Creathlon
Creathlon BV is a Dutch social enterprise that develops blended citizenship education materials (Krachtbronnen, WHY Methode, WHY mbo, Goedemorgen!) for primary, secondary, and vocational schools across the Netherlands, serving approximately 40,000 students.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAmersfoort, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Creathlon does
Creathlon BV is a Dutch social enterprise headquartered in Amersfoort that develops citizenship education materials for primary, secondary, and vocational education institutions in the Netherlands. The company's portfolio spans the Krachtbronnen continuous learning line for primary schools (groups 1-8, including a special-education variant), the WHY Methode for secondary education (combining citizenship, social studies, worldview, philosophy, and personal development through a 'wheel of five for the mind'), WHY burgerschap mbo for vocational education (Entree, Niveau 2, and Niveau 3/4), and the Goedemorgen! daily citizenship discussion tool for secondary schools. Content is delivered through a blended learning model that pairs digital lessons and apps with printed workbooks, magazines, and picture books; the Kracht van Lampje and Kracht van Hein packages are co-developed with public broadcaster VPRO around family television series.
The technology stack consists of dedicated digital environments (myWHY.nl for student portfolios, docent.whyopschool.nl for teachers, goedemorgen.app, and the krachtbronnen.nl portal) integrated with the Apprentice learning management system for student tracking and portfolio building. Creathlon generates revenue through annual school-year digital subscriptions priced at €15.95-€29.95 per student, one-time print and picture-book sales priced at €2.45-€75 per classroom or unit, and professional services including teacher training workshops and MBO guest lessons. Distribution runs through the company's direct e-commerce site, the MBOWebshop for vocational buyers, and the Heutink educational distributor, supported by free sample shipments, 4-week free trials, and free 10- to 30-minute consultation calls. Approximately 40,000 students across Dutch schools and MBO institutions currently use Creathlon materials.
Following the 2024 ownership transition to director-owner Anke Brokerhof, Creathlon continues to operate as a privately held social enterprise without external parent ownership or disclosed funding rounds, with revenue treated as a means to fund mission-aligned projects rather than a profit objective. The strategic focus has shifted toward capturing the 2027-2028 mandatory MBO citizenship qualification requirement, deepening LMS integrations with Apprentice and MyWHY, and expanding co-development partnerships with sector organizations (SKB, Expertisepunt Burgerschap, Verus, Prodemos, School en Veiligheid, Respect Foundation, VDLG) and nine named MBO institutions.
Creathlon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Creathlon
- Legal name
- Creathlon BV
- Website
- https://creathlon.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Creathlon BV is a Dutch social enterprise that develops blended citizenship education materials (Krachtbronnen, WHY Methode, WHY mbo, Goedemorgen!) for primary, secondary, and vocational schools across the Netherlands, serving approximately 40,000 students.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Creathlon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Citizenship Education Materials
- NAICS
- Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social Studies & Civics Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Social Studies/History Tutoring (History, Civics, Geography) (EDANAAAD), Electives & Enrichment Curriculum (Arts, Music, PE, CTE Exploratories) (EDAGAAAG)
Keywords
Where Creathlon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amersfoort
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Creathlon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Product Sales - Print Materials: One-time sales of physical educational materials including books, magazines, workbooks, and lesson packages. Products like Kracht van Hein (€75 per class), De Speelboom picture book (€14.95-€19.50 per unit), and WHY magazines are sold directly to schools.
- Digital Licenses: Annual or multi-year subscriptions for digital access to online learning platforms, lesson content, and teacher resources. Licenses are valid from August 1 to July 31 of each school year. Examples: WHY Basics at €15.95-€29.95 per student per year, Goedemorgen! at €7.50/month or €55/year per teacher.
- Training and Professional Services: Onboarding sessions for new school implementations, professional development training for teachers on citizenship education topics like dialogue facilitation, and consultation services for school vision development.
