NNPF - The Northern Netherlands Plastic Foundation

What NNPF - The Northern Netherlands Plastic Foundation does

NNPF - The Northern Netherlands Plastic Foundation ('stichting') is a non-profit foundation established in 2019 and headquartered in Groningen, Netherlands, operating across the three northern Dutch provinces of Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe. The foundation works at the intersection of society, education, and business to combat plastic pollution and promote circular economy awareness, functioning as a community convener rather than a technology provider. Its offerings span a portfolio of educational products (primary school lesson packages, the 'Plastic en Zwerfafval' activity book co-produced with PlasBossinade, the 8-session 'Leergang Circulaire Economie' learning program), consumer products (reusable cotton face masks at €4.50 with €1 donated, the founders' book 'Plastic bedankt!' at €14.95), content campaigns (bi-weekly 'Duurzame Dinsdag Tips', weekly 'Woensdag Weetje', summer campaign), and on-the-ground events (annual World Cleanup Day cleanups drawing 70-149 volunteers, seminars on circular economy topics).

The underlying 'technology' is non-technical: NNPF orchestrates people, partnerships, and content rather than building software. Its core competency is convening a regional triple-helix network—linking schools (Noorderpoort, Biblionet Groningen, CBS De Zaaier), municipalities (Gemeente Groningen), ports (Groningen Seaports, where chairperson Heleen van Wijk is Business Manager Circular Economy), and SME networks (TCNN, NNOW, MOI Offshore Energy, Snel Uitzendbureau)—to deliver awareness, education, and direct cleanup action. Strategic delivery channels include a website (nnpf.eu), active social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), and direct outreach via contact form.

NNPF's revenue model is hybrid and foundation-typical rather than commercial: merchandising (face masks, books), business membership fees from companies in waste management and production, and project-based grant funding, most notably as a partner in the Waddenfonds €750,000 'WadAfval' project with House of Design. With 6 internal staff and a tightly focused regional mission, NNPF operates as a high-trust community platform in the northern Netherlands circular economy ecosystem rather than a scalable commercial enterprise.

Name

NNPF - The Northern Netherlands Plastic Foundation

Legal name

Northern Netherlands Plastic Foundation

Website

https://nnpf.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NNPF is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded in 2019 that operates across the northern Netherlands provinces to reduce plastic pollution through community cleanups, school education programs, and circular economy partnerships with businesses and municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Groningen

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. Product Sales - Sustainable Face Masks: Sale of reusable cotton face masks made from fabric scraps. Each mask sold donates €1.00 to the foundation. Masks are 98% cotton and 2% elastane, with space for a filter.
2. Book Sales - 'Plastic bedankt!': Sale of the book 'Plastic bedankt!' written by founders Heleen van Wijk and Janneke Kuiper. The book covers the history of plastic and provides practical tips for sustainable living.
3. Business Membership Program: Companies in waste management or production can become members, enabling collaboration in prevention and education. Members gain access to professional network events and partnership opportunities.
4. Project Funding and Grants: NNPF participates as a partner in funded projects such as the Waddenfonds initiative (€750,000 investment in plastic soup solutions) working with House of Design and other regional partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NNPF is a non-profit foundation (stichting) established in 2019 in Groningen that promotes a circular economy and a plastic-free environment. It sells sustainable face masks and books, runs educational packages and learning programs, organizes community cleanup events such as World Cleanup Day, and offers a business membership program to companies in Northern Netherlands.

