Innovatienetwerk Jeugd Hart van Brabant

What Innovatienetwerk Jeugd Hart van Brabant does

Innovatienetwerk Jeugd (INJ) is a regional network organisation based in Tilburg, Netherlands, founded in 2015 as an initiative of Regio Hart van Brabant, a collaboration of 11 municipalities (Alphen-Chaam, Baarle-Nassau, Dongen, Gilze en Rijen, Goirle, Heusden, Hilvarenbeek, Loon op Zand, Oisterwijk, Tilburg and Waalwijk). It functions as the connecting link between young people aged 16-30, initiative takers, youth-care professionals, and municipal policymakers in the youth (care) domain, with a stated focus on ensuring that signals from youth and improvement initiatives actually translate into regional policy and practice. The organisation's core products and services are: innovation coaching (Innovatiecoaching) provided by a small core team; a youth participation network, Samen met de Jeugd, including the Jeugdwelzijnsraad (JWR) and the Level Up subgroup, that gives young people direct influence over youth policy; and a portfolio of supported projects such as The Gate Serious Game (a crisis-reception game used in Sterk Huis and 5 other organisations), PLYGRND.city (youth-led neighbourhood design), VibeActive (sports-based social connection), Goejenhandel (social enterprise for creative talent development), Saarisnietgek (mental health magazine in 100 primary schools), Klasseverhaal, Schildje, Get Real, SmaakMatch, Delen is Helen, 1Samen (online platform for chronically lonely youth aged 12-25), and the Minister van Kinderen advocacy initiative, plus recurring events such as FIX IT FEST and Kinderrechtendag and a public Kennisbank.

INJ distributes three subsidy instruments (Verkenningssubsidie, Ontwikkelsubsidie, Aanjaagsubsidie) and operates events, newsletters, an Instagram channel for Samen met de Jeugd, and a website-based knowledge bank as its primary channels; its go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct relationships with the 11 municipalities and an extended partner network that includes GGD Hart voor Brabant, Fontys Hogeschool Pedagogiek, Asendo, R-Newt, Sterk Huis, and T*Agency. The business model is non-commercial: INJ does not sell products or services at a price, but is publicly funded through regional municipal cooperation agreements, with staff (Coordinator, Innovation Coaches, Youth Participation Drivers, Communications Advisor and supporting roles) employed on tilburg.nl email domains. The most recent material events are the appointment of Erik Verbunt as coordinator effective October 2025 and the addition of Ilse Pullens as a new innovation coach, alongside a research collaboration with Fontys since 2023 including a 1,000-youth 'betrokken jeugd' study.

Name

Innovatienetwerk Jeugd Hart van Brabant

Legal name

Innovatienetwerk Jeugd

Website

https://innovatienetwerkjeugd.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Innovatienetwerk Jeugd is a publicly funded regional network in Tilburg that connects youth, initiative takers and youth-care professionals with the 11 municipalities of Hart van Brabant to support innovation and youth participation in the youth (care) domain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Youth Innovation and Participation Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ), Health Access & Social Care Innovations (Community Health, Telehealth for Underserved) (BPAGALAG), Workforce, Employability & Youth Skills Partnerships (EDADALAI)

Keywords

• Youth care innovation
• Youth participation services
• Regional innovation network
• Municipal innovation coaching
• Innovation subsidy program

Headquarters

HQ city

Tilburg

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Public/Government Funding: As an initiative of Regio Hart van Brabant, the network is publicly funded through municipal cooperation agreements. Revenue comes from subsidies and regional government support rather than commercial revenue streams.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Innovatienetwerk Jeugd Hart van Brabant (INJ) is a regional innovation network that connects youth (ages 16-30), initiative takers, professionals and the eleven municipalities of the Hart van Brabant region to drive innovation in the youth (care) domain. Its core offerings are innovation coaching for initiative makers, a subsidy program (Verkenningssubsidie, Ontwikkelsubsidie, Aanjaagsubsidie), the Jongerennetwerk Samen met de Jeugd for direct youth participation in policy, and the Jeugdwelzijnsraad (JWR) youth welfare council that advises on regional youth care topics.

Product overview

Innovatienetwerk Jeugd (INJ) operates as a network facilitator rather than a traditional product company. It offers a portfolio of interconnected services including a youth participation network (Jongerennetwerk Samen met de Jeugd), innovation coaching, and a youth welfare council (Jeugdwelzijnsraad). The organization supports various youth-focused initiatives such as The Gate Serious Game (a gamification tool for crisis reception), PLYGRND.city (youth participation in neighborhood development), VibeActive (sports-based youth connection), and Stichting Saarisnietgek (mental health magazine for children). These initiatives are supported through subsidies (Verkenningssubsidie, Ontwikkelsubsidie, Aanjaagsubsidie) and are connected through a regional knowledge bank. INJ also organizes events like FIX IT FEST and Kinderrechtendag to foster youth participation and mental health awareness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Samen met de Jeugd: Youth network for youth participation in policy development, includes Jeugdwelzijnsraad (JWR) and Level Up sub-groups
• Jeugdwelzijnsraad (JWR)
• Level Up

