Hersenstichting
Hersenstichting is a Dutch charitable foundation that funds brain-disorder research and provides practical tools, information, and programmes — including the Ommetje walking app and The Class reintegration programme — for the four million people in the Netherlands affected by brain conditions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2026
- HeadquartersThe Hague, Netherlands
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Hersenstichting does
Hersenstichting is a Dutch charitable foundation (stichting) headquartered in The Hague, founded in 1989 and operating with 101–250 employees. Its mission is to fund research and provide information and practical tools to prevent, slow, and cure brain disorders. The foundation serves the roughly four million people in the Netherlands living with brain conditions, alongside their caregivers and the broader Dutch public seeking brain-health guidance.
The foundation operates a portfolio of programmes anchored by the Ommetje walking app — the #1 walking app in the Netherlands with 1.7 million downloads and 175 million logged walks — which uses GPS tracking, gamification (XP, levels, medals, badges), and social features (teams, Samen-om, levels competition) to drive daily walking behaviour. Supporting tools include the HersenCoach programme, SlaapCheck sleep questionnaire, SlaapChallenge, and the De Hoofdpersonen podcast. Targeted programmes serve specific populations: The Class provides year-long coaching for 18–30 year-olds with non-congenital brain injury; Breintalent is an annual day for adolescents with NAH; the Sunset Walk is a flagship annual fundraising event; and the Van der Sar Sport- en Beweegsubsidie (€10,000–€15,000 per project) funds inclusive sport programmes. A 2021 merger absorbed the Edwin van der Sar Foundation, bringing The Class and the sport subsidy into the foundation.
Hersenstichting's revenue model is donation-driven, drawing on approximately 152,000 individual donors (one-time and monthly recurring), three national lottery partnerships (Nationale Postcode Loterij, VriendenLoterij, Nederlandse Loterij — each allocating a minimum of 40% of ticket proceeds to good causes), event fundraising (Sunset Walk, annual collecte), legacies, webshop sales, and corporate engagement. In 2024, the foundation deployed €17.1 million across research, projects, and innovation. Distribution runs through owned digital properties (website, app stores, donation portal), physical channels (door-to-door via Direct Result, postal Hersenmagazine, events), and lottery channels. The foundation holds CBF Erkenning, ANBI status, and DDN certification, reinforcing its regulatory legitimacy and donor trust.
Hersenstichting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hersenstichting
- Legal name
- Hersenstichting
- Website
- https://hersenstichting.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2026
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Hersenstichting is a Dutch charitable foundation that funds brain-disorder research and provides practical tools, information, and programmes — including the Ommetje walking app and The Class reintegration programme — for the four million people in the Netherlands affected by brain conditions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hersenstichting industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Brain Health Foundation
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)
Keywords
Where Hersenstichting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- The Hague
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hersenstichting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Donations & Memberships: Hersenstichting relies primarily on private donations from ~152,000 donors. Revenue is generated through one-time and recurring (monthly) donations via the website, direct mail, and door-to-door fundraising conducted by Direct Result. Donors receive the Hersenmagazine and e-newsletters.
- Lottery Partnerships: Hersenstichting receives annual contributions from three Dutch lotteries: Nationale Postcode Loterij (minimum 40% of lot price to ~146 charities), VriendenLoterij (minimum 40% to ~57 cultural partners and ~3,500 good causes), and Nederlandse Loterij (via Aanwending Loterijgelden Nederland). In 2018, the Nederlandse Loterij contribution was €360,000.
- Event Fundraising (Sunset Walk, Collecte): The annual Sunset Walk (2026: €175,489 raised; 1,664 participants across Noordwijk and Sallandse Heuvelrug) mobilises thousands of walkers raising money through pledges and sponsorship. The annual door-to-door collecte also generates significant revenue.
- Webshop Product Sales: The webshop sells educational publications (brochures, folders, cards) — most free or low-cost (€1.50–€5.00) — and premium items including the 'Het Geheim van je Brein' puzzle book (€18.75), 'Voed je brein' cookbook (€29.95), and the PrikkelPlan workbook (€5.00). Revenue from these items funds the mission.
