What Sarphati Amsterdam does

Sarphati Amsterdam is a publicly funded scientific research initiative founded in March 2018 as a partnership between the City of Amsterdam (via GGD Amsterdam), Amsterdam UMC (locations AMC and VUmc), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the University of Amsterdam, the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, and SAG Zorgontwikkeling. Its mission is to conduct long-term, multidisciplinary research on the healthy growth and development of Amsterdam children aged 0–18 and to translate findings into practical tools for policymakers and healthcare practitioners that reduce child health disparities.

The core asset is the Sarphati Cohort, a dynamic longitudinal research database that combines routine Youth Health Services (JGZ) consultation data — covering growth, sleep, nutrition, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, parental psychosocial burden, environment, and demographics — with age-specific parental surveys. Data is pseudonymised and the cohort continuously recruits new participants, enabling cross-sectional, longitudinal, cohort-effect, and intervention research. The infrastructure supports dynamic addition of variables, sub-cohorts (such as the Amsterdam Infant Microbiome Study, AIMS, launched in 2019), and randomised interventions with built-in control groups. Through JGZ, the cohort covers approximately 98% of all Amsterdam children. A multilingual Sarphati App (Dutch, English, Spanish, French, German, Turkish, Moroccan-Arabic) handles informed consent and participant communication.

Sarphati Amsterdam is not a commercial enterprise. It is financed through municipal and institutional contributions, with core partners accessing existing cohort data without charge and external researchers covering data-provision costs on a negotiated basis. Research results are disseminated to the Municipality of Amsterdam for policy use, to practice professionals through periodic Sarphati Explore events and an annual Symposium, and to academic audiences via publications, LinkedIn, the Open Research Amsterdam platform, and the GGD Amsterdam website. As of 2024, more than 11,000 families were participating in the cohort.

Name

Sarphati Amsterdam

Legal name

Sarphati Amsterdam

Website

https://sarphati.amsterdam

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sarphati Amsterdam is a publicly funded research consortium that operates the Sarphati Cohort, a dynamic longitudinal study tracking the growth and development of Amsterdam children aged 0–18, and translates findings into policy and practice tools for municipal and healthcare partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Research

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Sentinel Site & Community-Based Surveillance (HLAJANAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) Partnerships (HLAJAOAG), Early Childhood & Child Development Policy Research (EDADADAJ)

Keywords

• Child health research
• Longitudinal cohort study
• Public health data
• Microbiome research
• Urban health monitoring

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional / governmental funding: Sarphati Amsterdam is a partnership between the City of Amsterdam (via GGD Amsterdam), Amsterdam UMC, VU Amsterdam, UvA, and HvA. The initiative appears to be publicly funded through municipal and institutional contributions. Core partners (municipality, universities, hospital) access existing Sarphati Cohort data without financial contribution; external organisations cover data provision costs.
2. Research collaboration fees: External organisations (non-partner) requesting Sarphati Cohort data must cover data provision costs. Sub-cohort initiation costs (additional staffing for recruitment, inclusion, and data management) are borne by the requesting researcher/organisation. Fees are negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sarphati Amsterdam is a scientific research initiative that operates the Sarphati Cohort, a dynamic longitudinal study tracking Amsterdam children aged 0-18, collecting routine Youth Health Care (JGZ) data combined with parental questionnaires. It runs the AIMS sub-study on infant microbiome development and offers researchers structured access to anonymised cohort data, sub-cohort initiation, and randomised intervention capabilities. Research findings are translated into practical tools for municipal policymakers and youth healthcare professionals.