Products and services

• Innovatiecoaching Hands-on coaching by INJ innovation coaches (Innovatiecoaches) helping initiative takers in the youth care domain with innovation processes, forming the right collaboration, and landing innovations in municipal practice across the eleven Hart van Brabant municipalities.
• INJ Subsidieprogramma (Verkennings-, Ontwikkel- en Aanjaagsubsidie) Three-tier municipal subsidy program funding youth care innovation initiatives at different stages - Verkenningssubsidie (exploration subsidy), Ontwikkelsubsidie (development subsidy) and Aanjaagsubsidie (activation subsidy) - available to initiative takers in the Hart van Brabant region.
• Jongerennetwerk Samen met de Jeugd Regional youth network for people aged 16-30 in the Hart van Brabant region to directly influence youth policy and care, operated through the samenmetdejeugd.nl platform and includes the Jeugdwelzijnsraad (JWR) and Level Up subgroup structures.
• Jeugdwelzijnsraad (JWR) Regional youth welfare council where young people aged 16-27 provide solicited and unsolicited advice on current youth care topics in the Hart van Brabant region, including the Level Up subgroup for experienced members.
• The Gate Serious Game A gamified tool that helps young people feel welcome and safer upon arrival at crisis reception facilities, using experience, play and interaction to prepare them for the place, people and what to expect. Available in both digital game and board game formats, with a license available for purchase; deployed within Sterk Huis and five other youth care organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 180 young people contributed to mental health manifesto
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Regio Hart van BrabantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization - a collaboration of eleven municipalities that initiates and supports regional youth care coordination and innovation. Innovatienetwerk Jeugd is an initiative of Regio Hart van Brabant.
• GGD Hart voor BrabantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic health service contributing to the network as part of the connecting links in the region. Collaborates on youth participation and innovation initiatives.
• Fontys Hogeschool PedagogiekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner in research collaboration. Together with the network and Werkplaats Sociaal Domein Fontys Noord-Brabant, working on research bridging youth and youth policy since 2023. Also involved in 'betrokken jeugd' research interviewing 1000 youth.
• Gemeente Tilburg (Municipality of Tilburg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost municipality for the Innovatienetwerk Jeugd. Provides staffing and coordination support for the network's operations.
• R-NewtsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partner contributing to the extended network of Regio Hart van Brabant municipalities, Fontys and SJS partners.
• AsendosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the network contributing to youth welfare and innovation in the region.
• Samen met de JeugdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth participation network (ages 16-30) associated with the Innovatienetwerk Jeugd, enabling direct youth influence on youth policy. Includes Jeugdwelzijnsraad (JWR) and Level Up subgroup.
• Werkplaats Sociaal Domein Fontys Noord-BrabantsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration partner working with the network and Fontys lectoraat Sociale Veerkracht on bridging youth and youth policy since 2023.
• Sterk HuissupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth care organization actively implementing innovations supported by the network, including The Gate serious game for crisis reception.
• T*AgencysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in organizing youth engagement events like FCKD GEN FEST and FIX IT FEST on mental health topics.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Movisie: Knowledge center for the social domain that supports municipalities, professionals and citizens with innovation and participation programs. Closely comparable to Innovatienetwerk Jeugd in its role as a facilitator of social innovation, though Movisie operates across welfare more broadly while INJ focuses specifically on youth care.
• Nederlands Jeugdinstituut (NJi): National knowledge center for youth that provides expertise, innovation support, and policy advice to municipalities and youth care organizations. Directly comparable to Innovatienetwerk Jeugd as a facilitator connecting research, practice and policy in the youth domain, but at the national rather than regional level.
• R-Newt: Regional partner and network organization operating within the broader Regio Hart van Brabant ecosystem. Comparable as a regional intermediary that connects municipalities, educational institutions, and social partners to drive innovation in the same operating environment as Innovatienetwerk Jeugd.

Regional players

• Brainport Development: Regional development agency for the Brainport Eindhoven region that coordinates innovation, talent development, and public-private collaboration. Comparable operating model as a multi-stakeholder innovation facilitator, but focused on tech/industry rather than youth care.
• Jeugdfonds Sport & Cultuur: National fund that enables children from low-income families to participate in sports and cultural activities through local intermediaries. Comparable as a publicly-supported intermediary that funds and channels youth-focused opportunities at the municipal level.

Emerging players

• Bureau Jeugd & Media: Dutch knowledge center on youth and media that supports professionals working with youth on digital literacy, media use, and online safety. Comparable as a Dutch facilitator that translates youth-relevant themes into tools and programs for municipalities and practitioners.

Broad incumbents

• Stichting Kinderpostzegels: Dutch foundation funding projects that improve the welfare of children in vulnerable situations, both domestically and internationally. Comparable as a funder and amplifier of youth-focused innovation, with a similar mission orientation and a national footprint.
• Jeugdautoriteit: National authority overseeing youth care providers and the quality of youth services in the Netherlands. Comparable through its oversight and innovation role in the youth care sector, though operating at a regulatory/system level rather than as a regional facilitator.
• Defence for Children: Dutch chapter of an international children's rights organization that advocates for and supports vulnerable children, including youth in care. Comparable through its Kinderrechtendag-like child participation advocacy and its work with municipalities on youth policy.
• Stichting ZonMw: National funding organization for health research and innovation, including youth care programs. Comparable as a funder and convener of innovation projects in the youth/health domain, though at much larger national scale and as a grant-making body rather than direct facilitator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/samenmetdejeugd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innovatienetwerk-jeugd-hart-van-brabant

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Innovatienetwerk Jeugd Hart van Brabant