Digital Society School

What Digital Society School does

Digital Society School (DSS) is an innovation studio operated within Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA), a public university of applied sciences in the Netherlands. Founded in 2016, DSS runs interdisciplinary 20-week traineeship and six-month leadership programmes in which international trainee teams work on real-world digital transformation and social innovation challenges submitted by partner organizations. The organization also provides creative technology prototyping and consulting services to enterprises and public-sector clients, and sells self-paced online courses through its digital shop. DSS serves a dual customer base: partner organizations that submit innovation challenges (including Dutch ministries, municipalities, public broadcasters, universities, NGOs, and startups) and individual learners seeking practical experience in digital transformation.

DSS operates without a proprietary technology stack or platform of its own; its core methodology is the SCREAM framework combined with design thinking approaches. Project deliverables (such as the TalkPop communication toolkit, HubMe mobile app, Open Up community platform, Loopholes fashion sustainability game, and Uni(re)cycle gamification app) are built bespoke per project using standard web and mobile technologies. The organization draws funding from HvA's institutional budget, partner project fees, and EU Erasmus+ grants through programmes such as Transitions and INNO-TEC-LAB.

The business model combines four revenue streams: subscription-style learning programmes, professional-services creative technology consulting, one-time online course sales, and EU/Erasmus+ project funding. DSS does not raise external venture capital and is wholly embedded within HvA. As of 2026, DSS is undergoing a strategic transformation to scale its ten years of experience into a dedicated Minor programme at HvA.

Name

Digital Society School

Legal name

Digital Society School

Website

https://digitalsocietyschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Digital Society School is an Amsterdam-based innovation studio within Hogeschool van Amsterdam that runs traineeship programmes and creative technology consulting, where international teams solve digital transformation and social innovation challenges for partner organizations across government, media, and education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education and Innovation Consulting

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPACANAB

Technical & Digital Skills Training

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Training, Learning & Development Services

SECONDARYBPAEANAD

Digital Learning Content Development (eLearning, Labs, Simulations)

Business & Public Services/IT & Digital Services (Managed Services, Systems Integration)/IT Training & Technical Enablement Services

SECONDARYEDAGAKAC

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Instructional Design & Content Development Services

Keywords

• Innovation studio services
• Digital transformation consulting
• Talent development programmes
• Social innovation projects
• Creative technology prototyping

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Learning Programmes (Traineeship & Leadership): DSS offers traineeship and leadership programs where talented trainees from around the world work on real-world challenges provided by partner organizations. Revenue is generated through program fees or institutional funding from Hogeschool van Amsterdam.
2. Creative Technology Consultancy: DSS provides consulting services in creative technology, e-learning, co-creation, and workshops. Organizations engage DSS for bespoke innovation projects and creative technology support.
3. Courses: DSS sells online courses including Reimagining Nature Online Course (in Dutch) and Diversity and Inclusion Online Course through their digital shop platform.
4. EU/Erasmus+ Project Funding: DSS participates in EU-funded projects such as Erasmus+ initiatives (Transitions project, INNO-TEC-LAB, EIPSI) which provide project funding and support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Digital Society School is an innovation studio that runs a 20-week interdisciplinary Traineeship and a six-month Leadership Programme, and provides creative technology consulting, co-creation, and e-learning services. Trainee teams work on real-world innovation challenges submitted by partner organizations across industry, public sector, and civil society, producing prototypes, proof-of-concepts, and applied research outputs using the SCREAM methodology and design thinking approaches.

