Boven De Wolken

What Boven De Wolken does

Boven De Wolken VZW is a Belgian non-profit association (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk), founded in 2016 and headquartered in Ostend, that provides free professional photography sessions to parents who have lost a baby (sterrenouders) through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. Its core service is delivered by a network of carefully selected and trained volunteer photographers who create dignified, lasting portraits of the baby and family, supported by a rapid-response intake (requests read between 08:00 and 21:00 with confirmation within 15 minutes) and a 'Wolkenwacht' hotline. The organization also distributes educational materials and consent forms in eight languages to hospitals, maternity wards, gynecologists, and midwives, and maintains dedicated outreach tracks for healthcare providers and local governments.

The non-profit runs a direct-to-consumer webshop selling memorial and comfort products — books (e.g., 'Een huisje in mijn hart', poetry bundle), greeting cards with bracelets, candles, jewelry, ceramics, clothing (including the exclusive Woody Plaid collaboration), and co-branded lines with IONA and Wondr — with prices ranging from approximately €1.75 to €59.95, shipped via DPD and BPost to Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. Underlying technology is conventional and minimal: a WordPress-based website (built with lsDevign), Google Analytics, and standard payment integrations (Bancontact, KBC, Belfius, iDEAL, Apple Pay, credit card); there is no proprietary platform or AI/ML capability.

The revenue model is donation-led: as a non-subsidized vzw, Boven De Wolken is entirely dependent on individual gifts, monthly recurring donations processed through the Koning Boudewijnstichting (Belgian King Baudouin Foundation) platform, testamentary bequests, supporter-organized fundraising actions, and webshop proceeds. The core photography service is free at the point of use, with fiscal attest available for donations of €40 or more; reach is generated through healthcare-provider referrals, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), a newsletter, parent-story content marketing, and word-of-mouth within the bereaved-parent community.

Name

Boven De Wolken

Legal name

Boven De Wolken VZW

Website

https://bovendewolken.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Boven De Wolken is a Belgian non-profit founded in 2016 that provides free professional photography sessions to sterrenouders (parents who have lost a baby), delivered through hundreds of trained volunteer photographers and funded entirely by donations and webshop sales of memorial and comfort products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ostend

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Gifts: As a non-subsidized vzw (non-profit), Boven De Wolken is entirely dependent on donations from individuals and organizations. Support mechanisms include one-time monetary gifts, monthly recurring donations via the Koning Boudewijnstichting (Belgian King Baudouin Foundation) donation platform, and inclusion in wills/testaments. Tax receipts are available for donations starting at €40.
2. Webshop Sales: The organization operates an e-commerce webshop selling a range of supportive and commemorative products including books, greeting cards, comfort gifts, personalized items, jewelry, clothing, and ceramics. Product categories include Boven De Wolken X IONA, Boven De Wolken X Wondr, Boven De Wolken X Woody collaborations, birth certificates, chocolates, candles, and poetry bundles. All proceeds from webshop sales fund the organization's operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Boven De Wolken is a Belgian non-profit (VZW) that provides free professional photography sessions for sterrenouders — parents who have lost a baby during or after pregnancy. Carefully selected and trained volunteer photographers create lasting, dignified photographs and keepsakes to support grieving families. The organization supplements this core service with a webshop selling memorial books, comfort gifts, jewelry, and personalized items, all proceeds of which fund operations.

