What DLV does

DLV is a Belgian agricultural and rural advisory consultancy that guides farmers, horticulturists, equestrian operators, and rural entrepreneurs through the regulatory, fiscal, and construction complexity of doing business in the Belgian countryside. Founded in 1996 by Dirk Coucke in collaboration with DLV Nederland, the firm began as a construction consulting bureau for the agricultural sector and has since expanded into a multi-disciplinary advisory practice serving Flanders and Wallonia. DLV operates as the rural-entrepreneurship front door of United Experts Group (legal entity United Experts nv), a network of nearly 500 specialists that also bundles DLV Accountants, Profex, Exergie, and Parallel Architecten.

The service catalogue is organized into nine expertise categories: strategic advisory and taxation, property rights, market advisory, construction and renovation, non-conforming-zone (zonevreemd) living and entrepreneurship, environment/manure/water, energy, sustainability, and environmental studies. Deliverables are customized — ranging from permit applications (omgevingsvergunning), environmental and technical studies, and construction supervision, to fiscal optimization, subsidy dossiers (VLIF, energy), climate scans, and business succession planning. DLV runs no proprietary software platform, exposes no API, and discloses no AI/ML capability; all value is delivered through the expertise of its specialist consultants.

The business model is professional-services advisory revenue: project-based fees and retainer arrangements, priced per engagement with publicly undisclosed rates. Go-to-market is sales-led and regional, anchored by seven Belgian offices (Beringen, Torhout, Wetteren, Louvain-La-Neuve, Bierbeek, Hoogstraten, Ypres), direct consultant engagement, annual inforonde information sessions in partnership with DLV Accountants, and content marketing via the dlv.be website, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. The firm is privately held, has never raised external capital, and reports no revenue or headcount figures beyond the qualitative "nearly 500 experts" descriptor.

Name

DLV

Legal name

United Experts nv

Website

https://dlv.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DLV is a Belgian agricultural and rural advisory consultancy that helps farmers, horticulturists, equestrian operators, and rural entrepreneurs navigate permits, environmental regulations, construction, and fiscal matters, operating as part of the United Experts Group network across Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beringen

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consulting Services: Professional advisory services for rural entrepreneurship covering strategic advice, fiscal optimization, permits, environmental regulations, construction, energy, and sustainability. Revenue generated through project-based consulting fees and retainer arrangements for ongoing advisory relationships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DLV is a study and advisory bureau for the agricultural and rural sector in Belgium, providing multi-disciplinary consultancy services to farmers, horticulturists, horse owners, and rural entrepreneurs. Its offering covers strategic and fiscal advisory, property rights, market advisory, construction and renovation, environment/manure/water compliance, energy, sustainability, and environmental studies, with engagements typically running from permit acquisition and subsidies through to project execution and follow-up.

Product overview

DLV is a study and advisory bureau (studie- en adviesbureau) for agriculture and rural areas, operating as part of United Experts Group. The company does not offer a unified software product or platform. Instead, it provides consultancy services organized into nine main expertise categories: Strategisch Advies & Fiscaliteit (strategic advisory and tax), Eigendomsrecht (property rights), Marktadvies (market advisory), Bouwen & Verbouwen (construction and renovation), Zonevreemd Wonen & Ondernemen (rural living and entrepreneurship), Milieu, Mest & Water (environment, manure, and water), Energie (energy), Duurzaamheid (sustainability), and Studies (environmental studies). These service categories function as the primary organizational units for client engagement, with specialized sub-expertises within each. DLV's value proposition centers on providing expert advisory services from idea to plan, from administration to subsidies, supporting entrepreneurs in rural areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategisch Advies & Fiscaliteit (Strategic Advisory and Tax) Strategic and fiscal advisory service for agricultural and rural entrepreneurs covering business development and strategy, fiscal optimization, start-up and acquisition guidance, subsidies, and valuations.
• Eigendomsrecht (Property Rights) Property rights advisory covering legal support and lease/pacht advice for rural property owners and farmers.
• Marktadvies (Market Advisory) Market advisory service including risk management, futures markets, and smarter entrepreneurship through the More Market offering.
• Bouwen & Verbouwen (Construction and Renovation) Construction and renovation advisory and supervision services including design, environmental permits, low-emission ammonia systems, safety coordination, EPB, fire safety, and construction follow-up.
• Zonevreemd Wonen & Ondernemen (Rural Living and Entrepreneurship) Advisory for zonevreemd (non-conforming zoning) rural properties covering heritage advice, function change and repurposing, accommodation permits, and real estate advice for rural property owners.
• Milieu, Mest & Water (Environment, Manure, and Water) Environmental, manure, and water advisory and compliance services including declarations, DMA, groundwater, manure decree, NER, environmental permits, and well monitoring.
• Energie (Energy)

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DLV AccountantscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNetwork of accounting offices specialized in agriculture and horticulture that collaborates closely with DLV. Provides annual information meetings (inforonde) together with DLV advisors and refers clients requiring accounting services.
• DelphyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural consultancy firm collaborated with DLV on developing a business plan for Gestelberries. Delphy provides horticultural expertise complementary to DLV's advisory services.
• Parallel ArchitectenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm within United Experts Group network that collaborated on projects such as Hazewind equestrian facility.
• United Experts GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization containing DLV and multiple specialized subsidiaries including DLV Accountants, Profex, Exergie, and Parallel Architecten. DLV remains the contact point for all rural entrepreneurship activities within the group.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• SBB: Dutch advisory and accounting firm specialized in agriculture, horticulture, and rural SMEs. Highly comparable in advisory service mix and target customer type, though it operates primarily across the Netherlands rather than Belgium.
• Flynth: Dutch advisory and accountancy firm with a strong agricultural and horticulture practice, advising on business strategy, subsidies, permits, and succession. Comparable in advisory scope and rural SME orientation, primarily serving Dutch rather than Belgian clients.
• Countus: Dutch advisory and accounting group serving agricultural and SME clients with services spanning fiscal, legal, and business development. Comparable in integrated advisory-plus-accounting model that mirrors United Experts Group's bundled rural offering, but geographically focused on the Netherlands.

Direct peers

• Delphy: Dutch agricultural consultancy delivering expert advice on crop production, horticulture, and farm management, already a documented project partner of DLV. Closely comparable in advisory scope (permits, business plans, sustainability) and in serving Benelux agricultural and horticultural clients.
• Boerenbond: Largest Belgian farmers' organization, providing a broad range of advisory services to Flemish farmers and horticulturists including fiscal, legal, environmental, and business guidance. Directly comparable in customer segments, service categories, and Belgian rural focus, though it adds political representation and member benefits.
• DLV Advies Nederland: Dutch agricultural advisory firm and the original collaborator with which DLV Belgium was co-founded in 1996. Operates the same agricultural/rural advisory model across the Netherlands, making it a direct functional peer in scope and methodology.
• Algemeen Boerensyndicaat (ABS): Belgian farmers' syndicate active in Flanders and Wallonia providing member advisory services spanning administrative, fiscal, and regulatory matters. Directly comparable customer base and advisory scope, with a comparable bilingual Belgian footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DLVstudieadvies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dlv
• Instagraminstagram.com/dlv_adviesbureau
• Xx.com/DLVbelgium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 DLV