Future of Twente

What Future of Twente does

Future of Twente (Stichting Future of Twente) is a Dutch non-profit foundation established in 2022 and headquartered at Oldenzaalsestraat 725 in Enschede, Overijssel. It operates a regional platform dedicated to gender diversity and female talent development in the Twente business community. The organisation serves two primary customer groups: ambitious women aged 25 and over across all career stages who join as community members or mentor programme participants, and Twente-based organisations (including Thales, Previder, Demcon, Van Wijnen, and Univé) that engage as corporate partners seeking to attract female talent and demonstrate D&I commitment. Named enterprise partners span insurance, IT services, technology/engineering, aerospace and defence, and construction.

The foundation delivers four integrated programmes: the annual Step Up Event drawing approximately 200 women, a bi-annual five-month Mentorprogramma priced at €529 per edition, a year-round Community membership at €349 per year providing access to 10 annual events, and four-tier corporate Partner Packages (Inspired, Honoured, Empowered, Tailored) with undisclosed pricing. Programmes combine workshops, themed events, company visits, and networking. The Mentorprogramma is independently monitored by an in-house researcher (Lonneke Bruin), producing quantified outcomes including 85% personal growth and 43% career-step progression among participants.

The revenue model is community-led with three streams: recurring community subscriptions (€349/year, pro-rata quarterly), one-time mentor programme fees (€529/edition), and corporate partnership packages sold through direct outreach by the board and director. GTM is event-driven (the Step Up and Futureproof events feed the top of funnel) and community-led, with self-serve online checkout via PlugandPay for memberships and tickets. Partial funding comes from regional development agency Twente Board. The foundation has no proprietary technology platform; operations are supported by Cirqll for CRM, PlugandPay for payments, and Limesquare for brand and marketing creative services.

Name

Future of Twente

Legal name

Stichting Future of Twente

Website

https://futureoftwente.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Future of Twente is a Dutch non-profit foundation running a regional platform for gender diversity and female talent development in Twente, serving ambitious women through events, mentorship, and community programmes, alongside corporate partners seeking D&I visibility and talent pipelines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Enschede

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Community Membership Fees: Annual membership subscription at €349 per year (excl. VAT) granting access to 10 events per year, the network of Twente companies, and ongoing community programming. The contribution is calculated pro-rata from the quarter of joining.
2. Mentor Programme Fees: One-time fee of €529 per edition (excl. VAT) for the five-month mentor programme, covering matching, group sessions, two company visits, and final closing. Some employers reimburse from development budgets.
3. Corporate Partnership Packages: Four partner tiers (Inspired, Honoured, Empowered, Tailored) sold to Twente businesses. Partners gain event access for their female employees, visibility in promotional materials, and advisory input. Pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Future of Twente is a non-profit foundation that runs a regional platform for gender diversity and female talent development in Twente, Netherlands. It sells annual community memberships (€349/year) granting access to 10 events, a five-month group mentor programme (€529 per edition), and tiered corporate partnership packages (Inspired, Honoured, Empowered, Tailored) for companies seeking D&I engagement and recruitment visibility.

Product overview

Future of Twente operates as a platform for female talent development in the Twente region, organized around four core pillars: the Step Up Event (annual inspirational gathering), the Mentorprogramma (5-month mentoring program), the Community (year-round program with 10 events), and Partner Packages. The organization functions as a diversity and inclusion consultancy with event-based programming rather than a traditional technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Step Up Event: Annual flagship event bringing together Twentse women for inspiration, motivation, and networking on personal and professional development themes.
• Mentorprogramma
• Community

