What SO Fryslân does

SO Fryslân (legal name Stichting SO Fryslân) is a Dutch non-profit foundation headquartered in Drachten, Friesland, that operates as an umbrella organization for seven affiliated schools providing special education (SO) and secondary special education (VSO) under the Dutch national Cluster 3 classification. The schools serve children with severe learning difficulties, physical and intellectual disabilities, long-term illness, and epilepsy, with locations distributed across the province in Sneek, Damwoude, Drachten, Leeuwarden/Franeker, Beetsterzwaag, and Heerenveen/Oosterwolde. The foundation also operates Steunpunt Onderwijs Noord, a support service that advises mainstream schools on inclusive education for special needs students, and participates in the joint Steunpunt Friesland parent and youth support point.

The organization is funded through the Dutch national special education framework and holds ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status, which makes donations tax-deductible. It employs approximately 77 staff and is governed by a board under standard Dutch foundation law (RSIN/fiscal number 853572938). Revenue is not publicly disclosed on the website, though annual reports back to 2018 are available as PDFs. The organization's stated operating principles are "kennis, visie, autoriteit" (knowledge, vision, authority), and its 2023-2027 Strategic Policy Plan frames SO Fryslân as a structural convener in special education policy.

Commercially, SO Fryslân has no traditional revenue mechanics; it does not sell products, license technology, or operate in private markets. Its commercial relationships are institutional: it partners with regional secondary special education cooperation bodies (SWV VO Fryslân Noord, SWV VO Zuidoost Friesland, SWV VO Zuidwest Friesland/Fultura) for VSO admissions and transitions, with GGD Fryslân for safeguarding/trusted-person services, with Wille! for specialized out-of-school care, and receives European Social Fund subsidies via the "Brug naar werk" program to support labor market integration of VSO students aged 15 and older. There is no product launch cadence, no M&A history, no funding rounds, and no parent company involvement.

Name

SO Fryslân

Legal name

Stichting SO Fryslân

Website

https://so-fryslan.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SO Fryslân is a Dutch non-profit foundation operating seven special education schools (Cluster 3) in Friesland for children with intellectual, physical disabilities, chronic illness, and epilepsy, funded primarily through the Dutch national education system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

IEP/504 Planning, Case Management & Compliance (EDAJAKAB)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Special needs schooling
• Special secondary education
• Inclusive education support
• Cluster 3 education

Headquarters

HQ city

Drachten

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-funded special education: Publicly funded education services under the Dutch national education system. The organization receives government funding for providing special education services through its 7 affiliated schools in Friesland.

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

SO Fryslân is an umbrella foundation operating 7 Cluster 3 special education schools across Friesland, providing speciaal onderwijs (SO) and voortgezet speciaal onderwijs (VSO) to children with intellectual and physical disabilities, long-term illness, and epilepsy. The organization also delivers advisory support to mainstream schools through Steunpunt Onderwijs Noord and contributes to the Steunpunt Friesland parent/youth support network.

Product overview

SO Fryslân is an umbrella organization (koepel) for 7 schools providing special education in Friesland, Netherlands. The schools serve children with physical and intellectual disabilities, chronic illnesses, and epilepsy (Cluster 3). The organization operates Piet Bakkerschool Sneek, De Wingerd Damwoude, Talryk Drachten, Kleurryk, It Twalûk Leeuwarden/Franeker, School Lyndensteyn Beetsterzwaag, and Duisterhoutschool Heerenveen/Oosterwolde. Additionally, SO Fryslân provides support services through Steunpunt Onderwijs Noord (which advises mainstream schools on inclusive education) and Steunpunt Friesland (which supports parents and youth with questions about appropriate education).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Wille!supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWille! provides specialized out-of-school care (gespecialiseerde buitenschoolse opvang) at SO Fryslân schools, offering extended care services for students with special needs.
• GGD FryslâncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGGD Fryslân provides the trusted person (vertrouwenspersoon) services for SO Fryslân, ensuring student welfare and safeguarding compliance.
• Steunpunt Friesland (Ouder- en jeugdsteunpunt passend onderwijs Friesland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA joint initiative of four educational cooperation organizations providing parent and youth support for inclusive education questions throughout Friesland.
• SWV VO Fryslân NoordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cooperation organization for secondary special education covering Leeuwarden, Harlingen, and Dokkum areas. Involved in VSO student transitions.
• SWV VO Zuidoost FrieslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cooperation organization for secondary special education covering Drachten, Heerenveen, and Wolvega areas. Manages VSO admission through PCLPaO commission.
• SWV VO Zuidwest FrieslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cooperation organization (operating as Fultura) for secondary special education covering Sneek, Bolsward, and Stavoren areas.
• Europees Sociaal Fonds (ESF)supportingOthersEuropean Social Fund providing subsidies to support employment preparation and labor market integration for VSO students aged 15+ and those up to 24 months after graduation.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Kentalis: National Dutch special-education koepel primarily focused on Cluster 2 (deaf, hard of hearing, and severe speech/language difficulties). Directly comparable to SO Fryslân as another cluster-classified special-education umbrella organization funded under the same Dutch national framework.
• Koninklijke Visio: Dutch national foundation providing education, care, and rehabilitation for visually impaired and blind people (Cluster 1). Comparable to SO Fryslân as another cluster-classified special-education koepel operating multiple regional schools under Dutch government funding.
• Heliomare Onderwijs: Dutch special-education organization providing schools and support for children with physical disabilities, chronic illness, and multiple disabilities — overlapping closely with SO Fryslân's Cluster 3 mandate. Comparable as another Dutch regional special-education provider with schools and advisory services.
• De Vier Windstreken: Dutch special-education foundation (Cluster 4) serving students with severe behavioral, psychiatric, and pedagogical difficulties. Comparable as a Dutch non-profit koepel for cluster-classified special education with schools and broader support services.
• Bartiméus: Dutch foundation providing education and support for people with visual impairment (Cluster 1). Highly comparable in operating model — multi-site schools, ANBI status, and publicly funded special-education delivery — though focused on a different cluster population.
• Yulius Onderwijs: Dutch organization providing special education and mental health support for children and young people. Comparable as a Dutch special-education koepel running multiple schools plus support services for students with complex developmental and behavioral needs.
• Stichting De Witte Villa: Dutch foundation operating special-education schools (notably for students with autism spectrum needs) and related support services. Comparable to SO Fryslân as a non-profit foundation umbrella for special-education schools operating under Dutch government funding.

Regional players

• Adelbert College: Dutch K–12 special-education provider. Comparable as a Dutch regional special-education institution serving students with complex learning needs under the public funding framework, though operating more as a single campus than a multi-region koepel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/so_fryslan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/so-frysl%C3%A2n

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 SO Fryslân