Qterra
Qterra is a Dutch environmental and soil research firm that delivers data-driven excavation advisory, foredetermination, and omgevingsmanagement for grid operators, contractors, and engineering firms, with approximately 90% of its projects supporting energy transition infrastructure.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersArnhem, Netherlands
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Qterra does
Qterra B.V. is a Dutch environmental advisory and soil research firm that delivers data-driven excavation risk assessments, foredetermination, and omgevingsmanagement for infrastructure projects in the Netherlands, with approximately 90% of its project volume tied to the energy transition. Founded in 2019 as a spin-off from the Bodemdesk of Liander, the company became fully independent on 1 January 2020 under Alliander New Business and relocated its headquarters to Koningstraat 29-2 in Arnhem in May 2020. The firm combines historical soil data, sensor inputs, GIS layers, and regulatory frameworks — notably the Omgevingswet and CROW 400/500 standards — into a central platform called the Qterra-app that automates environmental assessment across disciplines including soil, archaeology, ecology, explosive war remnants, nitrogen, water systems, and trees.
The core technology stack centers on a proprietary database of soil research built up over more than a decade of operations, an Automated Route Determination (Automatische Tracé Bepaling) engine that calculates shortest, fastest, and cheapest route variants algorithmically, and the Qterra-app which delivers automated assessments for more than 75% of cases and resolves approximately 97% of preliminary research cases within 10 working days. AI and automation are explicitly cited as levers for faster, cheaper service delivery, though the primary differentiator is the underlying data asset rather than bespoke AI models. The company serves grid operators (Liander/Alliander and the multi-year NuGelre program covering more than 2,000 km of medium voltage cabling), fiber operators (TReNT under a five-year partnership and Open Dutch Fiber across 180,000 connections under investigation), contractors (Van Gelder, BAM), engineering firms, and adjacent enterprise clients such as NIO and CONO Kaasmakers.
Qterra generates revenue through a mix of professional services billed per project (soil research, condition assessments, environmental management, trial trenches, foredetermination) and platform access via the Qterra-app, with multi-year service agreements and project-based pricing denominated in euros. The firm is a private limited company (B.V.) under Alliander ownership, holds ISO 9001 certification (since 2022, re-certified in early 2025) and ISO 27001 certification (since 2025), and is a member of the SIVOON infrastructure-manager consortium for unexploded ordnance policy. As of 2025-2026 the company employs more than 100 staff across environmental advisors, specialists, IT, and omgevingsmanagers.
Qterra firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Qterra
- Legal name
- Qterra B.V.
- Website
- https://qterra.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Qterra is a Dutch environmental and soil research firm that delivers data-driven excavation advisory, foredetermination, and omgevingsmanagement for grid operators, contractors, and engineering firms, with approximately 90% of its projects supporting energy transition infrastructure.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Qterra industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental and Geotechnical Advisory Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cumulative Effects, Alternatives Analysis & Mitigation Planning (EUAHAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Brownfield Redevelopment Due Diligence & Grant Support (EUAHAEAD), Stakeholder Engagement, Indigenous/Tribal Consultation & Social Impact (SIA) (EUAHAAAH)
Keywords
Where Qterra is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arnhem
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Qterra business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Environmental Advisory Services: Professional services for soil research, condition assessments, environmental management, trial trenches, and foredetermination. Billed per project or through service agreements with clients such as grid operators.
- Qterra-app Platform Access: Platform access for automated and manual assessments of environmental aspects for construction and excavation projects. Pricing structure appears quote-based per project or through licenses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Professional services for soil and environmental research |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Qterra product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Qterra provides integrated environmental and soil advisory services for excavation and infrastructure projects, helping clients de-risk the underground portion of energy-transition works. Offerings cover soil research, environmental and ecological assessments, archaeology, unexploded ordnance detection, nitrogen and water-systems analysis, permit management, and end-to-end route determination, all coordinated through the proprietary Qterra-app platform that uses AI to automate trace planning.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Qterra-app Proprietary data-driven web platform that consolidates soil, environmental, archaeological, ecological, unexploded ordnance, nitrogen and water-systems data to plan and oversee underground works; used by grid operators, contractors and engineering firms on Dutch infrastructure projects.
- Automatische Tracé Bepaling (Automatic Route Determination) AI-powered service that automatically generates optimal cable and pipeline routes by combining subsurface, environmental and regulatory datasets, reducing weeks of manual trace planning to minutes for grid operators and contractors.
- Omgevingsmanagement (Environmental / Stakeholder Management) Coordination of environmental and stakeholder processes for underground infrastructure works, covering permitting, regulatory compliance and multi-party engagement for grid operators, contractors and public authorities.
- Conditionerend Onderzoek (Conditioning Research) Specialist conditioning research that prepares the ground conditions for upcoming excavation works, producing the data and clearance needed to proceed safely and on schedule for cable and pipeline installation projects.
- Proefsleuven (Trial Trenches) Physical trial-trench investigations that validate underground conditions ahead of full excavation, used by contractors and grid operators to confirm soil composition, utilities and archaeological status before trenching begins.
- Vooronderzoek Bodem (Soil Preliminary Research) Preliminary desk-and-field soil research that consolidates historical soil data, contamination risk and ground conditions into an early-phase report for cable, pipeline and other underground infrastructure projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- 75%+ of soil research automatically generated, enabling faster delivery times
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Qterra
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Qterra technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
Qterra partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- SIVOONcoreSIVOON (Samenwerking Infrabeheerders voor het Veilig Omgaan met de Ondergrond in Nederland) is a collaboration of infrastructure managers to establish clear and proportionate policy for explosive remnants of war (OO). Qterra joined as member representing Alliander as of January 2024. Other members include ProRail, Tennet, Havenbedrijf Rotterdam, Rijkswaterstaat, Vitens, and Schiphol.
