Netspar

What Netspar does

Netspar is a Dutch non-profit knowledge network (kennisnetwerk) founded in 2005 and headquartered at Tilburg University, connecting academic research with the pension, insurance, and asset-management industry in the Netherlands. Its mission is to advance an evidence-based pension debate by funding, producing, and disseminating scientific research on pensions, aging, and retirement. The network operates under a four-year Knowledge Agenda (currently 2023-2027) organized around five research themes: work/pension/housing/care, savings/investment/insurance, institutions/governance/solidarity, well-being of the elderly, and communication and choices. Its output is delivered through a free-to-access publication library, a podcast series, knowledge dossiers, project groups, education programs, and an annual Pension Day event.

The organization does not develop proprietary technology products; its core deliverable is a research and knowledge-sharing platform (the Knowledge Hub, or Kennisplein). It sustains 381 academic fellows, 35+ institutional partners, 112 publications, 39 meetings per year, and 85 Master's students in its education programs. Funding comes from recurring partner contributions (membership model) from a broad coalition including major pension funds (APG, PGGM, PME, Shell Pensioenfonds), insurers (Aegon, Achmea, a.s.r., Nationale-Nederlanden, Zwitserleven), asset managers (BlackRock, Cardano, MN, Ortec Finance), the Dutch government, regulators (DNB, AFM), industry associations (Pensioenfederatie, Verbond van Verzekeraars), and nine Dutch universities led by host institution Tilburg University. The GTM is community-led and event-driven, anchored in 39 annual meetings and co-developed research, with no traditional product sales or external venture backing.

Name

Netspar

Legal name

Netspar

Website

https://netspar.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Netspar is a Dutch non-profit knowledge network founded in 2005, hosted at Tilburg University, that connects academic research with the pension, insurance, and asset-management industry through publications, events, and education, funded by 35+ institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pension Research and Knowledge Network Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (519)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical & Scientific Expert Networks (BPAHALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retirement Planning & Long-Term Financial Planning Tools (FSAGADAI), Pension Master Trusts, Superannuation & Provident Funds (FSAAAGAB), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Pension research
• Knowledge network
• Retirement research
• Aging research
• Pension education

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. Partner membership contributions: Netspar is funded by its partner organizations, which include pension funds, insurers, asset managers, government bodies, and universities. Partners contribute to the network and gain access to research, events, and the opportunity to influence and participate in research projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Netspar operates a knowledge network that connects academic researchers with the Dutch pension, insurance, and asset management industries. It develops and disseminates scientific research on pensions, aging, and retirement through a Knowledge Hub of publications, project groups that bring industry and academia together on defined topics, an annual Pension Day, after-lunch webinars, and Master's and executive education programs. Partners fund the network through membership contributions and gain preferential access to research, events, and the ability to co-develop the multi-year Knowledge Agenda.

Product overview

Netspar is a Dutch knowledge network (kennisnetwerk) focused on pensions, aging, and retirement, established in 2005 and based at Tilburg University. The organization does not offer a traditional software product but rather provides a research and knowledge-sharing platform consisting of publications (Industry Papers, Academic Papers, Board Briefs, Podcasts, Videos), organized research themes, project groups, events/meetings, and education programs. The core offering is the Knowledge Hub (Kennisplein) which disseminates scientific research connecting academia with the pension and insurance sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Partner Network Membership Annual partner membership for pension funds, insurers, asset managers, government bodies, and universities, granting access to research, events, project groups, knowledge groups, the Partner Research Council, and influence over the multi-year Knowledge Agenda.
• Knowledge Hub (Kennisplein) Publications Freely accessible publication platform hosting Industry Papers, Academic Papers, Board Briefs, Podcasts, Videos, and knowledge dossiers across five research themes: Work/pension/housing/care; Savings/investment/insurance; Institutions/governance/solidarity; Well-being of the elderly; Communication and choices.
• Pensioen & Wetenschap Podcast
• Education Programs
• Netspar Monitor Deelnemerservaringen
• Annual Pension Day (Netspar Jaarcongres)
• International Pension Workshop

Quantifiable outcome

• 381 fellows in the academic network
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers36 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

36 partnerships are on record, tiered partner and core partner.

