De Krook

What De Krook does

De Krook is a public innovation hub and architectural landmark in Ghent, Belgium, opened in 2017 at Miriam Makebaplein 1 on a bend of the Scheldt River. It is operated by CVSO Waalse Krook, a collaborative non-profit structure whose four equal founding partners are Stad Gent (City of Ghent), Universiteit Gent (Ghent University), imec (nanoelectronics and digital technology research center), and Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (Province of East Flanders). The building co-locates Ghent's main public library, offices and labs for five UGent research groups across four faculties (mict, Cultuur & Educatie, IPEM, IDLab), an imec research site, a café concession (Krookcafé, operated by Goesting), and a resident ecosystem of media, civic-tech, and STEM-education organizations including Comon, Urgent.fm, Dwengo, FluxLab, Cultuurconnect, and District09.

Its product surface is a physical-services platform rather than a software product: a public library, seven rentable multifunctional rooms (capacities 16–135 people), free reservable study and work spaces via Bookaplace, Digipunt digital-advice points, the civic-tech initiative Comon, the Krookcafé food and catering concession, and an event programming operation hosting 1,000+ events per year to an audience of approximately 1.2 million annual visitors. Technology infrastructure is delivered through partner organizations (imec, UGent labs, Comon) rather than De Krook's own engineering, and includes VR, 3D audio, and co-creation spaces as public-facing experiences.

The revenue model is a hybrid of partner contributions and transactional self-generated income. The four founding partners provide institutional funding and in-kind support (offices, labs, staff). Self-generated income comes from room rental (publicly listed pay-as-you-go pricing with separate non-profit and commercial tiers, e.g., the De Blauwe Vogel auditorium at €475–€1,513 per 5-hour session depending on user type and session count), catering for events routed through Krookcafé, and ancillary services. Distribution is single-country/domestic, channeled through the dekrook.be website, an online booking system, walk-in public access, and partnerships with the City of Ghent's Visit Gent tourism platform. Marketing is event-driven and community-led, supported by newsletters, a public event calendar, and resident-partner social channels.

Name

De Krook

Legal name

CVSO Waalse Krook

Website

https://dekrook.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

De Krook is a non-profit public innovation hub in Ghent, Belgium, co-locating the city library, Ghent University research labs, an imec research site, a café, and resident civic-tech and STEM organizations under one architectural landmark, serving 1.2 million visitors and 1,000+ events annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library and Community Innovation Hub

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Learning Commons & Study Space Operations (Quiet Study, Group Rooms, Reservations) (EDAEAGAH), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Innovation hub
• Community center
• Digital inclusion
• Event venue rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Ghent

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Room Rental: De Krook rents out 7 multifunctional rooms to private individuals, associations, and organizations for meetings, lectures, study days, and events. Pricing varies by room and user type (non-profit vs commercial).
2. Café Concession: The Krookcafé operates as a concession within the building, providing breakfast, brunch, lunch, cake, and aperitifs. Currently operated by 'Goesting' concession holder. Catering services for events in meeting rooms are also provided through the café.
3. Partnership Contributions: Partners including Stad Gent, UGent, imec, and Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen contribute to the CVSO Waalse Krook organization that manages and operates the building. The organization seeks project funding through collaborative partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

De Krook operates as a public innovation hub and community center in Ghent, providing public library services, rentable multifunctional meeting rooms, a café concession, free study and work spaces, and digital inclusion support through Digipunt. It co-locates Ghent University research labs and the imec research center, and runs the civic technology initiative Comon, serving approximately 1.2 million visitors and hosting over 1,000 events annually.

Product overview

De Krook is a multi-functional public library and innovation center opened in 2017, functioning as a platform-plus-services architecture rather than a unified software product. The core offering consists of the public library (Bibliotheek De Krook) combined with seven rentable multi-purpose meeting rooms, a café operated by Goesting, study/work spaces, digital advice points (Digipunt), and the civic technology initiative Comon. The facility serves as a hub where knowledge, culture, and innovation come together, housing partners including Ghent University, imec, and various educational organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Comon: A collective of scientists, technologists, and creatives working to make Ghent a better, more pleasant and wiser city using technology as part of the solution.
• Krookcafé
• Urgent.fm

Products and services

• De Krook Library (Bibliotheek De Krook) Ghent's main public library, serving as a place of knowledge, language, and stories where visitors can read, learn, and access a collection of books and participate in activities. Part of the city's library network including branch libraries.
• Room Rental Service Rental of seven multi-purpose rooms (De Blauwe Vogel, Vos en Haas, Vos, De Laatkomer, De Twistappel, Vergeten Straat, De Verwondering) for meetings, lectures, workshops, and events, with capacities ranging from 16 to 135 people. Available to private individuals, associations, and organizations with tiered commercial and non-profit pricing per session.
• Krookcafé 'Goesting' Café concession offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, cake, and aperitifs with a terrace overlooking the Scheldt River. Also provides catering services for meetings and events held in De Krook's rooms.
• Study and Work Spaces Free study and work spaces available to the public inside De Krook, with advance reservation required through the Bookaplace online platform.
• Digipunt (Digital Advice Points) Free digital assistance service providing advice on the use of PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, including help with homework on computer. Operated together with De Stap and Wetswinkel advisory services.

