Archeologenbureau Argo

What Archeologenbureau Argo does

Archeologenbureau Argo is a privately held Dutch archaeological research firm founded in 2009 and headquartered in Zaandam, North Holland. The company conducts all forms of archaeological (field) research on Dutch land soils under SIKB BRL4000 certification, including bureauonderzoek (desk-based research), boringen (borehole research), proefsleuven (trial trenches), opgravingen (excavations), and archeologische begeleiding (archaeological monitoring). Its team of senior KNA archaeologists and material specialists (Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman, Medieval, Modern Era, ceramics, glass, metal, zooarchaeology) provides a complete compliance-driven service stack for construction, development, and permitting workflows. Core technology is conventional archaeology tooling: QGIS-based cartography, drone imagery, and ground radar (geophysical detection), with no proprietary software platform.

The firm operates a project-based professional services model with one-time project fees per engagement, supplemented by detachering (staff leasing of KNA-certified archaeologists) and advisory services. It serves (semi)governments, municipalities, project developers, construction companies, housing associations, architects, engineering firms, farmers, and private individuals, with fieldwork concentrated almost exclusively in the North Holland/Randstad region. Notable engagements include the Krommenie 't Hain Roman-period excavation for Gemeente Zaanstad (won via public tender in 2018). The company is privately held by co-founders Annabel Médard and Jeroen Vaars and has announced a merger with T&A Survey effective April 1, 2026, which will combine ~10 archaeologists with ~30 additional soil specialists (geophysicists, environmental specialists, explosive experts, divers) under the T&A banner to execute multidisciplinary projects.

Name

Archeologenbureau Argo

Legal name

Archeologenbureau Argo

Website

https://archeologenbureauargo.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Archeologenbureau Argo is a Dutch SIKB BRL4000-certified archaeological firm offering KNA-compliant field research, excavations, monitoring, and advisory services to municipalities, developers, and construction clients in the North Holland/Randstad region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Archaeological Research Services

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Geotechnical & Subsurface Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Geotechnical Design, Engineering & Consulting (Analysis, Design, Peer Review) (IMAFAOAK)

Keywords

• Archaeological field research
• Archaeological excavation services
• Heritage impact assessment
• KNA certified archaeology
• Desk based archaeology

Headquarters

HQ city

Zaandam

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. Archaeological research services: One-time project-based fees for archaeological research including bureauonderzoek (desk-based research), booronderzoek (borehole research), proefsleuvenonderzoek (trial trench investigation), opgravingen (excavations), and archeologische begeleiding (archaeological monitoring). Revenue generated through project fees from construction and development clients requiring archaeological compliance.
2. Detachment of field archaeologists: Detachment of experienced KNA and Senior KNA archaeologists and specialists to provide temporary support for clients' archaeological projects. Provides extra capacity and expertise for both executive and leadership personnel.
3. Advisory and project management services: Customized advisory services for archaeological questions, second opinions on advice from third parties, project management, and directievoering (supervision).
4. Programma van Eisen (PvE) services: Preparation and evaluation of Programs of Requirements for archaeological research, which must be approved by an independent senior archaeologist before destructive archaeological fieldwork.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Archeologenbureau Argo performs all forms of KNA-compliant archaeological research on Dutch land soils, including bureauonderzoek (desk-based research), booronderzoek (borehole research), proefsleuven (trial trenches), opgravingen (excavations), and archeologische begeleiding (archaeological monitoring). The firm also supplies detached KNA-certified archaeologists, prepares and evaluates Programma van Eisen (PvE) documents, and delivers specialist material analysis and GIS/cartography services. All work is delivered under SIKB BRL4000 certification from ArCeBu, primarily to construction, development, and government clients in the North Holland / Randstad region.

