80,000-120,000, and large games ranging from several hundred thousand to over €1 million.
- Interactive Installations: Design and development of interactive museum installations including hardware and software components. Small installations start around €40,000, audio tours from €30,000, and major exhibition installations from €100,000 to over €1 million.
- Canvas Sessions: Standalone consulting sessions where IJsfontein facilitates the Playfulness Canvas framework with client teams to explore whether and how games can solve specific problems. These sessions can be purchased independently of full project engagements.
- Platform Development: Development of online platforms and apps for clients, including educational platforms, health apps, and interactive digital experiences available through app stores.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Small serious games (single device, standard concepts) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Mid-size serious games (innovative, multi-device) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Large serious games (comprehensive learning journeys) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Small interactive installations |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Audio tours |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Major exhibition installations |
| Professional services/ project-based | Pay-as-you-go | Canvas sessions (standalone) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
IJsfontein product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IJsfontein designs and develops custom serious games, interactive installations, and VR/AR experiences that use playful design to drive learning, behavior change, and engagement. The company serves clients across four verticals — Healthcare, Culture (museums), Education, and Work (corporate training) — delivering bespoke projects ranging from medical training simulations and VR empathy tools to large-scale museum exhibitions and educational apps. Engagements are scoped through proprietary canvas sessions and delivered as one-off custom projects with project-based fees.
Product overview
IJsfontein is a Dutch serious games and interactive experience developer with 25+ years of experience. The company creates playful solutions with serious impact across four sectors: Health, Culture, Education, and Work. Their portfolio includes: serious games for medical training (abcdeSIM, Delirium Experience, Moving Stories), VR experiences for healthcare (Into D'mentia VR series, Lunchroom Zondag), interactive museum installations (Canon van Nederland, Waterlinie Museum, Museum de Proefkolonie), educational apps and platforms (Letterprins, Maakkunde, HiRO, Seggsy, Groeistad), corporate training games (Tafelspiele, Siemens Hefboomspel, ABN AMRO energy transition game), and youth engagement experiences (Back Street at Literatuurmuseum, Festival Oneliners). The company also develops AR/VR experiences for museums and corporate clients, using evidence-based design methodologies validated through collaboration with 14+ PhD researchers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- abcdeSIM
Quantifiable outcome
- abcdeSIM used by 40% of Dutch hospitals
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use IJsfontein
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
IJsfontein technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
IJsfontein partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TriplycorePartner in the 'De Stad als Dataruimte' (The City as Data Space) innovation project. Seven organizations including Triply, Gemeente Amsterdam, Universiteit van Amsterdam, IJsfontein, Shosho, Lifely, and Total Design are collaborating to share data about Amsterdam using new technology and create innovative applications. The project received EFRO subsidy funding from the European Union.
- Gemeente AmsterdamcoreMunicipal government of Amsterdam collaborating on the De Stad als Dataruimte project to develop and provide data for the Amsterdam data space, contributing to smart city initiatives.
- Universiteit van AmsterdamcoreUniversity of Amsterdam collaborating on the De Stad als Dataruimte project, contributing academic expertise to the development and application of the data space.
- ShoshocoreCreative agency developing innovative services as part of the De Stad als Dataruimte project, contributing from their own expertise to experimental development.
- LifelycoreTechnology partner developing innovative services as part of the De Stad als Dataruimte project, contributing from their own expertise to experimental development.
- Total DesigncoreDesign firm developing innovative services as part of the De Stad als Dataruimte project, contributing from their own expertise to experimental development.
- UMCGcoreUniversity Medical Center Groningen collaborating on serious games research. PhD candidate Kiki Buijs-Spanjers conducted research on the Delirium Experience game, comparing it with traditional training methods.
- Erasmus MCcorePhD researcher Mary Dankbaar studied abcdeSIM effectiveness. The Rotterdam hospital uses IJsfontein's game for ABCDE method training.
- Radboud UniversiteitcoreMultiple collaborations including PhD research by Anouk Tuijnman on Moving Stories depression awareness game, and Sabine Schootemeijer on Parkinson's exercise game. Also Letterprins reading app development.
- Trimbos InstituutcoreMental health institute collaborating with IJsfontein on Moving Stories (depression awareness for youth) and Festival Oneliners (drug refusal skills).
- Utrecht UniversitycorePhD candidate Dionysis Alexandridis researching Healthy Play Better Coping - a game to help chronically ill children cope with social isolation.
- Kossmann.dejongcoreExhibition design firm collaborating on Museum für Kommunikation in Bern (interior design) and Canon van Nederland (with Kossmann.dejong, Redrum filmmaker, and XPEX).
- PlatvormminorExhibition designer collaborating on Waterliniemuseum's Sterk Water exhibition along with Duinzand.
