Ondernemersfonds Breda

What Ondernemersfonds Breda does

Stichting Ondernemersfonds Breda is a Dutch non-profit foundation established in 2016 by entrepreneurs in the Breda city center to pool and collectively deploy marketing funds. All businesses located in the city's eight designated atmosphere areas (sfeergebieden) — Winkelhart, Veemarktkwartier, Grote Markt en Kerkplein, Haven en Havermarkt, De Haagdijken, De Boschstraten, Oranje Zuid, and Stationskwartier — are automatically members of the fund through a mandatory municipal advertising tax (reclamebelasting). The foundation operates a portfolio of programs rather than technology products: Breda Straalt (winter lighting and activities including an ice rink on the Grote Markt since 2024), the Living Statues Festival Breda (annual free open-air event during Open Monumentendagen), Starterswinkels (rent-subsidized retail incubation offering up to 50% rent discount), Bekers naar de Bar (100% circular cup system for outdoor events with 300,000 cups recycled), Sfeer & Verlichting (seasonal lighting), Blauwe Regens (100+ Blue Wisteria facade plants), and Vergroening (seasonal hanging baskets). It is governed by a daily board chaired by Lucien Verhoef with Alexander Smeulders as Treasurer, supported by a Supervisory Board, an Advisory Council of approximately 80 entrepreneurs, and a small operational team led by Centre Manager René de Vos.

The foundation's go-to-market is community-led: it has no traditional sales motion, no commercial customers, and no pricing tiers because it does not sell products or services. Its core revenue stream is the municipal advertising tax collected collectively by Gemeente Breda and transferred to the foundation. Distribution of value flows back to member businesses through event programming (which drives city-center foot traffic), beautification projects (which improve the physical retail environment), and the Starterswinkels program (which seeds new retail entrants). Marketing channels are similarly collective: a LinkedIn company page, a monthly Dutch newsletter, the Chainels community platform for direct entrepreneur communication, and a content partnership with Breda Marketing that promotes the city nationally and internationally through explorebreda.com and the Breda City App.

The foundation has no proprietary technology platform, no AI or machine-learning components, and no external venture or private equity backing. It functions as a coordination layer between Gemeente Breda (strategic partner), Breda Marketing (GTM partner), VCOB, KHN Breda, BredaBusiness, and individual entrepreneurs. Strategic partners such as Cremerson (horticulture for Blue Wisteria), Oase Lease (hanging baskets), and CircularPET (reusable cups) execute specific operational components. The organization's primary risk is geographic concentration: 100% of activity is in Breda, and the revenue base is structurally tied to a single municipal tax mechanism in a single city.

Name

Ondernemersfonds Breda

Legal name

Stichting Ondernemersfonds Breda

Website

https://ondernemersfondsbreda.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stichting Ondernemersfonds Breda is a 2016 Dutch non-profit foundation that pools mandatory municipal advertising tax from businesses in Breda's eight city-center atmosphere areas to fund collective marketing, events, urban beautification, and retail incubation programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Improvement District Management

NAICS

Landscaping Services (561730)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Seasonal Color, Planting & Horticultural Services (BPABADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Native, Pollinator & Drought-Tolerant Garden Installations (HSAIAFAL), Native & Pollinator Garden Design/Install (HSAIABAG)

Keywords

• City center revitalization
• Business improvement district
• Collective marketing funding
• Urban greening programs
• Retail hospitality events

Headquarters

HQ city

Breda, North Brabant

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Municipal Advertising Tax (Reclamebelasting): The organization is funded through a municipal advertising tax levied on businesses in the 8 designated atmosphere areas of Breda's city center. All companies from these 8 areas are automatically part of the fund, with contributions collected collectively through the municipal tax system.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stichting Ondernemersfonds Breda is a non-profit foundation that pools the municipal advertising tax (reclamebelasting) collected from all businesses in Breda's 8 designated city-center atmosphere areas (sfeergebieden) and reinvests it in collective programs. Its core offering is the funding, organization, and delivery of city-center revitalization initiatives — including events (Living Statues Festival Breda, Breda Straalt winter program with ice rink), greening and beautification projects (Blue Wisteria, hanging baskets, seasonal lighting), a circular cup system (Bekers naar de Bar), and a startup retail support program (Starterswinkels with up to 50% rent discount) — to increase visitor traffic and dwell time for the benefit of retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses in Breda's city center.

Product overview

Ondernemersfonds Breda is a foundation (established 2016) that supports activities enhancing the attractiveness of Breda's city center for visitors and entrepreneurs. The organization funds and manages a portfolio of programs including Breda Straalt (winter lighting and activities), Living Statues Festival, Starterswinkels (startup retail support), Bekers naar de Bar (circular cup system), Sfeer & Verlichting (seasonal lighting), and urban greening initiatives. All businesses in the 8 sfeergebieden (atmosphere districts) are automatically part of the fund through municipal advertising tax. The organization functions as a strategic partner rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Breda Straalt: Annual winter lighting program with special light installations, winter decorations and activities for all ages. Since 2024, includes an ice skating rink on the Grote Markt.
• Living Statues Festival Breda
• Starterswinkels
• Bekers naar de Bar

