Erasmus Research & Business Support

What Erasmus Research & Business Support does

Erasmus Research & Business Support BV (ERBS) is the official incubator ("kraamkamer") of Erasmus University Rotterdam, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary under Erasmus Enterprise Holding. The organization's core function is to translate EUR's scientific knowledge into commercial and societal applications by supporting university researchers in starting impact centers and, once revenue thresholds are met, spinning those activities off as separate Dutch BVs (besloten vennootschappen) under the same holding umbrella. ERBS itself provides workspace in the Mandeville building, coaching, mentoring, business development, financial and administrative support, pre-financing, and network access to incubatees; it does not describe a proprietary software platform or AI technology stack.

The operating model is best understood as a federation of impact centers rather than a single product company. Flagship centers include Auctiometrix (telecom spectrum auction advisory and web-based auction software that advised TRAFICOM Finland, ANACOM Portugal, and NCC Taiwan, including a 5G auction that generated 77+ million EUR for the Finnish government), GovernEUR (public administration research), ECRi (competition policy and market regulation), BIG'R (behavioral insights for policy), Erasmus OR Centre (employee participation advisory, with UniPro and LifeVersity under its umbrella), International Cooperation (development evaluation research), and Learning Stage (education services). The portfolio therefore straddles professional services, regulatory advisory, and lightweight software without a unifying technology platform.

ERBS generates revenue through professional-service and consulting fees from European and international government clients, recurring evaluation research contracts with development agencies (GIZ, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency/RVO), and licensing of Auctiometrix auction software. Reach is global: International Cooperation has executed evaluation research in 11 GIZ partner countries and additional jurisdictions, and Auctiometrix mandates span Northern, Southern, and Central Europe plus East Asia. The organization is private, Netherlands-domiciled, headquartered in Rotterdam, and operates with 11-50 employees; no external venture or private equity funding is disclosed.

Name

Erasmus Research & Business Support

Legal name

Erasmus Research & Business Support BV

Website

https://erbs.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ERBS is the official incubator of Erasmus University Rotterdam, providing workspace, coaching, pre-financing, and commercialization support to EUR researchers through a portfolio of spun-off impact centers including Auctiometrix, GovernEUR, ECRi, BIG'R, Erasmus OR Centre, and International Cooperation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research Commercialization and Incubation Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Advisory (BPAHAFAA)

Keywords

• Research commercialization
• Business incubation
• Academic valorization
• Policy advisory
• Impact consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Incubation Services: ERBS provides incubation services to scientists at Erasmus University Rotterdam, supporting them in creating impact centers and commercializing research. Services include workspace, business development, coaching, mentoring, financial/administrative support, pre-financing, and network access. When sufficient turnover is achieved, innovative research activities are privatized under Erasmus Enterprise Holding as separate business ventures (BV).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Erasmus Research & Business Support (ERBS) is the incubator of Erasmus University Rotterdam, translating scientific knowledge into practical applications for businesses and public organizations. It operates as an umbrella for multiple semi-autonomous impact centers covering spectrum auction advisory, public administration, competition policy, behavioural insights, employee participation, and international development evaluation, while providing workspace, coaching, mentoring, business development support, pre-financing, and administrative services to researcher-entrepreneurs.

Product overview

ERBS (Erasmus Research & Business Support) is the incubator of the Erasmus University Rotterdam, operating as a platform that supports scientists in creating impact from their research by providing a place, guidance, and financing. Rather than a single unified product, ERBS functions as an umbrella organization housing multiple semi-autonomous 'impact centers' that translate academic knowledge into practical applications: Auctiometrix (auction consulting/software), GovernEUR (public administration), International Cooperation (development research), ECRi (competition policy), BIG'R (behavioral insights), Erasmus OR Centre (employee participation), UniPro, LifeVersity, and Learning Stage. These impact centers share the common mission of creating impactful business by transforming high scientific knowledge into useful ideas, solutions, and services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Auctiometrix Auctiometrix advises government agencies worldwide on the design and implementation of (spectrum) auctions and advises telecom companies on optimal bidding strategies; it offers web-based auction software that can be adapted to client requirements.
• GovernEUR GovernEUR strengthens problem-solving capacity in society by deploying state-of-the-art public administration knowledge developed, applied, and refined in interaction with practitioners.
• International Cooperation International Cooperation conducts applied research in international development including evaluation research, focusing on labour markets, inequality and poverty, and quantitative and qualitative evaluation techniques for development cooperation programmes.
• Erasmus Competition & Regulation Institute (ECRi) ECRi is a research institute on competition policy and market regulation providing effective, concise, understandable, and scientifically sound advice on competition and regulation for policy makers in business and government.
• Behavioural Insights Group Rotterdam (BIG'R) BIG'R applies scientific behavioural knowledge in practice by conducting behavioural research, providing advice, and developing interventions that contribute to more effective policy.
• Erasmus OR Centre Erasmus OR Centre focuses on advising work councils and employee participation committees on complex themes and questions related to employee participation.
• UniPro UniPro is an impact center operating under the Erasmus OR Centre umbrella that provides university research support services.
• LifeVersity LifeVersity is an impact center providing life sciences research support services.
• Learning Stage Learning Stage is an impact center focused on education and training services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77+ million EUR generated for Finnish government through 5G auction advisory
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and minor.