- Guest Lessons (MBO): Experienced MBO teachers conduct guest lessons at partner schools aligned with the four new citizenship themes, adding value to WHY burgerschap mbo curriculum.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Kracht van Hein complete classroom package |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Kracht van Lampje per student |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | De Speelboom picture book - volume pricing |
| Subscription | Annual | WHY Basics/Stories theme packages |
| Subscription | Monthly | Goedemorgen! teacher license |
| Subscription | Annual | WHY burgerschap MBO - Entree/niveau 1 |
| Subscription | Annual | WHY burgerschap MBO - Niveau 2 |
| Subscription | Annual | WHY burgerschap MBO - Niveau 3/4 |
Go-to-market motion5 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Creathlon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Creathlon develops and sells citizenship education (burgerschap) teaching materials for the Dutch education market, covering primary schools (basisonderwijs), secondary schools (voortgezet onderwijs), and vocational education (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs). Its core offerings are the Krachtbronnen method for primary education and the WHY Methode for secondary and vocational education, delivered through a blended learning model combining digital lesson platforms with printed workbooks, magazines, and lesson packages. The company also offers teacher training, professional development workshops, and curriculum-aligned materials meeting Dutch citizenship education law requirements.
Product overview
Creathlon is a Dutch social enterprise developing citizenship education materials for all Dutch education levels: primary education (basisonderwijs), secondary education (voortgezet onderwijs), and vocational education (mbo). The product portfolio centers on the Krachtbronnen line for primary education (combining citizenship, worldview studies, and social-emotional development with the Bèta robot character for groups 1-8, including special SBO versions) and the WHY Methode for secondary/vocational education (combining citizenship, social studies, worldview, philosophy, and personal development). Key products include VPRO series-based lesson packages like 'Kracht van Lampje' and 'Kracht van Hein' for primary, 'WHY Basics/Stories/Issues/Magazine' for secondary, 'WHY burgerschap mbo' for vocational, and 'Goedemorgen!' as a daily citizenship discussion tool. Creathlon uses a blended learning approach combining digital lessons with physical workbooks and magazines. Products integrate with Apprentice and MyWHY digital learning platforms for portfolio building and progress tracking.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Krachtbronnen: Complete citizenship education method for primary school groups 1-8 combining citizenship, worldview and social-emotional development.
- WHY Methode
- Goedemorgen!
- WHY mbo
- Kracht van Lampje
- Kracht van Hein
- De Speelboom
Products and services
- Krachtbronnen A complete citizenship education method for primary school (groups 1-8) combining citizenship, worldview studies, and social-emotional development. Uses the Bèta robot character to help children develop their own view on life, learn to interact well with others, and approach life with a critical, open mind. Sold to Dutch primary schools.
- WHY Methode An innovative citizenship education method for secondary education (VMBO, HAVO, VWO) combining five learning areas: citizenship, social studies, worldview studies, philosophy, and personal development. Based on a "wheel of five for the mind" approach and delivered to Dutch secondary schools as a comprehensive subscription package with annual licensing.
- WHY burgerschap mbo A complete citizenship education method for Dutch vocational education (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, mbo) aligned with new qualification requirements (mandatory from 2027-2028). Available for Entree/niveau 1, niveau 2, and niveau 3/4, combining current topics with philosophical approaches where students discover different perspectives and develop their own vision. Sold as annual subscription per student including magazine and MyWHY access.
- Goedemorgen! A daily digital citizenship tool providing two short lessons daily with texts, videos, action assignments, and discussion questions. Designed for 10-minute daily conversations about current events, with optional logbook (€9.95 per student). Tracks 11 citizenship domains and 13 skills. Sold as a teacher license (€7.50/month or €55/year) for Dutch secondary schools.
- De Speelboom An illustrated picture book about two different schools whose children play separately in the forest, promoting acceptance and respect through a dramatic event that fosters contact and cooperation. Written by Erik Renkema with illustrations by Maggie Gunzel. Sold as a one-time physical book purchase to primary schools with volume pricing (€14.95-€19.50 per copy).
- Kracht van Lampje A citizenship lesson package for primary school groups 7-8 based on the VPRO family series "Lampje," adapted from Annet Schaap's award-winning book. Contains 6 lessons covering citizenship themes of identity, diversity, and solidarity. Sold to Dutch primary schools as a one-time package.
