Name

Raakzaam

Legal name

Raakzaam vzw

Website

https://raakzaam.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Care Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI), Recreational Outings, Community Participation & Mobility Support (Non-Clinical) (HSABAAAI), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Disability care services
• Residential support programs
• Day support services
• Supported employment programs
• Mobile ambulatory support

Headquarters

HQ city

Sint-niklaas

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding (VAPH/VIPA): Raakzaam receives subsidies from Vlaams Agentschap voor Personen met een Handicap (VAPH) and Vlaams Infrastructuurfonds voor Persoonsgebonden Aangelegenheden (VIPA) as a licensed care provider for residential and day support services.
2. Client Contributions: Clients contribute to living and care costs (woon- en leefkosten) which increased to approximately 300 EUR per month as of 2025.
3. Donations and Gifts: Tax-deductible donations starting from 40 EUR annually, with fiscal attestation allowing 30% tax deduction.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support specific projects, equipment purchases, and facility improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Raakzaam is a licensed Flemish care provider (vergunde zorgaanbieder) that delivers disability support services including 24/7 residential care, day support, mobile/ambulatory personal coaching, supported employment, semi-industrial work, enclave employment, and short-term stays to approximately 300 clients with intellectual or physical disabilities in the Waasland region. Services are funded via VIPA/VAPH government subsidies, personal budgets (PVB), directly accessible assistance (RTH), and client contributions.

