Waterstofnet

What Waterstofnet does

WaterstofNet vzw is a Belgian non-profit association (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk) established in 2009 and headquartered in Turnhout, with a regional office at the Automotive Campus in Helmond, Netherlands. The organization operates as a knowledge and collaboration platform for sustainable hydrogen across Flanders and the Netherlands, coordinating three interlocking programs: the Waterstof Industrie Cluster (WIC), an industry cluster uniting almost 200 member companies in the Benelux hydrogen ecosystem; the Belgian Hydrogen Council, which promotes the Belgian hydrogen industry domestically and abroad and advises regional and federal policymakers on hydrogen strategy; and RH2INE, a European consortium building an emission-free transport corridor along the Rhine. WaterstofNet also operates the Hydrogen Academy, a multi-session training program delivered in Brussels, Antwerp, Eindhoven, and 's-Hertogenbosch, and coordinates individual hydrogen demonstration projects such as Smart dHYstrict (local energy systems) and the newly launched FLHyPorts (Flanders' ports hydrogen valley).

WaterstofNet's business model combines recurring WIC membership fees, training and conference participation fees, and project-based EU/Interreg and government funding. Pricing is publicly disclosed: Hydrogen Academy costs €900 per non-member participant and €300 for WIC members, students, and government employees, while Belgian Hydrogen Council conferences charge €250 for non-members and are free for WIC/Cluster Tweed members. Substantial revenue also flows through Interreg-funded cross-border projects where WaterstofNet serves as coordinator or partner. The organization is a designated preferred contact point for the Flemish and Dutch governments on hydrogen vision and regulation, giving it structural embedment in public-sector energy transition policy.

WaterstofNet does not develop hydrogen technology itself; its core capability is network orchestration, project coordination, and policy advisory work. It serves enterprise stakeholders across the hydrogen value chain (project partners include Solvay, Colruyt Group, Hydrogenics, Nedstack, and Hyundai), government agencies at Flemish, Dutch, Belgian federal, and European levels, and knowledge institutions. With 11–50 employees and offices in Turnhout and Helmond, the entity functions as a regional platform organization rather than a commercial technology vendor.

Name

Waterstofnet

Legal name

WaterstofNet vzw

Website

https://waterstofnet.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WaterstofNet is a Belgian non-profit knowledge and collaboration platform that coordinates the Waterstof Industrie Cluster (~200 members), the Belgian Hydrogen Council, RH2INE, and the Hydrogen Academy, serving hydrogen-industry companies, governments, and research institutions across the Benelux.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Turnhout

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Waterstof Industrie Cluster membership with associated fees
2. Training programs: Hydrogen Academy training programs with participant fees
3. Conference participation: Belgian Hydrogen Council conferences with registration fees for non-members
4. Government funding: Project coordination funding from Interreg and European programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WaterstofNet is a knowledge and collaboration platform that coordinates hydrogen projects across the Benelux. It runs the Waterstof Industrie Cluster (WIC), the Belgian Hydrogen Council, and RH2INE, providing industry networking, policy advisory to governments, and educational programs such as the Hydrogen Academy. The organization acts as a catalyst uniting industry, governments, and knowledge institutions around sustainable hydrogen applications including mobility, infrastructure, industry, and the built environment.

Product overview

WaterstofNet is a knowledge and collaboration platform that contributes to a carbon-neutral society by supporting and realizing hydrogen projects in Flanders and the Netherlands. The organization operates through a multi-product portfolio centered on the Waterstof Industrie Cluster (WIC), which serves as the core industry network uniting the Benelux hydrogen sector. Supporting the cluster are the Belgian Hydrogen Council (promoting Belgian hydrogen internationally) and RH2INE (creating an emission-free Rhine transport corridor). The Hydrogen Academy provides training across Belgium and the Netherlands. The platform coordinates numerous hydrogen projects including Smart dHYstrict for local energy systems, alongside initiatives in vehicles, infrastructure, industry, and built environment. WaterstofNet acts as a catalyst for the hydrogen ecosystem, facilitating knowledge sharing, project development, and government advisory services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Waterstof Industrie Cluster (WIC): Industry cluster uniting the hydrogen industry in the Benelux, with almost 200 members
• Belgian Hydrogen Council
• RH2INE
• Hydrogen Academy

Products and services

• Waterstof Industrie Cluster (WIC) A hydrogen industry cluster that unites hydrogen companies in the Benelux, facilitating knowledge sharing, member networking, and acting as a representative voice when addressing authorities.
• Belgian Hydrogen Council A coordinating body that promotes the Belgian hydrogen industry domestically and internationally, advising policymakers on regional and federal hydrogen strategies.
• RH2INE A European consortium coordinated by WaterstofNet that aims to create an emission-free transport corridor along the Rhine, connecting Belgium and the Netherlands.
• Hydrogen Academy A training and education program offering multi-evening courses covering hydrogen applications, policy, and regulation across Belgium and the Netherlands.
• Smart dHYstrict An Interreg-funded project coordinated by WaterstofNet investigating cost-efficient deployment of hydrogen in local energy systems to reduce strain on electricity grids, with pilot sites in Zellik (Belgium) and Eindhoven (Netherlands).