Products and services

• Breda Straalt (Winter Lighting Program) Annual recurring winter program for Breda's city center featuring special light installations, winter decorations, and activities for all ages. Since 2024 it includes an ice skating rink on the Grote Markt and is delivered in close collaboration with key partner Breda Marketing. It is designed to increase city-center attractiveness during the winter period, stimulate winter purchases, and encourage visitors to stay longer and return.
• Living Statues Festival Breda Annual free open-air event during Open Monumentendagen where dozens of living statues from home and abroad perform artistic acts telling stories connected to Breda's rich history. The festival creates natural walking routes through the entire city center, generating foot traffic for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses in the 8 atmosphere areas.
• Starterswinkels (Startup Shop Program) Program that supports starting entrepreneurs in opening their dream shop in Breda's city center by offering up to 50% rent discount, business coaching sessions, promotion via local media, and access to the city's entrepreneur network. Named participants include Reiger en de Raaf (sustainable toy store), Downtown Vintage Breda (vintage furniture and lighting), and De Interieurbar (interior advice consultancy).
• Bekers naar de Bar (Circular Cup System) 100% circular cup system for outdoor events in Breda's city center. Drink cups are returned to bars for collection and recycled into new products, eliminating single-use plastic waste. Developed with local softcup supplier CircularPET and Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) Breda, with 300,000 disposable cups collected and recycled through the initiative.
• Sfeer & Verlichting (Atmosphere & Lighting Program) Seasonal atmosphere and lighting program that provides festive illumination across Breda's city center from November through February. Includes tree lighting, birch branches, Christmas trees, and flag projects during major Breda events, enhancing the city's attractiveness during the colder months for retail and hospitality operators.
• Open/Gesloten Bordjes (Open/Closed Door Signs) Energy-saving initiative providing 'Natuurlijk zijn wij OPEN!' (Naturally we are OPEN!) door signs to city-center shops. The signs encourage retailers to keep doors closed when the outdoor temperature is 4 degrees warmer than inside, reducing energy consumption while signalling that the shop is open. Customers have responded positively to the initiative even during heat waves.
• Blauwe Regens (Blue Wisteria Greening) Urban greening project installing blue wisteria (Blauwe Regen) plants on building facades throughout Breda's city center. The 100th plant was installed as a milestone, creating visual unity and beautification in partnership with the municipality and Cremerson, which handles planting and maintenance (including when plants grow too fast, in the wrong direction, or do not survive).
• Vergroening (Hanging Baskets) Seasonal greening initiative that places hanging baskets filled with geraniums across Breda's city center from May through October each year. Placement and maintenance are handled by partner Oase Lease, contributing to the visual appeal of the city center for visitors, retailers, and hospitality businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 Blue Wisteria plants installed in the city center
• +4 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gemeente BredacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe municipality is a key strategic partner of Ondernemersfonds. The fund uses the municipality's Wijkdeal mechanism for projects like the Blue Wisteria greening initiative, where entrepreneurs can submit plans to make public land greener, cleaner, or more pleasant.
• Breda MarketingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBreda Marketing is the key partner for city marketing, promoting Breda nationally and internationally through explorebreda.com and developing city maps. They work closely together on events like Breda Straalt.
• CremersonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorticulture company responsible for planting and maintenance of Blue Wisteria plants in the city center. They assist when plants grow too fast, in the wrong direction, or don't survive.
• CircularPETminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal softcup supplier that provides reusable cups for the circular cup system at outdoor events in Breda. Part of the 'Bekers naar de Bar' (Cups to the Bar) initiative.
• KHN BredaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKoninklijke Horeca Nederland local branch representing hospitality businesses. Part of the project group that developed the circular cup system for outdoor events.
• Breda City AppminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMobile application (also available at visitbreda.nl) that presents the 8 atmosphere areas for visitors. All entrepreneurs have profiles on this platform focused on hospitality, retail and culture promotion.
• Oase LeaseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner responsible for placing and maintaining hanging baskets with geraniums in the city center from May to October each year.
• VCOBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVereniging Centrum Ondernemers Breda - an association of city center entrepreneurs that collaborates with the fund.
• BredaBusinessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business network organization that partners with the fund for business development initiatives.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• KHN (Koninklijke Horeca Nederland): National Dutch hospitality industry association representing restaurants, cafes, and hotels. Identified as a project partner in the Bekers naar de Bar circular cup initiative; adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct peer.
• Breda Marketing: City marketing organization for Breda that promotes the city nationally and internationally via explorebreda.com. Listed as a core strategic partner in the data, focusing on destination marketing rather than collective business coordination — adjacent but not directly competitive.

Direct peers

• Stichting Ondernemersfonds Tilburg: Tilburg's city center business fund operating the same collective model in a comparable mid-sized Brabant city, providing a particularly relevant regional benchmark given Breda's North Brabant location.
• Stichting Ondernemersfonds Arnhem: Arnhem's Ondernemersfonds coordinating city center businesses via reclamebelasting, with a comparable event and greening program mix relevant to Breda's portfolio.
• Stichting Ondernemersfonds Den Haag: The Hague's equivalent Ondernemersfonds, pooling municipal advertising tax to fund city center revitalization, events, and business support programs. Same funding mechanism and stakeholder model as Breda, operating at larger absolute scale.
• Stichting Ondernemersfonds Rotterdam: Rotterdam's city center collective business fund using reclamebelasting to coordinate retail and hospitality initiatives. Directly comparable in mandate and operational model, with significantly larger city scale.
• Stichting Ondernemersfonds Amsterdam: Dutch city center business improvement fund operating in Amsterdam, using the same reclamebelasting-funded collective model to coordinate retail, hospitality, and leisure initiatives across designated atmosphere areas. Directly comparable in structure, revenue mechanism, and mandate.
• Stichting Ondernemersfonds Eindhoven: Eindhoven's equivalent Ondernemersfonds funding city center improvements via reclamebelasting. Same organizational structure, target sectors, and program portfolio focus.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ondernemersfonds-breda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Ondernemersfonds Breda