What Kompas Publishing does

Kompas Publishing B.V. is a Dutch online media company that operates a portfolio of 21 niche media brands organized around six content pillars: lifestyle, seniors, young families, education, shopping, and cycling. The portfolio includes heritage properties such as Startpagina (web portal), Goeievraag (Q&A community answering 85% of questions within 24 hours), VIVA (women's media relaunched from a 1972 original), Girlscene (Gen Z lifestyle), ONS (seniors), SchoolBANK and Fluitend Leren (education), Festivalfans (1,200 festivals, ~500K monthly unique users), and Reisjunk (travel). The company is headquartered in Haarlem with additional offices in Utrecht and Arnhem, employs over 100 staff, and states a portfolio reach of 23 million monthly users and 8.5 million Dutch people.

The technology layer combines traditional publishing operations with a self-described "PubTech" strategy, anchored by GenZclopedie — a generative AI-powered multimodal dictionary that explains Gen Z terminology through text, AI-generated imagery, and synthetic speech, and is continuously updated via AI analysis of social media trends. Operational infrastructure includes a privacy-policy-disclosed data layer that permits NAW (name-address-residence) data rental to third parties for personalized advertising. Leadership includes CEO Aart Wallet, Sales Director Luc van Koningsbrugge, and brand-level editors-in-chief for VIVA (Wieke Veenboer, ex-LINDA./PilotStudio) and Girlscene (Charlotte van der Geest).

Kompas Publishing generates revenue primarily through advertising sales, executed via a sales-led go-to-market motion in which the sales team directly approaches Dutch brands and agencies with custom advertising packages spanning display campaigns, dedicated email placements, branded content, interactive game campaigns, and social-only campaigns. Pricing is custom-quoted per campaign and is not publicly disclosed. The customer base consists of Dutch advertisers seeking hyper-segmented access to specific demographic cohorts across the 21-brand portfolio, and the company has funded growth primarily through acquisitions rather than disclosed external funding rounds, having acquired VIVA from DPG Media (2024), Festivalfans (2026), and Reisjunk (2026).

Name

Kompas Publishing

Legal name

Kompas Publishing B.V.

Website

https://kompaspublishing.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kompas Publishing is a Dutch online media company operating 21 niche media brands across lifestyle, seniors, families, education, shopping, and cycling verticals, reaching 23 million monthly users via advertising-supported content platforms and an AI-driven Gen Z product.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Media Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Advertising (7310), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Article & Blog Publishing Platforms (MPAJAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines (MPAJAEAA), Digital Newsstand & Aggregation Platforms (Magazine/News Apps, Bundles) (MPAJAKAE), Retail Media & Marketplace Advertising (Amazon/Walmart/Instacart, etc.) (BPAFACAD)

Keywords

• Online media publishing
• Digital advertising sales
• Audience targeting
• Branded content campaigns
• Vertical content platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Haarlem

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising & Media Sales: Kompas Publishing generates revenue primarily through advertising sales across its portfolio of 21 online media brands. Advertisers can run display campaigns, dedicated email placements, branded content, and interactive game campaigns. The company leverages its reach of 23 million monthly users and hyper-segmented audience data across lifestyle, seniors, young families, education, shopping, and cycling verticals to sell targeted advertising packages.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kompas Publishing operates a portfolio of 21+ Dutch online media brands spanning lifestyle, seniors, young families, education, shopping, and cycling verticals, and sells targeted advertising inventory across that portfolio. Its commercial offering to advertisers includes display campaigns, dedicated email placements, branded content, interactive game campaigns, and social-only campaigns reaching 23 million monthly users and 8.5 million Dutch people. Content production is enhanced by a PubTech strategy that integrates AI-driven innovation, exemplified by the GenZclopedie — an AI-driven dictionary combining avatars, imagery, and speech synthesis to define Gen Z language.

Product overview

Kompas Publishing is a Dutch online media publishing company operating a portfolio of 21+ brands across four strategic pillars: seniors, young families, education, and shopping. The company reaches 23 million monthly users through its diverse media ecosystem. Its brands include Startpagina (web portal), Goeievraag (Q&A community), VIVA (women's media), Girlscene (Gen Z lifestyle with AI-powered GenZclopedie), ONS (seniors), Kek Mama and Baby Op Komst (young families), SchoolBANK and Fluitend Leren (education), Weer.nl (weather), Black Friday Deals (shopping), Festivalfans and Reisjunk (lifestyle/travel), and Datumprikker (utility). The company combines content platforms with PubTech strategies including AI-driven innovation, social media activations, and commercial partnerships. The company has offices in Haarlem, Utrecht, and Arnhem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Startpagina: Online portal/network brand
• GoeieVraag
• SchoolBANK
• ONS
• Datumprikker
• Kek Mama
• Me to We
• Baby Op Komst
• Fluitend Leren
• Black Friday Deals
• Zwemkleding.nl
• Jurkjes.nl
• Weer.nl
• FEM FEM
• Freshhh
• Gewoonvoorhem
• Girlscene
• MAN MAN
• Pure Luxe
• Viva
• Reisjunk
• Festivalfans

Products and services

• Startpagina A comprehensive Dutch web portal providing links and resources across multiple categories, used as an advertising platform reaching Dutch consumers.
• Goeievraag A Dutch Q&A community platform where users can ask and answer questions in full anonymity, covering topics from practical advice to ethical dilemmas. Generates significant organic search traffic that monetizes through advertising.
• Girlscene A lifestyle platform targeting Gen Z women with content made by Gen Z, featuring community-driven formats, the AI-powered GenZclopedie, and social-first activations.
• VIVA An iconic Dutch women's media brand relaunched online by Kompas Publishing, focused on stories, opinions, and conversations about topics women aged 28+ care about, delivered via daily journalism, community forums, podcasts, and video.
• SchoolBANK

Quantifiable outcome

• 23 million monthly users reached across the portfolio
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ReisjunkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Kompas Publishing acquired travel platform Reisjunk (founded 2014) to strengthen its position within the lifestyle segment and expand into the travel niche. Founders Greg and Irene remain strategically involved at the governance level while focusing on new ideas, content creation, and travel. The acquisition enables scale in content capture, new travel formats including video and travel tools, and leveraging Kompas's PubTech strategy, distribution power, and video strategy for platform growth.
• De Speld & PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDe Speld & Partners is part of Kompas Publishing's Partner Network, combining satire and reach for impactful campaigns. The partnership enables De Speld's satirical content to be leveraged within commercial campaign contexts through the Partnernetwerk van Kompas Publishing.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• RTL Nederland:
• DPG Media: Largest Dutch/Belgian media conglomerate operating national newspapers (AD, de Volkskrant, Het Parool), magazines, and digital properties. Direct comparable as a multi-brand Dutch digital publisher and the prior owner of VIVA, sold to Kompas Publishing in 2024.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kompas-publishing
• Facebookfacebook.com/kompaspublishing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Kompas Publishing