- The Class & Sport/Beweegsubsidie: The Class participatietraject for young adults with NAH is offered free of charge to participants, funded by subsidies and grants. The Van der Sar Sport- en Beweegsubsidie (€10,000–€15,000 per project; €3,250 per duofiets) is awarded to organisations expanding inclusive sport and movement programmes.
- Large Gifts & Legacies (Nalatenschap): The organisation receives large one-time gifts from individual philanthropists and bequests (legacies), which are solicited through dedicated pages, the 'Mijn nalatenschapsdossier' tool, and direct relationship management.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time/ perpetual license | Free brochures, folders and cards (digital or post) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Premium publications and merchandise |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly or one-time donations from public donors |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Van der Sar Sport- en Beweegsubsidie for organisations |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Hersenstichting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hersenstichting is a Dutch charitable foundation that funds brain-health research, raises public awareness of brain conditions, and provides practical tools and programmes to support people with brain disorders. Its core offerings include the free Ommetje gamified walking app, The Class reintegration programme for young adults with acquired brain injury, the annual Sunset Walk fundraising event, sleep and brain-health self-assessment tools (SleepCheck, SlaapChallenge, HersenCoach), educational publications via its webshop, and ambassador-led awareness campaigns.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 175 million ommetjes walked since Ommetje launch, making it the #1 walking app in the Netherlands with 1.7 million downloads.
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Hersenstichting
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Hersenstichting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
AI capability3 records
Feature7 records
Hersenstichting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Direct ResultcoreDirect Result is the door-to-door fundraising agency conducting donor recruitment for Hersenstichting. Their teams wear branded workwear with the Hersenstichting logo and carry identification badges. All fundraisers are DDDN-certified and registered in a national database. Fundraising occurs on weekdays 09:00–21:00 and Saturdays 10:00–20:00.
- Collected WorkscoreCollected Works (including Solo Stories) is a theatre and media production company that co-developed the 'De Hoofdpersonen' podcast series with Hersenstichting and Annemiek Lely. The podcast is produced by Collected Works, which develops theatre and media productions with social themes.
- Annemiek LelycoreAnnemiek Lely is both an ambassador and co-producer of the De Hoofdpersonen podcast series. She also hosts the Hersenstichting podcast series as its voice since 2020, conducting interviews with experienced experts, scientists, and relatives.
- Edwin van der Sar FoundationcoreThe Edwin van der Sar Foundation, which supports people with brain injury through sport and movement initiatives, merged into Hersenstichting on 1 January 2021. Its activities — including The Class participatietraject and the Van der Sar Sport- en Beweegsubsidie — continue under Hersenstichting. Edwin and Annemarie van der Sar serve as ambassadors.
- VanRaamcoreVanRaam is the manufacturer of duofiets (tandem bikes) subsidised through the Van der Sar Sport- en Beweegsubsidie. Orders are placed via VanRaam dealers (or local dealers) with the bike delivered in the Hersenstichting purple colour. Total bike cost: €9,735.44 incl. VAT; subsidy: €3,250.
- Provinciale Sportorganisaties (Provincial Sports Organisations)minorFor project subsidy applications, Hersenstichting requests endorsement from provincial sports organisations (provinciale sportorganisaties). They validate that the applicant organisation is active within the relevant sport/welfare domain.
- FietsmaatjesminorFietsmaatjes is cited as an example of an existing duofiets organisation model that duofiets subsidy applicants can adopt for the sustainable organisation and use of subsidised tandem bikes.
- Cycling Without Age Nederland / Fietsen Alle JarenminorCycling Without Age Nederland (Fietsen Alle Jaren) is cited as an example of an existing duofiets organisation model that duofiets subsidy applicants can adopt for the sustainable organisation and use of subsidised tandem bikes.
- Nationaal Plan HoofdzakencoreHersenstichting participates in the Nationaal Plan Hoofdzaken, a national initiative bringing together stakeholders to improve brain health outcomes in the Netherlands.