Product overview

Raakzaam is a licensed care provider (vergunde zorgaanbieder) in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, offering a comprehensive portfolio of support services for people with disabilities. The organization operates a platform of integrated care services including: residential support (Wonen) with group homes in Belsele, Sint-Niklaas, and Beveren; day support (Dagondersteuning) across multiple locations with group activities, active day programs, and experience-oriented activities; mobile and ambulatory support; supported employment through Werkburo Oost-Vlaanderen; semi-industrial work; and enclave employment. Special initiatives include Finca (an inclusive meeting place), Hippocentrum (horse-assisted therapy), and parent-initiated projects (Bijs, Villa Vief, BijZonderOns). Services are financed through personal budgets (PVB), direct accessible assistance (RTH), AMA, or private payment. In 2022, Dagcentrum Sint-Niklaas vzw and Vesta vzw merged to form Raakzaam, which now supports approximately 300 clients with around 230 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wonen (Residential Support) 24/7 residential care and support for people with disabilities. Clients can live independently or in shared group homes, with support tailored to individual needs across locations in Belsele (Hadewych), Sint-Niklaas (Hofwijck), and Beveren (Cretenborch).
• Dagondersteuning (Day Support) Day support services including group activities, active day programs, experience-oriented day support, and hippotherapy. Available at multiple locations including Onze-Lieve-Vrouwplein, Knaptandstraat, Hadewych I & II, Beveren, and Stekene. Clients can participate full-time or part-time.
• Mobiele/ambulante ondersteuning (Mobile/Ambulatory Support) Individual support delivered by a personal coach who either visits the client at home (mobile) or the client visits a Raakzaam location (ambulatory). Covers support in areas including work, leisure, network support, housing, and life skills.
• Begeleid Werk (Supported Employment via Werkburo Oost-Vlaanderen) Supported employment service helping adults with work disabilities find and maintain jobs in the regular labor market. A personal jobcoach provides ongoing workplace support. Raakzaam participates in Werkburo Oost-Vlaanderen, a collaboration of 10 licensed care providers.
• Semi-industrieel werk (Semi-Industrial Work) Semi-industrial work programs where clients collaborate with business partners on logistics tasks, providing meaningful employment activities within a supported environment.
• Enclavewerking (Enclave Employment) Enclave-based employment where clients work in integrated work settings alongside regular employees, supported by job coaches to facilitate participation in the regular labor market.
• Logeren (Short-term Stay) Short-term residential support services available for emergency situations or respite care.
• Bijs vzw A parent-initiated project where parents and networks collaboratively design and implement support solutions for persons with support needs.
• Villa Vief A parent-initiated living support project offering residential care options.
• BijZonderOns (Toontjeshuis) The first 'Toontjeshuis' (children's house) initiative in Flanders, initiated by a local parent group organized as BijZonderOns vzw.
• Raakzaam deelt! (Raakzaam Shares) Raakzaam shares its infrastructure with the community, offering wheelchair bikes, shared vehicles, recreational spaces, and snoezel rooms to the neighborhood.
• Finca (Inclusive Project) An inclusive project operated by Raakzaam where various partners collaborate to create a warm, dynamic, and accessible meeting place. Located at Ekelstraat 2B, Nieuwkerken-Waas, Finca provides day activities and hospitality services including a café point.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 years of continuous service with 8 clients supported since founding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• Pomona Puur NatuurstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Collaboration to create Ontmoetingsboerderij (Meeting Farm) Pomona Puur Natuur in Melsele. Raakzaam's Finca day program will operate a hospitality point three days per week, with clients processing farm produce into light meals.
• Werkburo Oost-VlaanderencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Functional cooperation between 10 licensed care providers in East Flanders, integrating resources and expertise in job coaching (begeleid werken) and labor trajectory support. Raakzaam participates as one of the member organizations.
• Finca PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive project where multiple partners collaborate to create an accessible, warm, and dynamic meeting place. Raakzaam leads the day program operations.
• Rotaryclub CamasiacumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerService club supporting Raakzaam projects and activities.
• Ronde Tafel 110 BeverenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerService organization that donated 1,000 EUR and supports various Raakzaam initiatives including CRDL instrument.
• Ronde Tafel 18minorGTM or Marketing PartnerService club that donated for waiting room of new hippocentrum.
• Lions Club WaaslandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerService organization supporting Raakzaam projects.
• Innerwheel Sint-NiklaasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWomen's service organization supporting Raakzaam initiatives.
• CeraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCooperative providing support to social organizations.
• Besix FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConstruction company's foundation supporting social projects.
• TrooperminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline shopping donation platform where Raakzaam receives percentage of purchases from registered users at participating webshops.
• Vandenbussche NVstrategicOthersConstruction firm from Aalter awarded contract for Stekene Snoezelhof project (393 calendar days).
• Wycor NVstrategicOthersConstruction firm from Wetteren awarded contract for Patershoek project (440 calendar days), specializing in sustainable wood and lime-hemp construction.
• RottiersstrategicOthersContractor for hippocentrum construction project.
• Schenk-Poot HattoristrategicOthersArchitecture team selected through Open Oproep Bouwmeester competition for masterplan design of Stekene and Patershoek neighborhoods.
• Akro NovastrategicOthersArchitecture firm specialized in stable construction, designed the hippocentrum meeting contemporary standards.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• CAW (Centra Algemeen Welzijnswerk): Flemish network of social services centers offering broader well-being support including disability-related services. Comparable funding context (Vlaamse overheid) and Flemish geography but a wider social welfare mandate.
• Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen: Municipal care organization in Antwerp delivering residential, day, and home-based care. Comparable Flemish operating context but at significantly larger scale and broader scope including senior care.
• Orpea Belgium: Major European care provider with Belgian operations across nursing and personal care facilities. Overlaps with Raakzaam in residential and personal care but focuses on senior rather than disability populations at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Enable Ireland: Irish disability services charity delivering residential, day, and rehabilitative supports to children and adults with disabilities. Comparable integrated multi-modality care platform operating as a licensed non-profit.
• The Arc of the United States: US advocacy and services organization supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Comparable mission and family-empowerment orientation in a publicly funded disability services market.
• Mencap: UK charity supporting people with learning disabilities across housing, day services, employment, and advocacy. Similar broad service portfolio targeting similar client population in a regulated funding environment.
• L'Arche International: International federation of communities where people with and without intellectual disabilities live and work together. Directly comparable to Raakzaam's residential and day-support model with a similar co-creative, community-integrated philosophy.
• Hft: UK charity providing personalized support to people with learning disabilities including residential, day, and employment services. Closely comparable to Raakzaam's supported employment and residential care combination.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Raakzaam