Klimaatonderzoek Initiatief Nederland (KIN)

What Klimaatonderzoek Initiatief Nederland (KIN) does

Klimaatonderzoek Initiatief Nederland (KIN) is a Dutch non-profit climate research initiative founded in 2023 and operating as a formal program of NWO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek / Dutch Organization for Scientific Research). Headquartered in Utrecht with 17 staff, KIN's mandate is to accelerate the just transition to a climate-neutral and climate-resilient society by acting as an intermediary between scientific research, policy, and climate practice. It serves three primary constituencies: researchers and academics, national and regional policymakers (most prominently the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and municipal governments), and climate practitioners in NGOs, water boards, and applied sectors.

KIN's core technology is a set of transdisciplinary collaboration methodologies and co-creation approaches. Its flagship facilitation formats include the Crutzen workshop (multi-stakeholder convenings on transition requirements), the Make-aton (a hackathon-plus-maker format used to develop visual adaptation pathways, notably 15 pathways for the National Climate Adaptation Strategy 2026), and the Expert Judgement Method from transition science. Products and programs sit on top of these methodologies and include the KIN Pact community platform, the Kennis-in-Action grant program (€50,000 per project ceiling, 40+ funded projects across economic transition and collective water management rounds), thematic programs such as ACT in urban regions (€1,500,000, three-year budget across Eindhoven, Nijmegen, Maastricht), Water Transition Twente (€400,000), Collective Water Management East-Brabant, Biodiversity & Climate, Economic Transition, and Planetary Health, plus 17+ working groups covering food systems, just energy transition, legal sustainability, indigenous knowledge, transdisciplinary methods, and climate obstruction.

The revenue model is that of a publicly funded research coordination body. There is no commercial product or pricing model; income flows from NWO institutional funding and from program-specific commissions by ministries, water boards, and municipalities. KIN does not take equity, has no external shareholders, and operates under the supervision of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science via NWO. Distribution is achieved through commissioned programs, open grant rounds, and the KIN Pact community, with the bulk of named partner relationships concentrated on Dutch public-sector and academic institutions.

Name

Klimaatonderzoek Initiatief Nederland (KIN)

Legal name

Klimaatonderzoek Initiatief Nederland

Website

https://hetkin.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KIN is a Dutch non-profit climate research initiative under NWO, founded in 2023, that connects researchers, policymakers, and climate practitioners through thematic programs, grant funding, and transdisciplinary co-creation methodologies to accelerate climate transitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Transition Research Coordination

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAF

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYBPADAEAJ

Climate Change Mitigation/Adaptation & Natural Resource Management Technical Assistance

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Development & Technical Assistance

SECONDARYBPADALAA

Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

SECONDARYBPAGAKAM

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAIAMAD

Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation & Resilience Programs

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

Keywords

• Climate transition research
• Transdisciplinary collaboration
• Knowledge brokering
• Research funding programs
• Science-policy-practice interfacing

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Funding: KIN operates as a non-profit initiative under NWO (Dutch Organization for Scientific Research). The organization receives government funding to develop and support climate transition research programs, fund grants (Kennis-in-Actie subsidies), and facilitate collaboration between science and practice.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KIN operates as a national climate research coordination and knowledge-brokering initiative under NWO. It connects researchers, policymakers, and climate practitioners through the KIN Pact community platform, facilitates co-creation through proprietary methodologies (Make-atons, Crutzen workshops), and redistributes public funding via the Kennis-in-Actie subsidy program to support transdisciplinary collaborative projects that accelerate climate transitions in the Netherlands.