Product overview

Sarphati Amsterdam is a research initiative comprising a primary longitudinal cohort study (Sarphati Cohort) tracking Amsterdam children from 0-18 years, a microbiome sub-study (AIMS), a multilingual consent application, and regular professional events (Sarphati Explore and Annual Symposium). These components work together to collect, analyze, and disseminate knowledge about children's health and development in urban environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sarphati Cohort Large-scale longitudinal research program tracking Amsterdam children aged 0-18, collecting data on growth, nutrition, sleep, exercise, mental health, and other health outcomes, with pseudonymised data made available to approved researchers.
• AIMS (Amsterdam Infant Microbiome Study) Sub-study investigating the development of microorganisms in and on young children's bodies and how the microbiome influences diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and oral health problems.
• Sarphati App Mobile and web application providing multilingual (Dutch, English, Spanish, French, German, Turkish, Moroccan-Arabic) study information, an animated explainer video, and parental informed-consent flows for the Sarphati Cohort.
• Sarphati Explore Recurring thematic professional gatherings that bring together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss specific child health themes such as sleep, nutrition, motor skills, and oral health.
• Sarphati Symposium Annual large symposium featuring multiple themes around healthy child development in Amsterdam, with plenary presentations and interactive parallel sessions.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 11,000 participating families contributing data on child health (as of 2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Jump-in programme (GGD Amsterdam school nutrition intervention)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Jump-in is a school-based dietary intervention programme evaluated through the Sarphati Cohort. Research showed implementation on schools leads to healthier food consumption and positive influence on children's BMI.
• Academische Werkplaats Jeugd en Gezondheid (AWJG) — Academic Workplaces Youth and Health networksupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023A collaboration network between Amsterdam UMC (Public and Occupational Health department) and eight JGZ organisations across North Holland and Flevoland (including GGD Amsterdam, GGD Hollands Noorden, GGD Zaanstreek-Waterland, GGD Kennemerland, GGD Flevoland, and JGZ Almere), plus regional municipalities. Sarphati Amsterdam participates in AWJG activities.
• EndObesity consortium (ZonMw funded)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023A research consortium focused on developing, implementing, and evaluating innovative strategies for preventing childhood obesity, including a prediction model within JGZ. Collaborates with the Sarphati Cohort for data and implementation.
• SomastelsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023An informal community organisation conducting poverty consultation sessions in Amsterdam neighbourhoods. Partnered with researchers on the 'Gezonde en Kansrijke Start' programme to interview young mothers in their own languages, improving research access to underrepresented groups.
• FitFood DiëtistenpraktijksupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023A dietetics practice with multiple locations across Amsterdam neighbourhoods, providing practical insights on nutrition counselling for families. Contributes practice expertise to Sarphati Explore events and research-practice collaboration.
• Baby Groente Tas (Baby Vegetable Bag project)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023An intervention project providing free vegetable bags with preparation tools to parents of babies starting solid food (4–6 months) to promote healthy eating habits. Presented as an example of research-policy-practice collaboration within Sarphati Amsterdam.
• GGD Amsterdam (Public Health Service of Amsterdam)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018GGD Amsterdam is the core institutional partner, providing the Youth Health Services (JGZ) infrastructure through which the Sarphati Cohort collects data from all participating children during routine health consultations. GGD's JGZ and SAG Zorgontwikkeling manage and provide growth and development data.
• Amsterdam UMC (locations AMC and VUmc)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Amsterdam University Medical Center (both Academic Medical Center and VUmc locations) provides academic research expertise, hosts researchers, and contributes to the governance and scientific direction of Sarphati Amsterdam.
• Vrije Universiteit (VU) AmsterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018VU Amsterdam is a founding knowledge institution partner, contributing research leadership (notably Prof. Jaap Seidell, founding director). VU researchers actively use Sarphati Cohort data for public health research on nutrition, obesity, and child development.
• Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018UvA is a founding knowledge institution partner contributing research expertise across disciplines including sociology, child development, and public health. UvA researchers (e.g., Christian Bröer) conduct ethnographic studies within the Sarphati framework.
• Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018HvA (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences) is a founding knowledge institution partner contributing applied research expertise and student involvement to the Sarphati Amsterdam initiative.
• SAG Zorgontwikkeling (Stichting Amsterdamse Gezondheidscentra) — JeugdgezondheidszorgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018The Amsterdam Health Foundation (SAG) — Child Health Services section (JGZ) — is a core partner providing the second pathway for child health data collection alongside GGD Amsterdam's JGZ. SAG's Ouder- en Kindteams (OKT) deliver health consultations to Amsterdam children.
• City of Amsterdam (municipality)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018The municipality of Amsterdam is the governing authority behind the initiative, with an alderman on the Governing Board responsible for Health and Social Development and Public Health and Prevention portfolios. The municipality provides funding and strategic direction.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GGD GHOR Nederland: Association of Dutch regional public health services, including GGD Amsterdam; comparable in municipal-public-health remit but at a national scale.
• RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment): Dutch national public-health authority that historically housed Seidell and operates population-health surveillance; broader mandate and not a direct competitor but a relevant institutional incumbent.

Direct peers

• Danish National Birth Cohort: Large-scale Danish birth cohort following ~100,000 children; structurally analogous in scale, longitudinal design, and routine-registry data linkage.
• Generation R Study: Large population-based birth cohort in Rotterdam tracking children from fetal life onward; structurally analogous to the Sarphati Cohort in scale, longitudinal design, and Dutch academic-municipal governance model.
• Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa): Norwegian population-based pregnancy and child cohort operated by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health; comparable in design and child-health focus.
• Born in Bradford: UK urban birth cohort with high ethnic diversity and routine-NHS-linked data infrastructure; directly comparable in mission to track child health in a multi-ethnic urban setting.
• Lifelines: Large multi-generational Dutch population cohort based in the north of the Netherlands; comparable longitudinal design, though broader in scope (all ages) rather than child-specific.
• ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children): Long-running UK birth cohort following children and parents with deep phenotyping; comparable longitudinal scope and influence on public health research.
• ABCD Study (Amsterdam Born Children and their Development): Amsterdam-based birth cohort following children from pregnancy through adolescence; operates in the same city and overlapping academic ecosystem, making it the most direct local comparator.

Emerging players

• Generation Victoria (GenV): Australia-wide whole-of-state birth and parent cohort; emerging large-scale comparator with similar ambitions for embedded interventions and policy translation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sarphati-amsterdam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sarphati Amsterdam