What Telecom Society Nederland does

Telecom Society Nederland (Vereniging Telecom Society) is a Dutch non-profit professional association that serves as the convening platform for the Dutch telecommunications ecosystem. Founded in 1994 as the Dutch Chapter of the Global Telecom Society and formally incorporated as a Vereniging in 2001, the association has operated for nearly 30 years, with 30 corporate members and 642 individual participants. Its membership roster spans the full value chain — operators (KPN, Odido, VodafoneZiggo), infrastructure providers (Eurofiber, AMS-IX, Nokia, Ericsson), regulators (ACM), research institutions (TNO), and professional services firms (Deloitte, Bird & Bird, CGI).

The association generates revenue through annual corporate membership fees (€2,000 per bedrijfslid as of 2026) and event participation fees, anchored by 10+ annual events including the Annual Dinner, Elevator Pitch, SemiCon, Sustainable AI, and Summer BBQ & PubQuiz. Its primary digital product is the PROFconnect mobile application, launched in January 2025, which integrates member administration, sector news, and event registration. Operations are supported by PROFconnect as the professional association bureau, with a small in-house team of approximately 7 staff. The association is governed by a volunteer board led by Chairwoman Yvonne Schers (since 2021) and an Advisory Council.

The association's strategic positioning is as a neutral, cross-stakeholder networking and knowledge-sharing platform, with no direct competitors replicating its specific Dutch-telecom focus. It pursues member value through sector-relevant event programming, ecosystem expansion (e.g., onboarding AMS-IX in 2026, partnering with NLconnect), and capability professionalization (rebrand to Telecom Society in 2024, app launch in 2025, Young Telecom Society Commission in 2025). Geographic scope is limited to the Netherlands.

Name

Telecom Society Nederland

Legal name

Vereniging Telecom Society

Website

https://telecom-society.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Telecom Society Nederland is a Dutch non-profit professional association serving the Dutch telecom ecosystem through corporate membership, 10+ annual networking and knowledge-sharing events, and the PROFconnect mobile app for 30 corporate members and 642 individual participants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Internal Meeting & Workshop Management (THAHAIAA)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Industry networking events
• Telecom sector community
• Membership-based association
• Corporate networking platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Oisterwijk

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate membership fees: Corporate members pay an annual membership fee. As of 01-01-2026, the bedrijfslidmaatschap fee is €2,000 per calendar year (€2,420 incl. VAT). The historical rate (per the terms document) was €1,750 excl. VAT.
2. Event participation fees: The association charges fees for certain events. The Annual Dinner 2027 is priced at €150 per individual (€125 early bird), and a sponsor table costs €2,000. The Summer BBQ & PubQuiz is free for members.
3. Event hosting and workshop organization by corporate members: Corporate members can host events and organize workshops, contributing to the association's content programming. This also provides indirect revenue value through member engagement and retention.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Telecom Society Nederland is a non-profit Dutch industry association that operates a membership-based networking and knowledge-sharing platform for the telecom sector. It sells corporate memberships (€2,000/year covering all employees of a member organization) and individual memberships, and delivers value through 10+ annual events including the Annual Dinner, Elevator Pitch, SemiCon, Sustainable AI, BBQ & PubQuiz, and topical workshops. The association also provides the PROFconnect mobile app for member engagement and event registration.

Product overview

Telecom Society Nederland is a professional association for the Dutch telecom sector, offering corporate and individual membership programs. The association provides the PROFconnect mobile application for member administration, event news, and registration. It organizes regular events including the Annual Dinner, Elevator Pitch Event, BBQ & Pub Quiz, SemiCon (semiconductor-focused), and Sustainable AI events. The association launched Young Telecom Society in May 2025 to engage young professionals in the sector. Corporate members can host events and workshops, with the association facilitating networking and knowledge sharing among approximately 30 corporate members and 642 individual participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bedrijfslidmaatschap (Corporate Membership) Annual corporate membership program for organizations in the Dutch telecom sector; all registered employees of a member organization receive event invitations, access to the member portal and PROFconnect app, and the right to host events and workshops for other members. Priced at €2,000 per calendar year (€2,420 incl. VAT) as of 01-01-2026.
• PROFconnect App Mobile application for association members integrating with member administration, providing current sector news, and enabling event registration. Available on iOS and Android.
• Annual Dinner Annual flagship networking dinner event for association members, featuring sponsor tables (€2,000 for 8 persons) and individual tickets (€150 standard, €125 early bird). The 2027 edition is the Jubilee Edition.
• Elevator Pitch Event Annual event at which innovative startups present their products and services to telecom sector experts through brief four-minute pitches.
• SemiCon Event Event focused on semiconductor developments and breakthroughs impacting the telecom and ICT sector, covering robotics, AI, Free Space Optics, and 5G/6G technologies.
• Sustainable AI Event Event on the application of AI in networks in a sustainable manner, held at KPN Rotterdam.
• Zomer BBQ & Pub Quiz Annual summer barbecue and pub quiz event for members to network informally with telecom colleagues. Free for members; non-members/guests may attend subject to availability by registering via the website.
• Young Telecom Society Sub-program within Telecom Society created in May 2025 to provide space for new voices, fresh ideas, and an inclusive future for the sector, targeting young professionals in telecom.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 leading corporate members across the Dutch telecom ecosystem
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NLconnectcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 September 2026Telecom Society maintains a GTM/marketing partnership with NLconnect, the Dutch broadband and fiber industry association. Telecom Society members receive a €100 discount on NLconnect's annual Breeduit Jaarcongres. The two associations collaborate on cross-industry visibility and share professional networks.
• Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026AMS-IX joined Telecom Society as a corporate member in June 2026. AMS-IX manages multiple internet interconnection platforms globally; the Amsterdam platform has operated for over 30 years and handles peak traffic exceeding 15 terabit per second, with over 1,000 IP networks connected worldwide. CEO Peter van Burgel stated: 'The internet and telecom networks together form the foundation of our digital society. By joining Telecom Society, we strengthen the collaboration between all parties responsible for that foundation.'
• PROFconnectcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPROFconnect serves as the professional bureau (verenigingsbureau) for Telecom Society, handling association management, the mobile app, and backend operations. Since October 2024, PROFconnect has provided the operational backbone for the association's professionalization.
• TelecompaperminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelecompaper is a media partner of Telecom Society, providing coverage and visibility for the association's activities within the telecom trade media ecosystem.
• ITchannelPROminorGTM or Marketing PartnerITchannelPRO is a media partner of Telecom Society, extending the association's reach into the ICT and telecom trade media channel.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/telecom-society-nederland
• Instagraminstagram.com/telecomsociety_nl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Telecom Society Nederland