de MKB Werkplaats

What de MKB Werkplaats does

De MKB Werkplaats is a Dutch public-private partnership (formerly MKB Digital Workspace and MKB Circular Workspace) that connects SMB entrepreneurs with student teams from educational institutions to address digital and circular business challenges. The core platform applies a Challenge Based Learning methodology where student teams, under teacher and expert supervision, work on real entrepreneurial challenges lasting between 2 weeks and 3 months. The organization operates three service formats: (1) projects with students, (2) masterclasses with students, and (3) expert-led masterclasses, supplemented by programs such as Expeditie AI, Future Fridays, Expert Sessions, and Digital Power Sessions. To date it has helped 2,300+ entrepreneurs, deployed 7,000+ students, and engaged 60 teachers across eight educational institutions including UvA, VU, HvA, Amsterdam UMC, Inholland, Nova College, Windesheim, and ROC van Amsterdam.

The organization's business model is non-commercial: participation is free for both entrepreneurs and educational institutions. Operations are funded primarily through the Nationaal Groeifonds (National Growth Fund) via the High Impact Publiek-private (HIP) collaboration 'Circulair in denken, leren en doen', with additional support from Provincie Noord-Holland, Gemeente Amsterdam, the Ministerie van Economische Zaken en Klimaat, and private partners including Rabobank and bol.com. Day-to-day execution is led by Preneurz as project leader, with KplusV and Innovate Today providing strategic and innovation support. The organization is one of the regional digital workspaces under RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency), serving a horizontal SMB segment across digitalization, AI, cybersecurity, online marketing, circular economy, and business analytics.

The team is small (6 employees) and Amsterdam-based, with co-founder Joost Reimert (formerly Project Leader at ACE Incubator) leading the initiative and account manager Ellen Spithoven handling entrepreneur intake. Customer segments are horizontal, comprising SMB entrepreneurs (2-50 employees), MBO/HBO/WO students, and educational institution teachers. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, leveraging LinkedIn, partner referrals, and venue-hosted events at locations such as Cupola XS in Haarlem.

Name

de MKB Werkplaats

Legal name

De MKB Werkplaats

Website

https://mkbwerkplaats.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

De MKB Werkplaats is a Dutch public-private partnership that uses Challenge Based Learning to connect SMB entrepreneurs with student teams from Amsterdam-area educational institutions to solve digital and circular business challenges. The initiative is publicly funded and free for participants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

SMB Digitalization and Circular Economy Advisory Services

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Marketing, Branding & Sales Skills (EDAMAHAG)

Keywords

• Challenge based learning
• SMB digitalization services
• Public private partnership
• Student entrepreneur matching
• Circular economy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public funding and subsidies: Funded by Nationaal Groeifonds (National Growth Fund) through High Impact Publiek-private (HIP) collaboration 'Circulair in denken, leren en doen'. Additional funding from Provincie Noord-Holland and private partners. Participation is free for entrepreneurs and educational institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

De MKB Werkplaats matches SMB entrepreneurs in North-Holland with student teams from Dutch universities and vocational schools to solve real digitalization, AI, cybersecurity, marketing, and circular economy challenges through Challenge Based Learning. Its three core service formats are projects with students (2 weeks to 3 months), masterclasses with students (typically one day with optional follow-up sessions), and expert-led masterclasses on online marketing. All services are provided free of charge to entrepreneurs and educational institutions.

