STEPP

What STEPP does

STEPP vzw is a Belgian non-profit federation (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk) founded in 1981 as BASTT and rebranded to STEPP in 2011. Headquartered in Brussels, the organization serves as the recognized support point and kunstenfederatie (arts federation) for technical, production, and design personnel working in theaters, cultural centers, and cultural companies across Flanders and Belgium. Its core activities include professional training courses, advocacy and policy representation, networking events (contact days), publication of a print and digital magazine, and coordination of European-funded projects such as the E-LEV safety passport, ETTE, ESSENCE, PACE-VET, and TALQ. STEPP holds a formal seat in SARC (Strategische Adviesraad voor Cultuur, Jeugd, Sport & Media) and is a knowledge partner of the Event Confederation, anchoring it as a central node in the Belgian cultural-sector ecosystem.

The organization operates on a membership-based revenue model, generating income from annual individual and organizational membership fees, training course tuition, and book/magazine sales. It also receives sponsorship and European project grant funding. STEPP is volunteer-driven, with a core team, working groups, and an annual general meeting structure. It distributes knowledge and engages members through a website (stepp.be), a digital magazine on ISSUU, email newsletters, social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube), and in-person events. The organization is governed by a chairman (Frankie Goethals) and coordinator (Pieter Nyckees), with a staff member (Chris Van Goethem) supporting operations.

Strategically, STEPP has consolidated its position through recent institutional recognition (kunstenfederatie status in 2023), a 2024 knowledge partnership with Event Confederation, and active participation in EU-funded projects developing cross-border safety standards and training frameworks. Its primary customer segments are technical and production personnel in the cultural sector, the cultural institutions that employ them, and emerging professionals seeking sector entry. The organization has no proprietary technology products, no AI/ML capabilities, and no disclosed revenue, consistent with its stated role as a federation rather than a commercial entity.

Name

STEPP

Legal name

STEPP vzw

Website

https://stepp.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

STEPP vzw is a Belgian non-profit federation (founded 1981 as BASTT) that unites, trains, and advocates for technical and production personnel in theaters, cultural centers, and cultural companies across Flanders, operating as a recognized kunstenfederatie since 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: STEPP generates revenue through annual membership fees from individuals and organizations in the cultural sector. The organization also offers training courses and sells books/magazines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

STEPP vzw is a Belgian non-profit federation (kunstenfederatie) that unites, supports, and represents technical and production personnel working in theaters, cultural centers, and cultural companies. The organization provides membership services, professional training courses, networking events (contact days), a sector magazine, safety certification initiatives (E-LEV safety passport), and policy advocacy through bodies such as SARC.

Product overview

STEPP vzw is a support organization for production, design, and technical personnel in the broad cultural sector (theaters, cultural centers, companies). It is not a product company but rather an organizational network providing services including training programs, knowledge sharing, networking events (contact days), magazine publications, safety certifications, and project coordination for the performing arts and event technology sector in Belgium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STEPP Membership

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Event ConfederationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2024STEPP is the knowledge partner of the Event Confederation, the umbrella organization that unites, represents, defends, and informs the broad event sector in Belgium.
• SARC (Strategische Adviesraad voor Cultuur, Jeugd, Sport & Media)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPP is represented in the Strategic Advisory Council for Culture, Youth, Sport & Media, which advises on policy for the Culture domain in Belgium.
• OISTATcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEPP is active in OISTAT (International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians), participating in international projects and networks.
• CEMPER, ETWIE, RITCSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for mapping and documenting stage technical heritage in Flanders. These heritage organizations collaborate on identifying, cataloging, and preserving stage technology collections.
• PMSE.beminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPMSE (Program Making and Special Events) association that monitors spectrum and frequency regulations for wireless systems used in the cultural sector.
• ETT project partnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean E-LEV project developing a safety passport for stage and event sector workers across Europe.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• VPLT (Verband für professionelle Licht- und Tontechnik): German professional association for light and sound technology, representing entertainments technology professionals. Comparable European peer with similar advocacy, training, and sector representation functions.
• ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association): US-based association for entertainment technology professionals, focused on standards, training, and safety in live entertainment. Comparable peer in the entertainment production technology domain with industry-standards focus.
• USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology): US-based professional association for theater technology professionals, offering training, conferences, and standards. Closest international counterpart to STEPP in scope and mission, serving a similar niche of stage and production technicians.
• Stage Management Association: UK professional association for stage management professionals. Provides a similar membership-based service model with training, networking, and advocacy for live performance production personnel.
• ABTT (Association of British Theatre Technicians): UK-based association serving theater technicians with training, safety standards, and advocacy. Operates with a similar membership-based, federation-style model and addresses an analogous niche of stage technology professionals.
• OISTAT (International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians): International federation of which STEPP is a member. Provides the global umbrella structure for national theater technology associations, including coordinated projects on safety, education, and standards.

Regional players

• PEARLE* - Live Performance Europe: European federation representing performing arts employers and venues. Operates at a broader sector level across Europe and is structurally comparable to STEPP but at a continental scale rather than national.
• Event Confederation: Belgian umbrella organization for the broad event sector, of which STEPP is the knowledge partner. Operates in the same national market with a related but broader event industry focus rather than theater-specific technical personnel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/steppvzw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqU42MWSeWzh3bRTnRR1Jhg
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/STEPP-vzw/262420820455377
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3829258&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 STEPP