• Erasmus University RotterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERBS is the incubator of Erasmus University Rotterdam and operates under the umbrella of Erasmus Enterprise Holding. ERBS supports EUR scientists in creating impact and contributes to the valorization strategy of the university in a shielded manner without risk to EUR's operational activities.
• Erasmus Enterprise HoldingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERBS is part of Erasmus Enterprise Holding, which is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam. When incubatees achieve sufficient turnover, their activities are privatized as separate business ventures (BV) under Erasmus Enterprise Holding.
• AuctiometrixflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact center that advises government agencies worldwide on the design and implementation of (spectrum) auctions. Advises telecom companies on optimal bidding strategies and offers web-based auction software. Generated 77+ million EUR for Finnish government from 5G auction.
• GovernEURflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact center that aims to strengthen problem-solving capacity in society by deploying state-of-the-art public administration knowledge developed, applied and refined in interaction with practitioners.
• Erasmus Competition & Regulation Institute (ECRi)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact center and research institute on competition policy and market regulation. Provides effective, concise, understandable and scientifically sound advice on competition and regulation for policy makers in business and government.
• BIG'R (Behavioural Insights Group Rotterdam)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact center that puts scientific behavioral knowledge into practice by conducting behavioral research, providing advice, and developing interventions that contribute to more effective policy.
• Erasmus OR CentreflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact center focusing on advising work councils and employee participation committees on complex themes and questions related to employee participation.
• LifeVersitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact center operating under the Erasmus OR Centre umbrella.
• UniProcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact center operating under the Erasmus OR Centre umbrella.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInternational Cooperation conducts applied research in international development for GIZ, including evaluation research in areas such as inequality diagnostics, education and employment promotion, and local economic development across multiple partner countries.
• Netherlands Ministry of Foreign AffairsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerERBS conducts evaluation research commissioned by the Ministry, including evaluations of ORIO infrastructure program, ORET program, Sustainable Water Fund, and other development cooperation initiatives.
• Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRVO commissions ERBS for evaluations of development programs including ORIO infrastructure program, CBI Integrated Programmes, and PUM Netherlands Senior Experts.
• Erasmus School of EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSome impact centers, such as Auctiometrix, conduct laboratory experiments in the economics laboratory of the Erasmus School of Economics for auction design simulations.
• IHS (Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with IHS on urban development research, including the DEALS evaluation project on governance of inclusive green growth in cities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Dutch applied research organization that commercializes academic and applied science through contract research for government and industry. Closest domestic analogue to ERBS in mission, structure and customer base.
• SINTEF: Norway's largest independent research institute delivering contract research and innovation services to public and private sector. Directly comparable to ERBS in operating as a publicly-affiliated research commercialization vehicle.
• RTI International: US-based nonprofit research institute delivering international development evaluation and policy research. Closest peer to ERBS's International Cooperation impact center working with GIZ and donor governments.
• Fraunhofer Society: Germany's leading applied research network operating university-affiliated institutes that deliver contract research and commercialize academic output. Direct functional peer to ERBS's incubation/valorization model, just at much larger scale.
• Behavioural Insights Team: UK-founded behavioral science advisory applying research insights to government policy. Directly comparable to ERBS's BIG'R impact center in mission, methods and government client base.
• Oxford Policy Management: International development consultancy providing rigorous evaluation research to governments and multilaterals. Comparable to ERBS's International Cooperation practice in service model and donor client base.
• DotEcon: Specialist economics consultancy advising regulators on auction design, spectrum policy and competition. Direct functional peer to Auctiometrix within ERBS's portfolio.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's applied research center providing contract R&D and technology commercialization to public and private clients. Comparable in acting as a bridge between academic science and government/industry buyers, similar to ERBS's model.

Broad incumbents

• Battelle Memorial Institute: Large US nonprofit that translates academic and government science into commercial and policy applications. Broader, established counterpart to ERBS's university-incubator model with much greater scale.

Regional players

• Berenschot Groep: Dutch management and policy consultancy advising government and public-sector clients. Adjacent Dutch peer competing for similar government advisory budgets to ERBS's GovernEUR and Erasmus OR Centre practices.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erbs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries9 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 Erasmus Research & Business Support