Product overview

Klimaatonderzoek Initiatief Nederland (KIN) is a research initiative and collaboration platform under NWO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek) that connects, broadens, deepens, and unlocks knowledge for transitions to a climate-neutral and climate-resilient society. The organization operates through multiple interconnected programs and products: the KIN Pact community platform for networking and collaboration; the Kennis-in-Action (Knowledge-in-Action) grant program supporting transformative projects; thematic programs like ACT (urban climate transitions), Biodiversiteit en Klimaat (biodiversity and climate), Collectief Waterbeheer (collective water management), and Watertransitie Twente (Twente water transition); methodology tools like the Make-aton workshop format and Crutzenworkshop for co-creative problem-solving; working groups covering topics such as transdisciplinary working (NECTR), climate justice, energy transition, food systems, and opposing forces; and specialized projects like the Adaptation Pathways NAS'26 and Social Impact Analysis for policy development. KIN functions as a coordination and facilitation platform rather than a traditional software product, enabling collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KIN Pact community A community platform connecting researchers, policymakers, and climate professionals to accelerate climate transitions through collaboration, working groups, and knowledge sharing across multiple thematic areas.
• Kennis-in-Actie Subsidie (Knowledge-in-Action Grant) A subsidy program that supports transformative, experimental projects bringing together knowledge institutions and societal organizations for climate transitions through learning-by-doing, with a maximum of €50,000 per project.
• ACT – Accelerating Just Climate Transitions in Urban Regions A three-year work program developing climate transition agendas and local action trajectories in neighborhoods of Nijmegen, Eindhoven, and Maastricht in collaboration with local stakeholders, with a €1,500,000 budget.
• Watertransitie Twente A transition program addressing drought and water scarcity in the Twente region, developing a resilient and just water system through collaboration between science, policy, and practice (€400,000 total / €50,000 per project).
• Collectief Waterbeheer (Collective Water Management) A thematic Knowledge-in-Action program focused on the transition to collective water management in East Brabant, addressing climate change impacts on water systems through transdisciplinary collaboration.
• Biodiversiteit en Klimaat (Biodiversity and Climate) A thematic program supporting transition pioneers working at the intersection of biodiversity recovery and climate change by connecting them with knowledge institutions and policymakers.
• Adaptatiepaden NAS'26 (Adaptation Pathways NAS'26) A methodology developed for the National Climate Adaptation Strategy using Make-atons to create visual representations of policy measures over time, making the Netherlands climate-resilient (project budget €425,000).
• Sociale Impact Analyse (Social Impact Analysis) An innovative methodology mapping the social consequences of climate adaptation policies to help policymakers integrate social effects into policy development, using the Expert Judgement Method from transition science.
• NECTR Working Group National Expertise Centre for Transdisciplinary Working, a working group focused on advancing transdisciplinary approaches in climate transitions.
• Alliantie Rechtvaardige Energietransitie (Alliance Just Energy Transition) A working group on the Alliance for a Just Energy Transition, addressing climate justice in the energy transition.
• Alliance for Future-proof Food Systems A coalition connecting networks and knowledge around food transition into a broadly accessible transition community with scientists, civil society organizations, and practical parties, including Transitiecoalitie Voedsel, WWF NL, and Louis Bolk Institute.
• KIN Pact Netwerksubsidie (Pact Network Subsidy) Network subsidy program supporting (transdisciplinary) networks working on climate transitions with funding to professionalize and establish networks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15 adaptation pathways developed for National Climate Adaptation Strategy 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIN is an initiative of NWO, the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research. NWO provides institutional backing and governance for KIN, positioning it as a national climate research initiative. KIN is headquartered at NWO in Utrecht.
• Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIenW commissioned KIN to develop a new methodology for the National Climate Adaptation Strategy (NAS'26), including adaptation pathways and social impact analysis. This is KIN's largest government partnership.
• Wageningen University & Research (WUR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWUR participates in the NAS'26 project as a key research partner, contributing expertise in climate adaptation, agriculture, and environmental sciences.
• DeltaresmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeltares, an independent research institute for delta technology, participates in the NAS'26 adaptation pathways development, contributing water management and climate expertise.
• Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRIFT at Erasmus University Rotterdam contributes transition science expertise to KIN programs, including the ACT program and food systems transitions work.
• Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVU participates in the NAS'26 project contributing research expertise for adaptation pathways development.
• HKVsupportingTechnology or IntegrationHKV, a consultancy specializing in water management and safety, participates in the NAS'26 adaptation pathways project.
• KWR Water Research InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKWR contributes water research expertise to the NAS'26 project adaptation pathways development.
• TU DelftmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTU Delft participates in multiple KIN programs including ACT, the Just Transitions Network, and various working groups, contributing engineering and technical expertise.
• Utrecht UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUtrecht University contributes research expertise to KIN programs including climate adaptation and transition studies.
• HAS Green AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHAS Green Academy is a key partner in the Collective Water Management program, collaborating with KIN to develop the Crutzen workshop and subsequent Knowledge-in-Action program for East Brabant.
• University of Twente / UT Climate CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUT Climate Centre leads the Water Transition Twente program in collaboration with KIN, conducting transition analysis and organizing Crutzen workshops for drought resilience.