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stad Gent (City of Ghent)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017City of Ghent is a founding partner and owner of De Krook. Provides municipal support, funding, and integration with city services including the public library system.
• Universiteit Gent (Ghent University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017UGent has offices and labs in De Krook for five research groups from four faculties. Research focuses include communication sciences, education, art sciences, and engineering (mict, Cultuur & Educatie, IPEM, IDLab).
• imeccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017World-renowned research center for nanoelectronics and digital technology. Hosts labs and offices in De Krook. Supports Flemish companies and governments in sustainable innovation.
• Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (Province of East Flanders)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Province of East Flanders is a founding partner of CVSO Waalse Krook, the organization managing De Krook.
• Bibliotheek De Krook (Ghent Public Library)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Main public library of Ghent housed in De Krook building. Provides knowledge resources, collections, and activities. Part of the city's library network including branch libraries.
• ComoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective of scientists, technologists, and creatives working on digital solutions for urban challenges. Makes Ghent a better city using technology. Consists of Krook residents and citizens.
• Urgent.fmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity media lab and quirky city radio station broadcasting 24/7 on 105.3FM. Volunteers experiment with media tools and create audio formats.
• DwengominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelops educational materials for volunteers and teachers to familiarize youth with science and technology. Focuses on computational thinking, AI, robotics, and mathematics.
• FluxlabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization helping young people (ages 4-16) discover and explore new technologies through creative STEM education activities.
• AvansaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization mentioned in De Krook network for collaboration on cultural and educational initiatives.
• CultuurconnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInforms, inspires, and helps the cultural sector keep pace with digital innovation. Stimulates digital innovation in local libraries, performance houses, and local governments.
• District09minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the De Krook network, associated with digital innovation and city services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DOK Delft: DOK Delft combines a public library with an innovation hub, study/work spaces, and programming for students and citizens — closely mirroring De Krook's library-as-innovation-hub hybrid positioning in the Dutch-speaking context.
• Dokk1: Dokk1 is Aarhus's award-winning public library that combines library services, citizen services, cafés, event spaces, and an innovation-oriented cultural hub in a single waterfront building — directly comparable to De Krook's co-located public-services-and-culture model.
• Library of Birmingham: Library of Birmingham is a flagship UK public library combining lending, archives, exhibition spaces, and community programming inside an architecturally significant building — analogous to De Krook's landmark-library-and-events model.
• Pakhuis de Zwijger: Pakhuis de Zwijger is an Amsterdam programming-and-events venue that combines conferences, civic programming, and partner-driven community engagement in a repurposed warehouse — comparable to De Krook as an events-and-civic-innovation venue, though without the library core.
• Calgary Central Library: Calgary's flagship central library combines traditional library services, maker spaces, performance venues, and community gathering areas in an iconic architectural landmark — directly comparable to De Krook's programming-dense public-library-plus-hub positioning.
• Kulturhuset Stockholm: Kulturhuset is a Stockholm public-library-and-cultural-center that combines a public library, theater, exhibitions, and event programming under one roof — directly analogous to De Krook's library-plus-cultural-activities positioning.
• Halifax Central Library: Halifax Central Library is a modern flagship Canadian public library combining lending, music studios, business incubation, and community programming in a signature architectural building — comparable to De Krook's landmark multi-function library model.
• Oodi Helsinki Central Library: Oodi is Helsinki's flagship modern public library that combines traditional lending, event spaces, cafés, co-working, and maker facilities in a single iconic architectural building — directly comparable to De Krook's library-plus-multi-functional-hub model.

Regional players

• Bibliotheek Rotterdam: Bibliotheek Rotterdam operates the city's central public library and branch network with extensive programming, study/work facilities, and digital literacy services — comparable as a large Dutch-speaking public-library operator, though not directly within Ghent's geography.
• Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (OBA): OBA operates large-scale public library branches in Amsterdam that integrate cafés, study spaces, events, and digital services — comparable in service breadth and venue scale to De Krook but operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bibliotheekdekrook
• Instagraminstagram.com/popular/krookcaf%C3%A9
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/de-krook

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 De Krook