Product overview

NNPF operates as a foundation focused on circular economy and plastic-free environment, working at the intersection of society, education, and business. The organization's offerings include consumer products (sustainable face masks, books), educational programs (Circular Economy Learning Program, teaching packages, activity books), campaigns (Sustainable Tuesday Tips, Wednesday Facts, Summer Campaign, Clean Ocean Project), educational projects (Petje Af Eemsdelta, Project Aan de Bak), and cleanup events (World Cleanup Day). The portfolio spans awareness and education (content series, teaching materials) to direct action (cleanup events, reusable products), all unified by the mission to promote circularity and reduce plastic pollution in Northern Netherlands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Duurzame mondkapjes (Sustainable Face Masks) Reusable, sustainable face masks sold to consumers as an eco-friendly alternative to single-use masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Boek 'Plastic bedankt!' A book published by NNPF documenting its first year of activities and perspectives on plastic waste and the circular economy, targeted at general consumers.
• Leergang Circulaire Economie An education and learning program on circular economy developed with the University of Groningen and Hanzehogeschool Groningen, designed for post-MBO and HBO students and professionals.
• Lespakketten (Educational Packages) Free educational packages designed for primary schools in Northern Netherlands to teach children about plastic and litter in a playful way.
• Doeboekje 'Plastic en Zwerfafval' An activity book for primary school students focused on plastic and litter, distributed as part of the foundation's educational outreach in Northern Netherlands.
• Business Membership Program Membership program for companies — particularly those in production and waste management — that commit to keeping Northern Netherlands clean, plastic-free and circular, with yearly fees from EUR 100.
• World Cleanup Day Events Annual community cleanup events organized by NNPF in Northern Netherlands in conjunction with the international World Cleanup Day.
• Petje Af Eemsdelta An educational project for primary schools in the Eemsdelta region, teaching children about plastic and the environment.
• Project Aan de Bak An educational project providing baking trays (instead of plastic packaging) to primary schools in Northern Netherlands to reduce plastic packaging in school meals.
• Seminar 'Kansen in Circulair!' A seminar event focused on opportunities in the circular economy, organized by NNPF and aimed at businesses and professionals.
• Clean Ocean Project (Collaboration) A collaboration initiative with the Clean Ocean Project foundation focused on keeping beaches and oceans free of plastic waste.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of ship waste is recycled through partner Bek & Verburg
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Groningen SeaportscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Major partner providing support for cleanup actions in harbor areas. CEO Cas König actively promotes circular economy initiatives. Heleen van Wijk serves as Business Manager Circular Economy at Groningen Seaports while also chairing NNPF.
• Snel UitzendbureaucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Staffing company that co-organizes World Cleanup Day events and hosts Janneke Kuiper (NNPF Treasurer) as co-owner. Active member of MOI-community in Nijlicht.
• VrijdagOnlineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital agency that developed the NNPF website. Jeroen Grinwis (NNPF Media Manager) works as Online Media Consultant at VrijdagOnline.
• NNOWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation support network for SMEs in northern Netherlands. Dirk Jan Hummel (NNPF Relations Manager) is founder of NNOW.
• Petje Af EemsdeltaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekend school program where NNPF provides educational sessions on waste and recycling for children.
• Bek & VerburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaste processing company that handles ship waste collection and recycling (93% recycling rate). Co-organizes cleanup events and hosts educational visits.
• NoorderpoortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional educational institution (ROC) that collaborates on circular economy learning programs.
• Gemeente GroningenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipality of Groningen providing support for circular economy initiatives in the region.
• TCNNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation that helps SMEs realize innovations. Dirk Jan Hummel works for TCNN. Co-organizes circular economy seminars.
• MOI Offshore EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStartup community for offshore energy that co-organizes circular economy seminars with NNPF.
• PlasBossinademinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in creating the 'Plastic en Zwerfafval' activity book for children.
• KonnectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiator of the Leergang Circulaire Economie (Circular Economy Learning Program), an initiative bringing together businesses and knowledge institutions from Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe.
• House of DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroningen-based foundation developing biobased alternatives to plastic products. NNPF is a proud partner of the Waddenfonds project 'WadAfval' developing alternatives for fishing gloves and food containers.
• Biblionet GroningencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead coordinator for the 'Aan de Bak' project and campus Eemdelta educational initiatives. Peter Doorn serves as project leader.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stichting De Noordzee: Dutch foundation focused on a clean and healthy North Sea, combining policy advocacy, awareness campaigns, and partnerships with port operators and businesses. Comparable to NNPF as a Dutch non-profit tackling marine plastic pollution via stakeholder engagement.
• Waddenvereniging: Long-established Dutch foundation protecting the Wadden Sea, the very ecosystem NNPF's Waddenfonds 'WadAfval' project targets. Directly comparable as a regional non-profit combining advocacy, citizen engagement, and project-based conservation in the same Northern Netherlands geography.
• Plastic Soup Foundation: Amsterdam-based Dutch foundation dedicated to stopping plastic pollution at the source through awareness, education, and policy advocacy. Highly comparable to NNPF in mission and non-profit model, though operating at a national rather than regional scale.
• The Ocean Cleanup: Rotterdam-based Dutch non-profit developing and deploying technology to clean ocean plastic. Comparable to NNPF in mission and Dutch origin, but operates at global scale with a technology-heavy, deployment-oriented approach versus NNPF's community-and-education focus.

Emerging players

• Plastic Bank: Social enterprise that collects ocean-bound plastic and converts it into social income. Comparable to NNPF in plastic-pollution mission, but applies a tech-and-incentive-driven collection model rather than community education and events.

Broad incumbents

• Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands): Largest Dutch environmental NGO with broad mandate across climate, plastic, and biodiversity. Comparable as a Dutch non-profit running awareness campaigns and engaging citizens and businesses, but at national scale and with a much broader environmental portfolio than NNPF's plastic-pollution focus.
• WWF Netherlands: Established Dutch conservation NGO with broad environmental mandate and corporate partnerships. Comparable to NNPF in mobilizing businesses and citizens around sustainability, but with international backing, larger scale, and broader thematic scope.
• Greenpeace Netherlands: Dutch branch of the global environmental NGO, focused on advocacy, campaigns, and citizen mobilization around plastic, oceans, and climate. Comparable to NNPF in campaign-driven, citizen-activism approach, but with a vastly larger national membership and budget base.
• Sea Shepherd Global: International marine conservation non-profit running direct-action campaigns and cleanup operations. Comparable to NNPF in marine plastic cleanup and volunteer mobilization, but with global campaigns, ships, and significantly larger operational footprint.

Others

• House of Design: Groningen-based foundation developing biobased alternatives to plastic products, explicitly partnered with NNPF on the Waddenfonds 'WadAfval' project. Comparable as a regional Dutch non-profit addressing plastic pollution, with stronger focus on product/material innovation versus NNPF's education and awareness focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nnpf.nl
• Instagraminstagram.com/nnpf.nl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nnpf-the-northern-netherlands-plastic-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NNPF - The Northern Netherlands Plastic Foundation