Product overview

Boven De Wolken is a Belgian nonprofit (vzw) that provides FREE professional photography sessions for parents who have lost babies (sterrenouders). The core offering is the complimentary photo session service where trained volunteer photographers create lasting memories for grieving parents. Supporting this mission, the organization operates a Webshop selling various comfort and commemorative products including books (such as 'Een huisje in mijn hart' and the 'Poëziebundel Boven De Wolken'), comfort items, personalized gifts, greeting cards with bracelets, candles, the exclusive Woody Plaid blanket, and other memorial items. All proceeds from the webshop support the organization's operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gratis Fotosessies (Free Professional Photography Sessions) Free professional photography sessions for sterrenouders (parents who have lost a baby during or after pregnancy), provided by carefully selected and trained volunteer photographers who create dignified, lasting images of the baby and family. Requested through an online form read between 8:00 and 21:00, with confirmation email sent within 15 minutes.
• Boven De Wolken Webshop Online shop selling supportive and commemorative products including books, greeting cards, comfort gifts, personalized items, jewelry, clothing, ceramics, candles, chocolates, birth certificates, and poetry bundles. Ships to Belgium, Netherlands, and France via DPD and BPost with track & trace. All proceeds fund the organization's operations.
• Geboorteakte (Birth Certificate) Commemorative birth certificate product for parents who lost a baby, available as a single certificate or for multiples (Geboorteakte meerling), sold through the webshop to support the organization's mission.
• Woody Plaid - Boven De Wolken Exclusively designed teddy plaid (150cm x 200cm) made from 100% polyester teddy fabric, produced by Woody for Boven De Wolken as part of the Boven De Wolken X Woody collaboration. Available in Beige, Khaki green, Bordeaux, and Brown gray. Priced at €59.95.
• Poëziebundel 'Boven De Wolken' Poetry collection by John Coevevits describing the processing journey of losing a grandchild at birth. ISBN 978-97-6228-866-9, priced at €19.95.
• Kaartje met armband - To the moon and back Greeting card with infinity symbol pendant on a light gray bracelet, expressing 'I love you to the moon and back'. Card size: 11x16cm with white transparent envelope. Priced at €14.95.
• Boek - Een huisje in mijn hart Comfort book offering support for parents experiencing baby loss, priced at €22.99.
• Herinneringsboek Dag Kleine Ster Memory book for recording memories of a lost child, priced at €26.95.
• Verhalen doeboek voor kinderen Activity book for children dealing with loss of a parent, child, or adult, priced at €24.95.
• Notitieboekje Boven De Wolken Notebook branded with Boven De Wolken, priced at €11.95.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Boundless GraphixminorOthersBoundless Graphix is listed as a supporter on the Boven De Wolken website, appearing in the 'Met steun van' (With support of) section alongside lsDevign. The nature of the support is not explicitly detailed.
• lsDevignminorOtherslsDevign is a web development and web design company based in Lichtervelde, Belgium. Listed as a supporter on the Boven De Wolken website. lsDevign also developed the Boven De Wolken website, as evidenced by the credit line in the footer.
• Koning Boudewijnstichting (Belgian King Baudouin Foundation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Koning Boudewijnstichting provides a donation collection platform for Boven De Wolken. Monthly donations are processed via the foundation's platform (donate.kbs-frb.be/actions/FFO-BovenDeWolken). The foundation also issues fiscal attest (tax receipts) for donations of €40 or more.
• WoodycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoody is a textile brand that produced an exclusive teddy plaid for Boven De Wolken as part of the Boven De Wolken X Woody collaboration. The product features the organization's logo subtly integrated into the design. Woody is a member of the Fair Wear Foundation and uses Oeko-Tex certified materials.
• IONAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIONA collaborated with Boven De Wolken on a product line under the Boven De Wolken X IONA brand, sold through the webshop.
• WondrminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWondr collaborated with Boven De Wolken on a product line under the Boven De Wolken X Wondr brand, sold through the webshop. Wondr produces personal care items such as shampoo bars.
• DPD and BPostminorOthersDPD and BPost are the shipping carriers used for delivering webshop orders to customers in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. Both carriers offer track & trace.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Lullaby Trust: UK charity supporting families bereaved by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and promoting infant safe sleep. Addresses an adjacent bereaved parent population with overlapping support needs.
• Tommy's: UK charity funding research into pregnancy loss and stillbirth and providing pregnancy information. Broader remit than Boven De Wolken (research, prevention, support) but operates in the same perinatal loss ecosystem.
• Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society): UK charity supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby. Broader in scope than Boven De Wolken (advocacy, research, bereavement support) but serves the same bereaved parent population and offers overlapping awareness/educational functions.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Large international non-profit fulfilling wishes for children with critical illnesses. Comparable organizational structure (volunteer network, donation-funded, mission-driven service delivery) but serves critically ill rather than bereaved children.
• The Compassionate Friends: International non-profit offering peer support to families after the death of a child of any age. Operates in adjacent bereaved parent territory but with a broader (all-ages, peer-led support) remit than the photography-focused Boven De Wolken.
• Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Alliance (PLIDA): US-based alliance of healthcare providers, parent advocates, and bereaved parents advancing the standard of care for families experiencing pregnancy loss and infant death. Operates upstream of Boven De Wolken in shaping the perinatal bereavement professional ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Heartfelt: Australia- and New Zealand-based non-profit providing free professional photography for families experiencing the loss of a child or facing a life-threatening pediatric diagnosis. Directly comparable mission and volunteer photographer model.
• Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep: US-based non-profit providing free professional remembrance photography to families experiencing the loss of a baby. Operates through a network of volunteer photographers with the same mission and delivery model as Boven De Wolken, but at much larger US scale.
• Sufficient Grace Ministries: US-based non-profit providing perinatal bereavement support including remembrance photography, doula services, and resources for families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss. Closely aligned service model to Boven De Wolken at smaller scale.
• Remembering My Baby: UK-based charity offering free professional bereavement photography to parents who have lost a baby, through a network of volunteer photographers. Closest geographic peer with near-identical service model and volunteer infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bovendewolken
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boven-de-wolken
• Instagraminstagram.com/bovendewolken/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Boven De Wolken