- Kracht van Hein A citizenship lesson package for primary school groups 7-8 based on the VPRO family series "Hein" about a boy who can see and talk to the dead. Contains 20 lessons at the intersection of citizenship and worldview studies covering life and death, courage, vulnerability, friendship, forgiveness, prejudice, and diversity. Sold to Dutch primary schools at €75 per complete class package including 20 digital lessons, teacher guides, and work experience booklet per student.
- Trainingen en Workshops Professional development training programs for educators including "Dialoog in actie" (dialogue training for positive school culture), "Praktisch aan de slag met burgerschap," "Gelijke kansen?," "Goede gesprekken in de klas," and "Burgerschap in tv-series." Delivered as paid training sessions to schools and educational institutions across the Netherlands.
- Krachtbronnen Speciaal Basisonderwijs (SBO) Special primary education version of Krachtbronnen for groups 6-8, consisting of 2 theme packages per school year with 16 half-hour digital lessons each. Contains differentiated materials suited for special education needs. Sold to Dutch special primary schools.
- WHY Basics WHY basics for secondary school years 1-2 (vmbo and havo/vwo) explaining fundamental citizenship knowledge and concepts accessibly with imagery and appealing examples. Uses three "glasses" lenses: citizenship lens, worldview lens, and philosophical lens. Sold as annual subscription at €15.95-€29.95 per student per school year depending on theme count.
- WHY Stories WHY for secondary school years 3-4 featuring current stories and articles in magazine format bridging students' world to larger societal themes. Uses six "glasses" including the coexistence glass, comparative glass, and ethical glass. Available in the Apprentice advanced digital environment. Sold as annual subscription per student.
- WHY Issues WHY for secondary school years 5-6 challenging havo/vwo students to think critically about complex themes like poverty, war, and sustainability. Students are asked: what is your role, what do you find just, and what choices actually exist? Available in the Apprentice advanced digital environment. Sold as annual subscription per student.
- WHY burgerschap mbo Entree WHY burgerschap mbo for Entree level (niveau 1), specifically developed for Entree students with recognizable situations, clear language, and a calm structure. Features the "Basis" theme with interview-based lessons and philosophical deepening. Sold as annual subscription at €22.95 per student per school year, including magazine and MyWhy access.
- WHY burgerschap mbo Niveau 2 WHY burgerschap mbo for niveau 2 consisting of 4 themes with 8 lessons each. Students learn to form and express opinions, with philosophical questions and recognizable situations bringing societal topics closer. Sold as annual subscription at €29.95 per student per school year, including four magazines and MyWhy access.
- WHY burgerschap mbo Niveau 3/4 WHY burgerschap mbo for niveau 3/4 consisting of 4 themes with 10 lessons each. Students deepen into societal issues, discover different ways of thinking, and learn to support their own position with arguments. Sold as annual subscription at €29.95 per student per school year, including four magazines and MyWhy access.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40,000+ students and students work with Creathlon materials
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Creathlon
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Creathlon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
Creathlon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- SKB (Samenwerkingsverband Kansengelijkheid & Burgerschapsonderwijs)coreJointly launched WHY Stories Arm & Rijk during SKB Gelijke Kansen Event on November 5, 2024. Co-development partnership for citizenship education content.
- VPROcoreEducational partnership with Dutch public broadcaster VPRO. Creathlon develops lesson packages for VPRO family series including Lampje and Hein. Creathlon is the educational partner of the VPRO, creating citizenship education materials based on popular TV series.
- Expertisepunt BurgerschapcoreListed as partner on Creathlon's website. Also listed on Expertisepunt Burgerschap website, indicating mutual recognition and collaboration in citizenship education.
- Dutch Film Fund (Nederlands Filmfonds)majorFunding partner for development of Kracht van Hein for special primary education (sbo), collaborating with VPRO and Creathlon.
- VerusminorVereniging voor katholiek en christelijk onderwijs. Listed as partner. Erik Renkema, author of De Speelboom, works as advisor identity for Verus.
- HeutinkminorEducational materials distributor. Partner logo displayed on Creathlon website.
- ProdemosminorHouse for Democracy and Rule of Law. Partner logo displayed.
- School en VeiligheidminorOrganization for school safety and citizenship. Partner logo displayed.
- VDLGminorPartner logo displayed on Creathlon website.
- Respect FoundationminorPartner logo displayed on Creathlon website.
