Catent Foundation

What Catent Foundation does

Stichting Catent is a Dutch non-profit educational foundation (stichting) that operates 40 primary schools delivering both regular (regulier) and special (speciaal) basisonderwijs across the provinces of Overijssel, Drenthe, Friesland, and Gelderland, headquartered in Zwolle. The foundation was originally Catholic in origin but explicitly welcomes all children regardless of background, operating under the motto "Ik zie je" (I see you). It serves children aged 4-12 and, through its subsidiary Stichting Kinderopvang Catent and partnerships with childcare providers (Breed, Doomijn, Prokino, Partou), delivers integrated 0-13 services via Kindcentra that combine primary education, toddler care, day care, and before/after-school care under one roof.

Catent's core products include primary education services, integrated Kindcentra, the Catentpool and Invalpool substitute teacher networks, Catent Academie professional development, and specialized programs such as Rijke Schooldag (extended school day), Passend Onderwijs (inclusive education), and Nieuwkomersscholen (newcomer/refugee schools, including a praised Ukrainian school in Vilsteren). Technology footprint consists of standard educational administration, parent communication, and learning management platforms with no proprietary AI or technology assets disclosed.

The revenue model is government-funded: as a publicly funded Dutch primary education foundation, Catent receives per-pupil allocations from Dutch municipal authorities via the national funding system, supplemented by government-subsidized childcare revenue through kindcentra. No tuition is charged for basic primary education; childcare may carry income-based parent contributions. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven — Open Week, Peuterochtend toddler mornings, Catentdag staff events, and word-of-mouth drive enrollment. The organization has no external shareholders, no funding rounds, and no private equity involvement; it is governed by a College van Bestuur and Raad van Toezicht.

Name

Catent Foundation

Legal name

Stichting Catent

Website

https://catent.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Stichting Catent is a Dutch non-profit Catholic-origin foundation operating 40 primary schools and integrated Kindcentra across Overijssel, Drenthe, Friesland, and Gelderland, serving children aged 0-13 through government-funded regular and special education plus childcare services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA), Inclusive / Special-Needs Supported Before/After Care (Early Years) (EDACAHAL), Inclusive Group Care & Peer Inclusion Facilitation (HSAAAIAN), Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• Primary education
• Integrated childcare
• Child development centers
• Inclusive education
• Teacher training

Headquarters

HQ city

Zwolle

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-funded primary education: As a public foundation (stichting) providing primary education, Catent receives government funding from Dutch municipal authorities based on pupil numbers and specific educational programs. This is supplemented by government-funded childcare services integrated into kindcentra.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Stichting Catent is a Catholic-founded Dutch non-profit foundation that delivers publicly funded primary education (regulier and speciaal basisonderwijs) through 40 schools across Overijssel, Drenthe, Friesland, and Gelderland. It also operates integrated childcare (kinderopvang) under the Catent Kinderopvang brand, packaged as Kindcentra that combine primary education, toddler care, and before/after-school care for children aged 0–13. Support services include a flexible substitute teacher pool (Catentpool) and professional development via Catent Academie, plus inclusive-education (Passend Onderwijs) and newcomer-school programs.

Product overview

Stichting Catent is a Catholic primary education foundation operating 40 schools for regular and special education across the Dutch provinces of Overijssel, Drenthe, Friesland, and Gelderland, alongside integrated childcare services through Catent Kinderopvang. The organization offers an integrated service model through Kindcentra (child centers) that combine primary education, childcare, toddler care, and before/after school care under one roof. Supporting services include Catentpool for flexible staffing, Catent Academie for professional development, and Starterscafé for new teacher induction. The foundation also operates specialized programs including Rijke Schooldag (extended school day activities), Passend Onderwijs (inclusive education), Nieuwkomersscholen (newcomer schools), and holds formal (Academische) Opleidingsschool status recognized by NQA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Catent Kinderopvang: Childcare services operated by the foundation under the Catent brand
• Catent Academie
• Catentpool
• Samen Catent