Quantifiable outcome

• Coordinated 10+ years of hydrogen projects in Flanders and South-Netherlands region
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Waterstof Industrie Cluster (WIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterstofNet coordinates the Waterstof Industrie Cluster, an industry cluster for the hydrogen industry in the Benelux with almost 200 member companies and organizations.
• Belgian Hydrogen CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterstofNet coordinates the Belgian Hydrogen Council, which promotes the Belgian hydrogen industry domestically and internationally and advises policymakers on regional and federal hydrogen strategies.
• RH2INEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterstofNet coordinates RH2INE, a European consortium aiming to create an emission-free transport corridor along the Rhine.
• Flemish GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterstofNet is a partner of the Flemish government in realizing hydrogen objectives, serving as a preferred contact point for hydrogen vision and regulation.
• Dutch GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterstofNet is a partner of the Dutch government in realizing hydrogen objectives, serving as preferred contact for hydrogen vision and regulation.
• InterregmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterstofNet coordinates Interreg-funded projects including Waterstofregio Vlaanderen-Zuid-Nederland and Smart dHYstrict.
• HyRaMP / HyERmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network of hydrogen regions, with Flanders and Rotterdam as members; HyRaMP expanded to include electromobility.
• Clean Hydrogen Partnership (formerly FCH-JU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean partnership program for hydrogen and fuel cells; WaterstofNet collaborates on projects and knowledge sharing.
• Cluster TweedmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint conference organization for Belgian Hydrogen Council events in Wallonia.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DNV: DNV provides hydrogen advisory, assurance, testing, and standards-related services to energy, industrial, and public-sector clients. It is comparable to WaterstofNet's hydrogen advisory and project-support role but operates across a much broader technical portfolio.
• Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research: TNO is an applied-research organization with hydrogen expertise, testing capabilities, and programs connecting industry and government. It overlaps with WaterstofNet's technical knowledge and project-development activities but is much larger and offers proprietary research and facilities.

Direct peers

• Hydrogen Council: The Hydrogen Council is a global, CEO-led initiative of companies operating across the hydrogen value chain. Its industry coordination and advocacy work closely resembles the Belgian Hydrogen Council component of WaterstofNet's platform.
• Clean Hydrogen Partnership: Clean Hydrogen Partnership is a public-private partnership that funds and coordinates hydrogen research, demonstration, and networking activities. Its project-coordination and knowledge-sharing remit substantially overlaps WaterstofNet's European program work.
• European Clean Hydrogen Alliance: The European Clean Hydrogen Alliance is an industry-led stakeholder ecosystem supported by the European Commission to align hydrogen investment and deployment. It is comparable through its cross-sector member coordination, project pipeline development, and policy interface.
• Hydrogen Europe: Hydrogen Europe is a Brussels-based industry association representing hydrogen companies and promoting deployment, policy, and investment. It is closely comparable to WaterstofNet's role in convening hydrogen stakeholders and shaping regional and European policy.

Regional players

• Energy Valley: Energy Valley is a Dutch regional energy innovation network that connects public and private stakeholders and supports energy projects. It shares WaterstofNet's cluster-management, collaboration, and knowledge-dissemination model within a broader energy portfolio.
• New Energy Coalition: New Energy Coalition is a Dutch energy-transition network connecting companies, governments, and knowledge institutions around innovation and project development. It is comparable to WaterstofNet as a regional ecosystem builder, although its scope is broader than hydrogen.
• Flux50: Flux50 is a Flemish energy innovation cluster that brings together companies, research organizations, and public authorities around energy transition projects. It is directly comparable to WaterstofNet's cross-border cluster and project-coordination model, though Flux50 is not hydrogen-exclusive.

Others

• European Energy Research Alliance: The European Energy Research Alliance coordinates public and private energy-research organizations and joint research programs. It is comparable through its cross-institution knowledge platform and project collaboration, although it is more research-focused and less commercial.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/waterstofnet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHWn3Dipccs2tf078jnqMkw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/h2-waterstofnet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Waterstofnet