Product overview

Digital Society School operates as an innovation studio offering an integrated portfolio of educational programmes and consultancy services. The core offering is the 20-week Traineeship Programme where interdisciplinary trainee teams work on real-world innovation challenges from partner organisations. Complementary offerings include the six-month Leadership Programme, online self-paced courses, trainee project services for organisations with innovation challenges, and a Creative Technology team providing prototyping and consulting. DSS has also developed multiple project deliverables including the TalkPop communication toolkit, HubMe mobile app for teacher peer support, Loopholes sustainability game for fashion companies, Open Up community building platform, and Uni(re)cycle gamification app for sustainable habits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traineeship Programme A 20-week intensive learning programme where trainees from around the world work in interdisciplinary teams on real-world innovation challenges from partner organisations, creating prototypes and presenting solutions at semester showcases.
• Leadership Programme (TLP)
• Online Courses
• Trainee Project Service
• Creative Technology Prototyping and Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 kg CO2 and 2 kg waste saved per user per week through sustainability behavior change apps
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• VPROcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch public broadcaster partnered with DSS for multiple trainee projects including ARC – Cross-Border Journalism (Feb 2026 - Jun 2026), AI sustainability in broadcasting, and Coverti – Access to information in repressive regimes. DSS trainee teams work with VPRO on real-world challenges related to journalism, media innovation, and access to information.
• LeafycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly-stage startup founded in 2021 by Naud van der Padt during studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Focuses on green urban facades using bio-based modular hydroponic panels. Partnered with DSS trainee team to quantify effects of green vs grey facades on biodiversity, well-being, heat stress, water storage, and CO2 reduction (Sep 2024 - Jan 2025).
• Municipality of HaarlemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in multiple Government as a Platform (GaaP) prototypes working on digital transformation of public services. Projects include boosting entrepreneurial climate via technology and creating unified vision for digital governance across Dutch municipalities.
• Union of Dutch Municipalities (VNG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning partner for Government as a Platform digital transformation initiative for the public sector. Multiple GaaP prototypes developed in collaboration with municipalities.
• Hogeschool van Amsterdam - Fashion Research & TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch group within Faculty of Digital Media and Creative Industries (FDMCI) that collaborates on computational fashion design, circular fashion, and Loopholes sustainability toolkit projects. Key researchers include Troy Nachtigall and Lorenzo Masini.
• AMFI (Amsterdam Fashion Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for fashion sustainability projects including Loopholes 3.0 toolkit development (Feb 2024 - Jun 2024) and value-behaviors dynamics in garment lifecycles project.
• Transitions (Erasmus+ Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Co-funded project (Erasmus+) developing Loopholes sustainability serious game for fashion companies. Multiple iterations of the toolkit have been developed through trainee projects.
• Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partner in sustainability initiatives including waste management projects, Uni(re)cycle behavioral change app (Sep 2020 - Jan 2021), and sustainable universities projects.
• Municipality of ZandvoortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in entrepreneurial ecosystem project working with Municipality of Haarlem to boost local entrepreneurship via technology.
• CTP Veldzicht (Center for Transcultural Psychiatry)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare institution providing mental healthcare to asylum seekers partnered with DSS Design Across Cultures track to develop culturally sensitive Care Code solution.
• De Middellander Het WijkbedrijfminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization in Middelland, Rotterdam partnered on Open Up inclusive community building platform (2020-2021).
• YpsilonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health organization partnered on COMPANION-CENTERED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT project developing mentaal.nl platform for caregiver support.
• Northumbria UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK university partner in Design Studio of the Future collaborative project exploring new communication protocols and technologies for design collaboration (Nov 2020 - Feb 2021).
• Metropolia University of Applied Science (Finland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish partner in INNO-TEC-LAB Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership for Higher Education creating network of innovation laboratories across 6 European countries.
• Amsterdam Economic BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization partnered on Talent Ecosystem Guide (TEG) project for matching talent initiatives and companies in Metropolitan Region Amsterdam.
• Ministry of Finance (Netherlands)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partnered with Fall 2025 trainee team on project about using AI more sustainably.
• FDMCI Faculty at Hogeschool van AmsterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaculty partner for Ask.Listen card game project addressing MBO to HBO student transition challenges, with approximately 40% dropout rate targeted.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stanford d.school: University-embedded design thinking and innovation studio with global brand recognition. Comparable to DSS as a university-hosted innovation lab but operates at much larger scale and with broader industry visibility.
• MIT Media Lab: University-based research lab focused on technology-driven societal innovation with industry sponsors. Overlaps with DSS's applied research and societal-challenges focus, but at far greater scale and with substantially more funding.
• Aalto University Design Factory: University-hosted interdisciplinary innovation platform running project-based learning with industry partners. Comparable to DSS in combining applied learning, multidisciplinary teams, and partner-driven project work within a university setting.

Direct peers

• Hyper Island: Sweden-based innovation school running project-based traineeship programmes where multidisciplinary trainee teams solve real client briefs — directly comparable to DSS's 20-week Traineeship model and partner-driven delivery.
• Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID): Nordic innovation studio offering project-based interaction design programmes with industry partners. Comparable to DSS in combining applied trainee projects, design thinking methodology, and small-team creative technology consulting.

Emerging players

• Baltan Laboratories: Eindhoven-based innovation lab focused on technology, design, and societal challenges. Comparable thematic focus on digital transformation and societal impact, though with a research-art orientation rather than DSS's traineeship model.

Regional players

• Design Academy Eindhoven: Dutch design school with strong industry partnerships and project-based learning culture. Comparable to DSS in Dutch applied design education, though more focused on industrial/product design than digital transformation.
• Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences Innovation Labs: Dutch hogeschool operating applied research and innovation labs with regional partners. Closest geographic peer to DSS within the same Dutch university-of-applied-sciences system, with overlapping government and corporate partner types.
• Inholland University of Applied Sciences: Dutch hogeschool running practice-based learning programmes and creative industry projects. Comparable as a Dutch applied sciences institution running partner-driven student projects, though with less of a digital-transformation specialisation.

Others

• The New Institute / Het Nieuwe Instituut: Rotterdam-based Dutch museum and research institute focused on design, digital culture, and societal challenges. Comparable thematic overlap on digital society and societal innovation, but operates as a cultural institution rather than a traineeship provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dssamsterdam
• Facebookfacebook.com/digitalsocietyschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digitalsocietyschoolamsterdam

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 Digital Society School