Product overview

De MKB Werkplaats is a matching platform connecting SMB entrepreneurs with students and teachers to solve real business challenges through Challenge Based Learning. The core offering consists of three types of services: (1) Projects with students where teams work on entrepreneurial questions for 2 weeks to 3 months, (2) Masterclasses with students on topics like online marketing and e-commerce, and (3) Expert-led Masterclasses on online marketing. The organization also runs educational programs including Expeditie AI (AI workshops), Future Fridays (future-of-work scenarios), Expert Sessions (digital tools and circular entrepreneurship), and Digital Power Sessions (digital leadership). Participation is free for entrepreneurs and educational institutions. Previously known as MKB Circular Workspace and MKB Digital Workspace.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Projecten met studenten (Projects with students) Student teams from partner educational institutions work on concrete entrepreneurial challenges under guidance of teachers and MKB Werkplaats experts. Entrepreneurs work 1:1 with student groups on their business questions. Projects last between 2 weeks and 3 months. Participation is free of charge.
• Masterclasses samen met studenten (Masterclasses with students) Groups of entrepreneurs work together with students on business questions around topics like online marketing, software development, or e-commerce, guided by teachers and the MKB Werkplaats team. Sessions typically last one day with possible follow-up sessions.
• Masterclasses met experts (Expert-led Masterclasses) Four masterclasses developed with partners for entrepreneurs covering online marketing topics, led by expert instructors.
• Expeditie AI A series of eight free sessions on AI, digitalization, and entrepreneurship for SMB entrepreneurs. Includes blocks on Marketing & Sales (prompting, content creation, customer journey) and Business Optimization (market research, workflow automation, future-proofing, AI agent building). Delivered with partners including House of Digital, Digitaliseringsoffensief, and startUp Ondernemen.
• Future Fridays Student teams explore future scenarios and help organizations anticipate changes in skills, collaboration, and organizational forms. Includes topics like Future of Work, Future Workplace, Future of Business Communication, and Future Scenarios.
• Expert Sessies (Expert Sessions) Expert sessions providing access to knowledge about digital tools, circular entrepreneurship, AI and more, designed for SMB entrepreneurs to understand technology potential for their businesses.
• Digital Power Sessies (Digital Power Sessions) Sessions featuring conversations with business leaders about digital innovations in their SMB organizations and application of digital technology, hosted at Cupola XS in Haarlem.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,300+ entrepreneurs helped
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PreneurzcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2020Private partner and project leader for De MKB Werkplaats. Coordinates overall execution of the public-private partnership.
• KplusVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate partner providing strategic support and expertise to the MKB Werkplaats initiative.
• Innovate TodaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate partner supporting innovation and digital transformation initiatives within the MKB Werkplaats.
• Gemeente AmsterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner supporting the digitalization of SMBs in Amsterdam.
• ACE IncubatorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity incubator in Amsterdam, part of UvA, VU, HvA, and Amsterdam UMC. Original initiator of the MKB Digital Workspace concept.
• Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA)coreOthersResearch university providing student participants across various programs including Online Marketing Challenge and business studies.
• Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)coreOthersResearch university contributing student talent to projects.
• Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA)coreOthersMain educational partner providing students from Digital Marketing, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, and other programs.
• ROC van AmsterdamcoreOthersVocational college providing MBO-level students for projects.
• Amsterdam UMCminorOthersAcademic medical center providing student participants from medical and health-related programs.
• InhollandminorOthersUniversity of applied sciences providing HBO students for projects.
• Nova CollegeminorOthersRegional college providing MBO students for projects.
• WindesheimminorOthersUniversity of applied sciences providing HBO students for projects.
• GoogleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided online marketing masterclasses teaching entrepreneurs about Google My Business, SEO, Google Analytics, and search advertising.
• RVOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDe MKB Werkplaats is one of the regional digital workshops under RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency).
• House of DigitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Expeditie AI program combining AI, digitalization, and entrepreneurship.
• DigitaliseringsoffensiefminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Expeditie AI program supporting SMB digitalization efforts.
• startUp OndernemenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Expeditie AI program supporting entrepreneurship and startups.
• KatapultminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork organization supporting collaboration between education and business.
• Cupola XSminorOthersVenue partner in Haarlem hosting Digital Power Sessions and other events at Koepelplein location.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ACE Incubator: University-affiliated startup incubator (UvA, VU, HvA, Amsterdam UMC) and the original initiator of the MKB Digital Workspace concept. Comparable in connecting academia with entrepreneurs, but focused on high-growth startups rather than existing SMBs.
• Impact Hub Amsterdam: Entrepreneurship community and coworking organization running education and accelerator programs for impact-oriented startups and SMBs. Comparable community-based model serving Dutch entrepreneurs with educational programming.
• Kamer van Koophandel (KVK): Dutch Chamber of Commerce, the official national body supporting entrepreneurs with information, advice, and educational programs. Comparable broad-based SMB advisory and education role, but governmental rather than student-delivered.
• Google Digital Workshops (Atelier Numérique): Google's free SMB digital skills program; a content and training partner of de MKB Werkplaats. Comparable in offering free online marketing/digital training to SMBs, but globally scaled and not locally student-driven.
• Techleap.nl (formerly StartupDelta): National Dutch program supporting tech startups and scale-ups through education, community, and government-backed programs. Operates at a broader, more venture-oriented level but shares the public-private mission of accelerating Dutch entrepreneurship.
• Qredits: Dutch SMB-focused finance and support organization providing loans and entrepreneurship training. Comparable target market (Dutch SMBs) but with a financing-led model rather than a student-matchmaking model.

Others

• Kennisland: Dutch foundation focused on education innovation and connecting knowledge institutions with societal challenges. Comparable mission of bridging education and practice, but focused on systemic education reform rather than direct SMB services.

Direct peers

• Stichting Katapult: The national umbrella network of regional 'digitale werkplaatsen' of which de MKB Werkplaats is explicitly listed as a regional workspace. Both organizations operate the same education-business matchmaking model for SMB digitalization and are directly partnered.
• House of Digital: Partner in de MKB Werkplaats's Expeditie AI program and a fellow Dutch ecosystem organization focused on digital skills, AI, and SMB digitalization. Both serve Dutch SMBs with applied digital programs built on cross-sector partnerships.
• MKB Werkplaats Rotterdam: A sibling regional 'MKB Werkplaats' in Rotterdam operating the same Challenge Based Learning model for SMB entrepreneurs and students. They are structurally identical regional counterparts under the broader Dutch MKB-werkplaatsen program.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/demkbwerkplaats

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 de MKB Werkplaats