Products and services

• Stichting Catent Basisonderwijs Regular and special (regulier en speciaal) primary education for children aged 4–12, delivered through 40 basisscholen across Overijssel, Drenthe, Friesland, and Gelderland under publicly funded Dutch primary-education arrangements.
• Catent Kinderopvang Childcare services comprising day care (dagopvang), toddler care (peuteropvang), and before/after-school care (buitenschoolse opvang) offered alongside Catent primary schools, with parent contributions based on income and usage.
• Kindcentra (Integrated Child Centers) Integrated facilities that combine primary education, childcare, toddler care, and before/after-school care under one roof, providing continuous developmental pathways for children from age 0 to 13.
• Passend Onderwijs (Inclusive Education Support) Inclusive-education support services delivered through an Expert Team (Expertiseteam) that helps Catent schools contribute sustainably to basic quality and inclusive education, including support for children with developmental delays, high abilities, or social-emotional needs.
• Rijke Schooldag (Extended School Day) Extended-day initiative providing extra activities outside regular school hours — including sports, culture, arts, and nature activities — to promote equal opportunities and talent discovery, in partnership with municipalities and community organizations.
• Nieuwkomersscholen (Newcomer Schools) Dedicated schooling for refugee, status-holder, and other newly arrived children — including the Oekraïne School in Vilsteren for Ukrainian children and the Nieuwkomersschool Zwolle operated jointly with Stichting Florion — providing first-stage Dutch-language education and integration support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Employee satisfaction rating of 8.7 out of 10 in Medewerkerstevredenheidsonderzoek
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PCO-N (Protestants Christelijk Onderwijs Nieuwleusen)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Bestuurlijke fusie (administrative merger) effective January 1, 2025, marking the beginning of new collaboration between both organizations.
• Stichting Openbaar Onderwijs Zwolle en Regio (OOZ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2024Intentieverklaring (declaration of intent) signed to deepen cooperation between besturen of 70+ schools in Noord- en Oost-Nederland for better education and transition to labor market.
• Vista PartnerschapcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Catent serves as penvoerder (lead organization) for the Vista partnership with schoolbesturen BSM, CNS Staphorst, Op Kop, Promes, and Talent Westerveld. The partnership aims for 100% joint teacher training and professional development aligned with national Kwaliteitskader Samen Opleiden en Inductie.
• EPZ PartnerschapcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Partnership with Aves, Aquila, Jenapleinschool Zwolle, OOK, OOZ, Proo, Aurora, and PCO-N schoolbesturen for joint teacher training and professional development.
• Hogeschool KPZcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Teacher training college providing joint education programs, practicum placements, and professional development for Catent staff. Catent-KPZ partnership formally recognized as (Academic) Training School by NQA.
• Vereniging FlorioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint operation of Nieuwkomersschool (newcomers school) for refugee children at Meeuwenlaan location. Catholic Catent and Reformed Florion collaborate successfully in providing education primarily to Muslim children.
• Gemeente ZwollecoreOthersStrong partnership with municipality for educational initiatives including nieuwkomersscholen, dyslexie support (Proeftuin Dyslexie), and school housing projects.
• Gemeente DalfsencoreOthersPartnership for Oekraïense school in Vilsteren, nieuwkomers schools, and Integraal Huisvestingsplan Onderwijs for combined childcare and education facilities.
• Gemeente CoevordencoreOthersRijke Schooldag partnership for equal opportunities, working with Panta Rhei, Wilhelminaschool, Mijndert van der Thijnenschool, and organizations like MWC and Kinderwereld.
• Gemeente Hardenberg (LEA)minorOthersLokale Educatieve Agenda partnership bringing together childcare, schools, foundations, and municipality for equal development opportunities.
• SportService ZwolleminorOthersOrganization providing sports activities as part of Rijke Schooldag project in Diezerpoort/Holtenbroek and Aa-landen areas.
• Travers WelzijnminorOthersSocial welfare organization participating in Rijke Schooldag project for child development activities.
• Stadkamer ZwolleminorOthersLibrary organization involved in Rijke Schooldag project providing cultural and learning activities.
• CosiscoreOthersExpertise center partnering with Panta Rhei school for inclusive education, enabling children with developmental delays to attend regular kindergarten classes.
• Samenwerkingsverband HanzelandcoreOthersEducational consortium for passend onderwijs (appropriate education) with 28,000 students across 21 besturen, restructured into 5 geographic clusters.
• Kinderopvangorganisaties (Breed, Doomijn, Prokino, Partou)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChildcare organizations partnering in kindcentra and Rijke Schooldag activities, enabling integrated education and childcare services.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stichting Promes: Primary education foundation in the same Overijssel/Drenthe region and member of the Vista teacher-training partnership led by Catent (penvoerder). Directly comparable as a regional schoolbestuur collaborating with Catent on joint teacher training.
• Stichting Kinderopvang Breed: Childcare organization that co-operates kindcentra with Catent (including Kindcentrum De Boxem and De Vlieger). Directly comparable as the partner operating the childcare side of Catent's integrated kindcentra model, providing toddler care, daycare, and BSO under the same roof.
• Stichting Proo: Primary education foundation in the Overijssel region and EPZ partnership member with Catent. Directly comparable as a regional peer participating in joint teacher training and professional development.
• Stichting Aves: Drenthe-based primary education foundation and EPZ partnership member alongside Catent. Directly comparable regional peer operating primary schools in adjacent provinces with similar government-funding model.
• Stichting Talent Westerveld: Drenthe-based primary education foundation and Vista partnership member. Directly comparable regional peer operating schools in adjacent territory with the same Dutch primary-education funding structure.
• Stichting Aquila: Primary education foundation in Drenthe, EPZ partnership member with Catent. Operates comparable basisscholen under the same Dutch government funding framework and cooperates on joint teacher training.
• Stichting Openbaar Onderwijs Zwolle en Regio (OOZ): Regional Dutch primary education foundation operating public schools in Zwolle and surrounding areas. Directly comparable to Catent because they share the same geographic market and signed an intent declaration with Catent in November 2024 to deepen cooperation across 70+ combined schools.
• Stichting CNS Staphorst: Vista partnership member with Catent, operating primary schools in the Staphorst area of Overijssel. Comparable regional peer with the same governance model and government-funding revenue base.
• Stichting Op Kop: Vista partnership member alongside Catent, providing primary education in the same regional ecosystem. Directly comparable as a regional schoolbestuur with similar governance and revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Stichting BOOR: Largest Rotterdam-based primary and secondary education foundation, operating many more schools than Catent. Comparable as a Dutch schoolbestuur with the same non-profit/government-funded model, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catent

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Catent Foundation