Product overview

Archeologenbureau Argo offers a comprehensive suite of archaeological research services in the Netherlands, organized around a core service portfolio of six interconnected offerings: Bureauonderzoek (desk-based research), Inventariserend Veldonderzoek (field inventory through borings and trial trenches), Opgraven (excavations), Archeologische Begeleiding (archaeological monitoring), Advies (advisory and project management), and Programma van Eisen (requirements documentation). These are complemented by specialized add-on modules including Specialistisch Onderzoek (material analysis for pottery, glass, metal, and bone) and Detachering (staff leasing of KNA-certified archaeologists). The services are delivered using GIS/QGIS technology for cartography and visualization, and are certified under SIKB BRL 4000 for all types of archaeological research on Dutch land soils.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bureauonderzoek (Desk-Based Research) Literature-based archaeological research conducted in office, reviewing existing sites and finds using old maps, geological soil maps, and find reports from ARCHIS, IKAW, and AHN databases. Used by developers, municipalities, and architects to scope archaeological risk before field investigations.
• Inventariserend Veldonderzoek (Field Inventory Research) Field investigation combining surface mapping, soil borings (borehole research), trial trenches, or combinations thereof to determine presence, dating, depth, extent, preservation, and integrity of archaeological values. Certified under SIKB BRL4000.
• Opgraven (Archaeological Excavation) Complete excavation of heritage sites according to an approved Program of Requirements, including analysis and documentation of all finds, followed by publication of results. Used by municipalities and developers for sites of archaeological significance.
• Archeologische Begeleiding (Archaeological Monitoring) Presence of archaeologists during non-archaeological excavation work such as civil engineering or demolition to document archaeological remains, following IVO-P or Excavation protocols. Used by construction firms and developers.
• Advies (Advisory Services) Customized advisory services for archaeological questions, including second opinions on third-party advice, project management, and directievoering (supervision) for clients needing independent archaeological guidance.
• Programma van Eisen (Requirements Document) Preparation and review of Project Requirements (PvE) documents for any destructive archaeological field research, including trial trench investigations, monitoring, and excavations; required to be approved by an independent senior archaeologist before fieldwork.
• Tekenkamer / Cartografie / GIS (Drawing Room and GIS Services) Processing and visualization of (digital) archaeological data using QGIS/Quantum GIS, combining archaeological datasets with other data to produce clear archaeological maps.
• Specialistisch Onderzoek (Specialist Material Analysis) Material specialist services for determination and analysis of Bronze Age pottery, Iron Age pottery, indigenous Roman pottery, Late and Post-Medieval pottery, glass, metal, and animal bone (zooarchaeology), delivered by in-house period and material specialists.
• Detachering (Staff Leasing of Archaeologists) Provision of experienced KNA- and Senior KNA archaeologists and specialists for temporary support on archaeological projects, serving both executing and leadership personnel needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processing time is 'almost always much shorter' than the maximum 2-year post-excavation analysis period

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• T&A SurveycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Starting April 1, 2026, Archeologenbureau Argo and T&A Survey combine forces. The teams of both organizations will continue together under the T&A banner to be more flexible for larger assignments and better execute multidisciplinary projects. The merger creates a team of approximately 10 archaeologists with access to about 30 other soil specialists (including geophysicists, environmental specialists, explosive experts, divers, etc.) from T&A. The partnership enables combined approaches for complicated projects and additional GIS capacity, drone imagery, and ground radar detection techniques.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• T&A Survey: Argo's announced April 2026 merger partner; provides geophysical, environmental, and soil specialist services that complement archaeological research. Closely comparable as a multidisciplinary Dutch subsurface services firm, though broader than pure archaeology.
• RAAP Archeologisch Adviesbureau: One of the largest commercial archaeology firms in the Netherlands, offering the same full spectrum of SIKB-certified archaeological research services (bureauonderzoek through excavation) to municipalities and developers. Directly comparable in service portfolio and customer base, but at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Vestigia Archeologie & Cultuurhistorie: Dutch archaeology and cultural heritage consultancy providing comparable bureauonderzoek, field research, excavation, and advisory services to the same semi-public and private developer clients under the same KNA/SIKB certification regime.
• Transect: Dutch archaeology and cultural heritage consultancy operating under the same KNA/SIKB framework, serving municipalities, developers, and engineering firms with comparable research and excavation services.
• IDDS Archeologie: Dutch archaeological consultancy (now part of Sweco) offering comparable SIKB-certified archaeological research services to municipalities and developers across the Netherlands.
• Hollandia Archeologen: Dutch commercial archaeology firm with similar SIKB-certified offerings for municipalities, developers, and construction firms. Operates in overlapping North Holland geography with comparable service breadth.
• ADC Archeoprojecten: Major Dutch commercial archaeology firm performing certified field research, excavations, and specialist analyses. Same SIKB BRL 4000 certified service model, same customer segments (municipalities, developers, construction companies), and same regulatory framework.
• ARCHOL (Archeologisch Onderzoek Leiden): Dutch archaeology consultancy providing comparable SIKB-certified field research, excavations, and reporting to public-sector and developer clients across the Netherlands.

Broad incumbents

• Antea Group: Large Dutch engineering and environmental consultancy with an archaeology practice. Overlaps with Argo in providing archaeological assessments as part of larger infrastructure and environmental projects, but operates as part of a broader full-service portfolio rather than specializing in archaeology.
• Sweco Nederland: Major European engineering, design, and environmental consultancy with archaeology capabilities inherited from IDDS. Competes with Argo on integrated infrastructure tenders where archaeological assessment is one component of a broader engineering scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/archeologenbureau-argo

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Archeologenbureau Argo