- ApprenticecoreWHY content is integrated with Apprentice platform (apprenticexm.nl) for student portfolios, dossier building, and learning management system integration. MYWHY environment connects with Apprentice for MBO.
- ApprenticecoreWHY Stories is available in Apprentice's advanced digital environment. WHY basics transitioning to Apprentice next school year. Integration for student tracking and assessment.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Creathlon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Malmberg: Major Dutch K–12 educational publisher (part of Sanoma) producing curriculum materials across subjects. Comparable as a Dutch school-content publisher with overlapping buyers, though Malmberg operates across many subject areas rather than specializing in citizenship.
- ThiemeMeulenhoff: Established Dutch educational publisher serving primary, secondary, and vocational education with curriculum and digital learning tools. Comparable because it sells into the same Dutch school procurement channels Creathlon targets, with broader subject coverage.
- Zwijsen: Long-standing Dutch K–12 publisher with curriculum and learning materials across literacy and other subjects. Comparable as another publisher competing for the same school budgets and curriculum slots.
- Noordhoff: Dutch publisher of educational materials for primary, secondary, and vocational education. Comparable as a broad-line publisher serving the same institutional buyers Creathlon targets.
Direct peers
- Prodemos: Dutch House for Democracy and Rule of Law providing civic education programs and materials for schools. Comparable as a Dutch citizenship and democracy education provider with overlapping curriculum mission and school buyer relationships (also listed as a Creathlon partner).
- Blink: Dutch educational publisher focused on secondary education with magazine-style and thematic learning materials. Comparable because Blink competes in the same Dutch VO and MBO curriculum market with story- and issue-driven content similar to Creathlon's WHY Methode and Goedemorgen! approach.
Emerging players
- LessonUp: Dutch digital lesson platform used by schools to create and deliver interactive lessons. Comparable as a Dutch K–12/MBO digital instructional platform that schools may choose alongside or instead of Creathlon's MyWHY and Goedemorgen! environments.
Others
- Stichting School & Veiligheid: Dutch non-profit organization supporting schools on citizenship, safety, and social themes. Comparable because it operates in the same Dutch citizenship education ecosystem Creathlon serves and is a listed partner of Creathlon.
- Expertisepunt Burgerschap: Dutch national expertise center for citizenship education that supports schools and policymakers. Comparable because it is part of the same Dutch citizenship education infrastructure and is a listed partner of Creathlon.
Regional players
- Facing History and Ourselves: US-headquartered non-profit providing civic, citizenship, and social-emotional curriculum for schools. Comparable because it operates with a similar mission of developing student citizenship through structured curriculum, though it serves North America rather than competing directly in the Netherlands.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Creathlon social profiles
Digital presenceCreathlon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Creathlon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Creathlon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Creathlon 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 Creathlon
What does Creathlon do?
Creathlon develops and sells citizenship education (burgerschap) teaching materials for the Dutch education market, covering primary schools (basisonderwijs), secondary schools (voortgezet onderwijs), and vocational education (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs). Its core offerings are the Krachtbronnen method for primary education and the WHY Methode for secondary and vocational education, delivered through a blended learning model combining digital lesson platforms with printed workbooks, magazines, and lesson packages. The company also offers teacher training, professional development workshops, and curriculum-aligned materials meeting Dutch citizenship education law requirements.
Is Creathlon a public or private company?
Creathlon is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Creathlon founded?
Creathlon was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Creathlon based?
Creathlon is headquartered in Amersfoort, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Creathlon make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Sales - Print Materials are the primary driver. The others are digital Licenses, training and Professional Services and guest Lessons (MBO).
Who are Creathlon's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Malmberg, ThiemeMeulenhoff, Zwijsen and Noordhoff. Direct peers are Prodemos and Blink. LessonUp is listed as an emerging player. Others are Stichting School & Veiligheid and Expertisepunt Burgerschap. Facing History and Ourselves is listed as a regional player.
Does Creathlon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Creathlon.
What industry is Creathlon in?
Creathlon's product category is Citizenship Education Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAFAI, Social Studies & Civics Instruction (School-Delivered), with a secondary code of EDANAAAD, Social Studies/History Tutoring (History, Civics, Geography). Its NAICS code is 61 and its SIC code is 8200.