Products and services

• Step Up Event Annual inspirational event bringing together approximately 200 Twentse women for personal and professional development, featuring keynote speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities. Targeted at ambitious women in the Twente region across all career stages.
• Mentorprogramma Five-month mentoring programme (€529 per edition, excl. VAT) matching experienced women mentors with mentees who have a development question. Includes kick-off, two company visits, two echo sessions, and a closing event. Some employers reimburse fees from development budgets.
• Community Membership Annual community membership (€349/year, excl. VAT, pro-rata by quarter) granting access to 10 themed events per year, including workshops, company visits, and networking sessions focused on personal leadership, visibility, entrepreneurship, networking, and diversity for women in the Twente region.
• Corporate Partner Packages Four-tier partnership programme (Inspired, Honoured, Empowered, Tailored) sold to Twente businesses. Partners gain event access for their female employees, visibility in promotional materials, advisory input, and a talent pipeline for recruitment and D&I commitments. Pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of mentor programme participants report personal growth
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MoneybirdminorOthers · 16 February 2026Moneybird (Enschede-based accounting software company) partnered based on shared values of open culture, ownership, and equality. No specific service exchange described.
• LimesquareminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 11 June 2025Limesquare (creative/marketing agency, ~20 experts, B Corp certified) developed Future of Twente's brand identity and website. They provide ongoing marketing creative support as a service partner.
• PrevidercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2024Previder (IT services company with ~300 IT specialists, Dutch-owned datacentres) partnered with Future of Twente to address diversity in IT. Previder provides IT advice and infrastructure to Future of Twente, while Future of Twente supports Previder's D&I goals, including employee referrals to the mentor programme. Partnership renewed in 2026.
• ThalescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Thales (global aerospace & defence company with roots in Twente) is an Empowered-tier partner. They have D&I targets, open their doors for company visits, provide mentors, and collaborate on themed events. Daniëlle Groener serves on the advisory commission.
• DemconminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDemcon is a technology and mechatronics company in Twente listed among partners. Mentors from Demcon participate in the programme.
• Twente BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwente Board is a regional development agency that partially funds Future of Twente and connects the organisation with the broader Twente business ecosystem.
• FC Twente VrouwenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFuture of Twente has been main sponsor of FC Twente Vrouwen (women's football team) for three seasons, continuing into 2024–2025. The collaboration leverages FC Twente's reach into the Twente business community and vice versa. The community was launched at a Champions League match.
• Future by DiversityminorOthersFuture by Diversity was launched in Brainport (Eindhoven) on 18 November 2025, inspired by Future of Twente. Future of Twente shared its programme structure, partner approach, and operational learnings. The two initiatives maintain close ties as regional counterparts with the same mission.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• SheSays Amsterdam: NL chapter of the global SheSays network focused on gender equality in creative, tech, and marketing industries. Comparable as a community-driven women's network running events and mentorship, but with a narrower industry focus.
• Women in Tech Netherlands: NL community for women working in or aspiring to tech roles, with events, mentorship, and corporate partnerships. Comparable target audience overlap (women in tech/male-dominated fields in NL) and D&I mission.
• Female Ventures: Dutch foundation supporting female entrepreneurs through accelerator programmes, funding, and a network of mentors and investors. Comparable as a non-profit advancing women in business, with overlap in mentor matching and partner engagement.

Direct peers

• Women Inc. Dutch platform and consultancy driving female talent to the top. Operates a network of high-potential women, corporate D&I programmes, and a Top 50 list. Comparable offering for ambitious professional women and partner companies.
• Topvrouwen.nl: National Dutch network and platform celebrating female leaders, with regional chapters and an annual Top 100 list. Directly comparable mission (visibility for women in business) and overlapping partner/supporter base in NL.
• Future by Diversity: Spin-off initiative in Brainport (Eindhoven), launched in November 2025 with direct support from Future of Twente. Operates the same four-pillar model (events, mentor programme, community, partner packages) for women in the Brainport region. Most directly comparable entity.

Broad incumbents

• Catalyst: Global nonprofit advancing women in the workplace through research, advisory services, and corporate partnerships. Comparable as a large, established D&I nonprofit with corporate partner programmes; much larger scale.
• 30% Club Netherlands: International D&I campaign focused on getting 30% female representation on corporate boards and executive committees. Operates the broader NL chapter of a global movement; comparable in D&I advocacy and corporate partner engagement.

Others

• Twente Board: Regional economic development agency for Twente that partially funds Future of Twente and connects it to the regional business ecosystem. Not a direct competitor but a key ecosystem partner and potential funder.

Regional players

• Eva (magazine / women's network): Long-running Dutch women's media brand and network covering lifestyle, career, and personal development for women in NL. Comparable audience (ambitious Dutch women) but operates nationally through media rather than regional community events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/future-of-twente

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Future of Twente