- TReNTcoreFive-year partnership with TReNT fiber optic network company. Collaboration on automated route generation and CROW 500 module implementation. Started with exploratory cooperation and has matured into a stable relationship with focus on future product, tooling, and process alignment.
- Open Dutch FibermajorPartnership with one of the largest fiber optic network companies in the Netherlands. Started with pilot in Haarlem Zuid Oost in 2021. Currently investigating 180,000 connections in Ridderkerk, Amsterdam, Den Haag, Venlo, and Roosendaal. Open Dutch Fiber has ambition to provide fiber to 1,000,000 addresses within 5 years.
- LiandercoreGrid operator and subsidiary of parent company Alliander. Qterra originated from the Liander Bodemdesk in 2019. Primary client for energy transition infrastructure projects including NuGelre network expansion program.
- StantecminorAdvisory firm collaborated with Qterra on the Cruquiusweg Amsterdam project to develop a framework remediation plan (raamsaneringsplan) for efficient excavation work in complex contaminated areas.
- EuroradarmajorCertified company for detecting explosive remnants of war. Contracted by Qterra for field research when bureau research indicates potential for unexploded ordnance. Specialized in historical aerial photos, map materials, and field reports.
- Van GeldermajorContractor consortium partner for infrastructure projects. Collaborated at Infratech 2025 to present automated design tool for cable and pipe route design, enabling smarter and faster design choices.
- BAMmajorConstruction firm participating in contractor consortium. Represented at Qterra supplier day discussing national standardization and optimal cooperation.
- VSHminorConstruction firm participating in contractor consortium discussing infrastructure cooperation with Qterra.
- SiersminorConstruction/infrastructure company participating in contractor consortium for standardized infrastructure approach.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Qterra competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Witteveen+Bos: Witteveen+Bos is a Dutch engineering and environmental consultancy delivering soil, water, and infrastructure advisory services — directly comparable to Qterra's environmental advisory and route planning work for Dutch infrastructure operators.
- Antea Group: Antea Group is an engineering and environmental consulting firm active across the Netherlands and Europe in soil research, environmental management, and infrastructure advisory — a comparable peer in the Dutch environmental advisory market.
- Fugro: Fugro is a Netherlands-based geoscience and site characterization specialist providing subsurface data, mapping, and digital infrastructure services — highly comparable to Qterra's data-driven subsurface risk profiling and route determination platform for infrastructure projects.
- Tauw: Tauw is a Dutch environmental consulting firm offering soil research, environmental site assessment, and advisory services for infrastructure and construction — closely overlapping Qterra's soil, remediation, and permitting work for Dutch clients.
Broad incumbents
- Sweco: Sweco is a large European engineering and environmental consultancy with Dutch operations covering soil, water, environment, and infrastructure advisory — broader scope than Qterra but operating in the same Dutch advisory market.
- Royal HaskoningDHV: Royal HaskoningDHV is a large Dutch-rooted engineering and environmental consultancy with broad infrastructure, environmental, and digital advisory capabilities that overlap Qterra's data-driven infrastructure advisory offering as part of a much wider portfolio.
- COWI: COWI is a European engineering consulting group offering environmental, infrastructure, and geo-services that overlap Qterra's subsurface data and environmental advisory capabilities, though at significantly larger scale.
- Arcadis: Arcadis is a global design, engineering, and environmental consulting firm with a sizable Dutch practice offering environmental site assessment, permitting, and infrastructure advisory services — directly competing with Qterra on Dutch environmental contracts while operating much more broadly.
- Stantec: Stantec is a global engineering and environmental consulting firm — already a co-development partner of Qterra on the Cruquiusweg Amsterdam remediation — and a comparable peer in environmental site assessment and infrastructure advisory services.
- Bilfinger Tebodin: Bilfinger is a European industrial and infrastructure services group with Dutch operations providing environmental, engineering, and permitting advisory for infrastructure projects — overlapping Qterra's permitting trajectory and infrastructure advisory work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Qterra social profiles
Digital presenceQterra financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Qterra leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Qterra funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Qterra M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Qterra
What does Qterra do?
Qterra provides integrated environmental and soil advisory services for excavation and infrastructure projects, helping clients de-risk the underground portion of energy-transition works. Offerings cover soil research, environmental and ecological assessments, archaeology, unexploded ordnance detection, nitrogen and water-systems analysis, permit management, and end-to-end route determination, all coordinated through the proprietary Qterra-app platform that uses AI to automate trace planning.
Is Qterra a public or private company?
Qterra is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Qterra founded?
Qterra was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Qterra based?
Qterra is headquartered in Arnhem, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Qterra make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Environmental Advisory Services are the primary driver. The others are qterra-app Platform Access.
Who are Qterra's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Witteveen+Bos, Antea Group, Fugro and Tauw. Broad incumbents are Sweco, Royal HaskoningDHV, COWI, Arcadis, Stantec and Bilfinger Tebodin.
Does Qterra have an API?
No public API is recorded for Qterra.
What industry is Qterra in?
Qterra's product category is Environmental and Geotechnical Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHAAAE, Cumulative Effects, Alternatives Analysis & Mitigation Planning, with a secondary code of EUAHAEAD, Brownfield Redevelopment Due Diligence & Grant Support.