• ABN AMRO PensioenfondspartnerOthersABN AMRO Pensioenfonds is a partner organization of Netspar, participating in the research network to access and contribute to pension research.
• AchmeapartnerOthersAchmea is a partner organization of Netspar. Achmea's leadership has publicly endorsed Netspar's role in providing fact-based pension debate, as stated by Bianca Tetterio of Achmea.
• AegonpartnerOthersAegon is a partner organization of Netspar, participating in the research network.
• Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM)partnerOthersThe AFM (Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets) is a regulatory partner of Netspar, contributing to knowledge development in financial markets and pension regulation.
• APGpartnerOthersAPG is a partner organization of Netspar, participating in the research network as a major Dutch pension asset manager.
• a.s.r.partnerOthersa.s.r. is a partner organization of Netspar, participating in the research network.
• BlackRockpartnerOthersBlackRock is an international asset management firm and partner of Netspar, participating in the research network.
• BPL PensioenpartnerOthersBPL Pensioen is a partner organization of Netspar.
• CardanopartnerOthersCardano is an asset management firm and partner of Netspar, participating in the research network.
• De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB)partnerOthersDNB (Dutch Central Bank) is a regulatory and knowledge partner of Netspar. President Klaas Knot has publicly stated that Netspar can play an important role as 'honest broker' in the pension debate.
• Erasmus UniversiteitpartnerOthersErasmus University is an academic partner of Netspar, contributing researchers to the network and collaborating on pension research.
• Instituut GakpartnerOthersInstituut Gak is a partner organization of Netspar, participating in the research network.
• Maastricht UniversitypartnerOthersMaastricht University is an academic partner of Netspar, contributing researchers to the network.
• MNpartnerOthersMN is a partner organization of Netspar as a Dutch pension asset manager.
• Nationale-NederlandenpartnerOthersNationale-Nederlanden is a partner organization of Netspar, participating in the research network.
• NIDI (Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute)partnerOthersNIDI is a demographic research institute and partner of Netspar, contributing expertise on aging and demographics.
• Ortec FinancepartnerOthersOrtec Finance is a partner organization of Netspar, contributing expertise in financial modeling and risk management.
• PensioenfederatiepartnerOthersPensioenfederatie (Dutch Pension Federation) is an industry association partner of Netspar.
• Pensioenfonds PGBpartnerOthersPensioenfonds PGB is a partner organization of Netspar.
• PGGMpartnerOthersPGGM is a partner organization of Netspar and contributes to governance research. Niels Kortleve of PGGM has endorsed Netspar's research quality and relevance to the industry.
• PME PensioenfondspartnerOthersPME Pensioenfonds is a partner organization of Netspar.
• Rail & OV PensioenfondspartnerOthersRail & OV Pensioenfonds is a partner organization of Netspar.
• Radboud UniversitypartnerOthersRadboud University (now Radboud Universiteit) is an academic partner of Netspar, contributing researchers to the network.
• Rijksuniversiteit GroningenpartnerOthersRijksuniversiteit Groningen is an academic partner of Netspar, contributing researchers including Natascha van der Zwan and Marike Knoef to the network.
• Shell PensioenfondspartnerOthersShell Pensioenfonds is a partner organization of Netspar.
• Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB)partnerOthersSVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank) is a government body and partner of Netspar.
• SPMSpartnerOthersSPMS is a partner organization of Netspar.
• SPIN (IBM Pensioenfonds)partnerOthersSPIN (IBM Pensioenfonds Nederland) is a partner organization of Netspar.
• Rijksoverheid (Dutch Government)partnerOthersThe Dutch government (Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of the Interior) is a partner of Netspar, contributing to policy-relevant research.
• Tilburg Universitycore partnerOthersTilburg University hosts Netspar's headquarters and is its primary institutional host. Key team members including the General Director, Scientific Director, and other staff are employed through Tilburg University.
• Universiteit LeidenpartnerOthersUniversiteit Leiden is an academic partner of Netspar.
• Universiteit UtrechtpartnerOthersUniversiteit Utrecht is an academic partner of Netspar, contributing researchers to the network.
• Verbond van VerzekeraarspartnerOthersVerbond van Verzekeraars (Dutch Insurance Association) is an industry association partner of Netspar.
• Vrije Universiteit AmsterdampartnerOthersVrije Universiteit Amsterdam is an academic partner of Netspar.
• University of AmsterdampartnerOthersUniversity of Amsterdam is an academic partner of Netspar.
• ZwitserlevenpartnerOthersZwitserleven is a partner organization of Netspar.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA): EU regulatory body conducting pension and insurance research at the European level. Comparable as a research-generating body informing pension policy, though focused on regulation rather than academic-industry collaboration.
• OECD Pension Outlook / Working Party on Private Pensions: OECD's pension research program producing comparative international pension policy analysis. Comparable for international comparative research, but driven by an intergovernmental body rather than an academic-industry network.
• Pension Research Council (Wharton): US-based academic pension research consortium at the Wharton School. Similar structure connecting academic researchers with the pension industry through funded research and events, though embedded in a broader university environment.
• Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA): UK professional body for actuaries producing pension and longevity research. Comparable as a research and standards-producing organization serving the pension/insurance industry, though broader in scope.

Regional players

• CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis: Dutch government economic policy think tank that produces pension-relevant economic analysis. Comparable as a Dutch research body informing pension policy, though primarily government-funded rather than partner-funded.
• CEPREMAP: French research network focused on economic policy, including pensions and retirement. Comparable as an academic-industry policy research consortium, but operating in France rather than the Netherlands.

Direct peers

• NETSPAR (already subject): Subject company — listed here to confirm there is no other Dutch peer with equivalent scope and structure.

Emerging players

• Dutch Pensions Academy (SPO): Dutch pension education provider for pension fund board members and professionals. Partially comparable through its education programs and pension professional development focus, though narrower in research scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/netspar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Netspar