• De Twentse GolfmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDe Twentse Golf is a partner in the Water Transition Twente program, contributing local expertise and networks for regional water system resilience.
• Municipality of EindhovencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEindhoven is one of three cities (along with Nijmegen and Maastricht) participating in the ACT program for accelerating climate transitions in urban regions.
• Municipality of NijmegencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNijmegen participates in the ACT program alongside Eindhoven and Maastricht, working with local stakeholders on climate transition in urban neighborhoods.
• Municipality of MaastrichtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaastricht participates in the ACT program, collaborating with researchers and local stakeholders on climate transition in urban regions.
• ArcadissupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArcadis, an engineering consultancy, participates in the NAS'26 project contributing expertise in infrastructure and climate adaptation.
• Transitiecoalitie VoedselmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Food Transition Coalition is part of the Alliance for Future-proof Food Systems, working to accelerate agricultural and food transitions through knowledge sharing.
• WWF NetherlandsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWF NL (Wereld Natuur Fonds) participates in the Alliance for Future-proof Food Systems, contributing environmental expertise to food transition efforts.
• Louis Bolk InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Louis Bolk Institute contributes expertise in sustainable agriculture and organic farming to the food systems transition alliance.
• MABIKAs FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMABIKAs Foundation collaborates with KIN Pact in the Indigenous Liberation Month x Just Transitions Network, promoting indigenous perspectives in climate transitions.
• Treesistance (Sinchi Foundation)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTreesistance (Sinchi Foundation) works with the Indigenous Liberation Month x Just Transitions Network on indigenous rights and environmental protection.
• Hanze - Lectoraat Duurzaam Financieren en OndernemensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHanze University's research chair in Sustainable Finance and Entrepreneurship supports Het KANNN network for climate-adaptive agriculture in Northern Netherlands.
• DzyzzionsupportingTechnology or IntegrationDzyzzion partners with Het KANNN network supporting sustainable entrepreneurship in SMEs.
• Nederlands Genootschap van Bedrijfsjuristen (NGB)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGB, the Dutch Association of Corporate Lawyers, collaborates with Juristen voor een Duurzame Wereld (JDW) on climate law and sustainability.
• Radboud UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRadboud University participates in JDW (Juristen voor een Duurzame Wereld) working group on legal aspects of sustainability transitions.
• Bachiene Instituut voor VastgoedrechtsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bachien Institute for Property Law collaborates with JDW on real estate law aspects of sustainability transitions.
• THRIVE InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTHRIVE Institute contributes to the Social Impact Analysis methodology for climate adaptation policies, providing expertise in social research.
• Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNAW hosted the Social Impact Analysis sessions organized by KIN in collaboration with the Ministry of IenW.
• Stichting CAS - Duurzame Wijk EindhovensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStichting CAS contributes to the ACT program in Eindhoven's sustainable neighborhood initiatives.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency: Dutch government policy-research institute producing environmental outlooks and climate-policy analysis. Operates as the established national knowledge broker for climate policy — the incumbent KIN is positioning to complement or partially replace in the adaptation space.
• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI): International non-profit research institute with climate adaptation, policy and transition programs globally. Comparable mission and policy-bridging positioning, with established offices in multiple geographies and longer operational track record.
• RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment): Dutch government knowledge institute covering environment, climate and public health — areas intersecting KIN's NAS'26, biodiversity and planetary health programs. A potential collaborator or competitor for ministry-level climate-health commissions.
• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Largest Dutch applied-research organization, with significant climate, energy and circular-economy programs. Competes for the same Dutch government climate-research budget but with a vastly broader portfolio and deeper commercial and policy relationships.
• Wageningen University & Research (WUR): Major Dutch research university with leading climate, food and biodiversity programs. A core KIN research partner on NAS'26 but also a much larger institution that could absorb KIN-style programs within its own WUR Climate Solutions portfolio.

Direct peers

• CE Delft: Dutch independent research and consultancy organization producing economic and policy analysis on climate, energy and transport. Comparable in scale and mandate to KIN, with overlapping policy-maker and ministry client base.
• DRIFT (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions): Erasmus University-based transition science research institute that is both a KIN partner and a direct peer. DRIFT shares KIN's transdisciplinary, transition-science methodology and competes for similar Dutch government research mandates.
• Deltares: Independent applied-research institute specializing in delta, water and climate adaptation. A KIN partner on NAS'26 and a direct competitor for water-transition research mandates from Rijkswaterstaat and regional water authorities.

Emerging players

• EIT Climate-KIC: EU-funded knowledge and innovation community for climate action, operating transdisciplinary programs across multiple European countries. Comparable in mission (just transition, systems innovation) and methodology (co-creation communities) but at European scale.
• Climate Central: Non-profit climate science communication and research organization that similarly bridges scientists, policymakers and the public on climate adaptation evidence. Comparable in mission to translate research into actionable policy insight, though operating in the US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/klimaatonderzoek-initiatief-nederland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Klimaatonderzoek Initiatief Nederland (KIN)