- Gezonde GeneratieminorHersenstichting partners with the Gezonde Generatie initiative, focused on promoting healthy habits among children and young people in the Netherlands.
- BRAINSminorHersenstichting participates in the BRAINS collaboration, a Dutch brain research and innovation initiative.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hersenstichting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hersenletsel.nl: Dutch patient association for non-congenital brain injury (NAH) survivors and families. Overlaps heavily with Hersenstichting's NAH-focused programming (Breintalent, The Class) and serves the same target population.
- Longfonds: Dutch Lung Foundation - another large Dutch health charity with lottery partnerships, donor programmes, research funding, and awareness campaigns. Comparable scale and GDN-member operating posture.
- Alzheimer Nederland: Dutch voluntary health organization focused on dementia and Alzheimer's. Closest in mission (brain/disease-specific fundraising, research funding, patient support) and operating model (CBF/ANBI status, lottery funding, donor programmes) in the Netherlands.
- KWF Kankerbestrijding: Dutch Cancer Society - large Dutch voluntary health organization funding cancer research, awareness, and patient support. Comparable in donor base size, lottery income, CBF recognition, and public campaigning mechanics.
- Parkinson Vereniging: Dutch Parkinson's patient association funding research, providing information, and advocating for patients. Directly comparable disease-specific neurology charity model in the Netherlands.
- Hartstichting: Dutch Heart Foundation - major Dutch health charity raising funds for cardiovascular research, awareness, and patient support. Highly comparable in scale, fundraising mechanics (lottery partners, door-to-door collecte, ambassadors), and nonprofit status.
- MS Research Foundation: Dutch foundation raising funds for multiple sclerosis research. Comparable research-grant-making health nonprofit operating in the Dutch neurology space alongside Hersenstichting.
- Nationale Vereniging ReumaZorg (ReumaNederland): Dutch musculoskeletal disease charity funding research and supporting patients. Comparable Dutch voluntary-health-organization operating model, fundraising mix, and donor-program mechanics.
- EpilepsieNL: Dutch organization for people with epilepsy and their families, funding research and providing support. Comparable brain-conditions charity with similar funding, awareness, and patient-support programmes.
Regional players
- Stroke Association (UK): UK-based stroke charity providing research, patient support, and awareness. Comparable brain-condition health nonprofit model but operating in a different geography, with overlapping mission around stroke research and rehab.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hersenstichting social profiles
Digital presenceHersenstichting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hersenstichting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Hersenstichting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hersenstichting 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 Hersenstichting
What does Hersenstichting do?
Hersenstichting is a Dutch charitable foundation that funds brain-health research, raises public awareness of brain conditions, and provides practical tools and programmes to support people with brain disorders. Its core offerings include the free Ommetje gamified walking app, The Class reintegration programme for young adults with acquired brain injury, the annual Sunset Walk fundraising event, sleep and brain-health self-assessment tools (SleepCheck, SlaapChallenge, HersenCoach), educational publications via its webshop, and ambassador-led awareness campaigns.
Is Hersenstichting a public or private company?
Hersenstichting is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Hersenstichting founded?
Hersenstichting was founded in 2026. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Hersenstichting based?
Hersenstichting is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Hersenstichting make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Donations & Memberships are the primary driver. The others are lottery Partnerships, event Fundraising (Sunset Walk, Collecte), webshop Product Sales, the Class & Sport/Beweegsubsidie and large Gifts & Legacies (Nalatenschap).
Who are Hersenstichting's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hersenletsel.nl, Longfonds, Alzheimer Nederland, KWF Kankerbestrijding, Parkinson Vereniging, Hartstichting, MS Research Foundation, Nationale Vereniging ReumaZorg (ReumaNederland) and EpilepsieNL. Stroke Association (UK) is listed as a regional player.
Does Hersenstichting have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hersenstichting.
What industry is Hersenstichting in?
Hersenstichting's product category is Nonprofit Brain Health Foundation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAA, Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS). Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8090.