- SanomaminorPublisher that commissioned Meesters van Macht (1997) - IJsfontein's first serious game about physics laws. Also collaborated on digitizing and gamifying educational materials.
- The Newt in SomersetminorEstate in Somerset, UK for which IJsfontein developed interactive elements for The Story of Gardening exhibition.
- Liberation GardenminorWWII museum in Leopoldsburg, Belgium for which IJsfontein developed five interactive experiences and VR Spitfire simulation.
- Nationaal ArchiefminorDutch National Archives for which IJsfontein created an interactive journey through an archive of stories in the Wie ben ik, wie was jij? exhibition.
- Rutgers FoundationminorSexual health foundation collaborating on Seggsy - an online platform for teens with questions about flirting, dating, identity, safe sex, and relationships.
- Sense.infominorPartner in Seggsy platform development for youth sexual health education.
- Soa Aids NederlandminorPartner in Seggsy platform development for youth sexual health education.
- Dance4LifeminorPartner in Seggsy platform development for youth sexual health education.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
IJsfontein competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Make Real: UK-based immersive technology studio building VR, AR, and gamified training for enterprise and public-sector clients. Comparable business model and product mix to IJsfontein's work with corporates, healthcare, and government.
- Kossmann.dejong: Dutch exhibition design firm that has co-developed award-winning exhibitions with IJsfontein (e.g., Museum für Kommunikation Bern, Canon van Nederland). Comparable as a creative partner in interactive museum installations.
- TWNKLS (now Augmedit): Dutch AR/VR studio that developed immersive training and visualization experiences, particularly in healthcare. Directly comparable for IJsfontein's VR/AR healthcare work such as Into D'mentia and Lunchroom Zondag.
- Grendel Games: Dutch serious games studio founded in 2009 with a focus on applied games for healthcare, education, and training. Directly comparable as a Netherlands-based serious game developer serving overlapping verticals.
- Ranj Serious Games: Dutch applied game studio building serious games and interactive simulations for healthcare, mobility, and education. Closely comparable in size, geography, and product category to IJsfontein.
Emerging players
- FundamentalVR: UK-based VR platform for surgical and medical training with measurable outcomes. Comparable to IJsfontein's medical training products (abcdeSIM, Delirium Experience) at a more specialized, productized level.
- Holodia: European VR simulation company focused on healthcare and rehabilitation training. Comparable to IJsfontein's VR healthcare training work (e.g., Lunchroom Zondag) at a more specialized clinical niche.
- Opaque Studios: Netherlands-based interactive experience and game studio with exposure to educational and cultural projects. Comparable as a regional applied-games player, though with a smaller serious-games footprint than IJsfontein.
Others
- KLM Health Services / Schiphol Group Innovation Partners (in-house VR teams): Large Dutch organizations that have built internal VR/AR training teams. Representative of in-house teams that compete with IJsfontein for corporate training work such as the Mercedes-Benz HoloLens and ABN AMRO serious game projects.
Regional players
- Viscura (formerly Serendi): Swedish studio producing serious games and gamified learning experiences. Comparable in offering and vertical focus, but primarily serving Nordic and Scandinavian clients versus IJsfontein's Dutch anchor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
IJsfontein social profiles
Digital presenceIJsfontein financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IJsfontein leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
IJsfontein funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IJsfontein M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IJsfontein
What does IJsfontein do?
IJsfontein designs and develops custom serious games, interactive installations, and VR/AR experiences that use playful design to drive learning, behavior change, and engagement. The company serves clients across four verticals — Healthcare, Culture (museums), Education, and Work (corporate training) — delivering bespoke projects ranging from medical training simulations and VR empathy tools to large-scale museum exhibitions and educational apps. Engagements are scoped through proprietary canvas sessions and delivered as one-off custom projects with project-based fees.
Is IJsfontein a public or private company?
IJsfontein is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was IJsfontein founded?
IJsfontein was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is IJsfontein based?
IJsfontein is headquartered in Mönchengladbach, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does IJsfontein make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Serious Game Development is the primary driver. The others are interactive Installations, canvas Sessions and platform Development.
Who are IJsfontein's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Make Real, Kossmann.dejong, TWNKLS (now Augmedit), Grendel Games and Ranj Serious Games. Emerging players are FundamentalVR, Holodia and Opaque Studios. KLM Health Services / Schiphol Group Innovation Partners (in-house VR teams) is listed as an others. Viscura (formerly Serendi) is listed as a regional player.
Does IJsfontein have an API?
No public API is recorded for IJsfontein.
What industry is IJsfontein in?
IJsfontein's product category is Serious Games and Interactive Experiences. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAH, Serious Games & Simulation Studios (Training, Defense, Enterprise), with a secondary code of EDAGAKAH, Simulation, Scenario & Serious Games Design. Its NAICS code is 541511 and its SIC code is 7371.