Ubuntuhuis

What Ubuntuhuis does

Ubuntuhuis (legal name Stichting Ubuntuhuis te Utrecht) is a Dutch nonprofit community drop-in center founded in mid-2010 and headquartered at Vleutenseweg 172 in the Lombok neighborhood of Utrecht, Netherlands. The organization serves people experiencing homelessness, poverty, social isolation, or living without valid residence permits, providing an open-door welcoming space with meals (approximately 30 per day, prepared by visitors themselves), laundry facilities, coffee/tea, one-on-one guidance with paperwork and Dutch bureaucracy, and a portfolio of structured activities including theater workshops (in partnership with Het Wilde Westen), sports (via Sport Coalitie Utrecht), music, gardening, Dutch language assistance, and bicycle repair. Operations run three days per week (Monday and Tuesday 09:00–17:00, Wednesday 14:00–17:00, plus by appointment).

The organization runs on a deeply lean operational model: only two paid staff work a combined 36 hours per week, with all additional capacity delivered by volunteers, and governance provided by a four-person volunteer board (Chair Ingrid Oude-Lenferink, Treasurer Jan de Witte, Secretary Jan Looise, and Board Member Jens Velthuijsen; co-founder Annelies Neutel previously chaired the board). The organization holds ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status, making donations tax-deductible, and is registered with the Kamer van Koophandel (KvK 517 253 55, RSIN 8501.43.500).

The revenue model is entirely donation- and grant-based, with no service fees charged to visitors. Funders include the Municipality of Utrecht (Gemeente Utrecht), a portfolio of Dutch foundations (Kansfonds, Stichting Dioraphte, Stichting Armoedefonds, Stichting Rotterdam, Protestantse Diaconie Utrecht, KNR-PIN, Fonds Fransiscus), Emmaus Utrecht, and individual donors, supplemented by in-kind contributions (sleeping bags, bicycle materials, coffee/tea/sugar, sports clothing, gloves/hats). Go-to-market is community-led rather than commercial: awareness is driven through organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), a twice-yearly newsletter, the Ubuntustemmen podcast on YouTube and Spotify, and visitor stories published in Straatnieuws Utrecht magazine. In October 2025 the organization was featured in the NPO Doc documentary "Samen Alleen," a major visibility event.

Name

Ubuntuhuis

Legal name

Stichting Ubuntuhuis te Utrecht

Website

https://ubuntuhuis.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ubuntuhuis is a Dutch nonprofit drop-in center in Utrecht's Lombok neighborhood serving people experiencing homelessness, poverty, social isolation, or undocumented status, delivering meals, activities, and one-on-one guidance. Operations run three days per week with two paid staff and a large volunteer base, funded entirely by donations and Dutch foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Community Drop-in Center

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food Services (624210), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Drop-in center services
• Homelessness support
• Community social services
• Poverty relief programs
• Volunteer-led nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Funded by donations from individuals and institutional funders including government (Gemeente Utrecht), foundations (Kansfonds, Stichting Dioraphte, Stichting Armoedefonds, Stichting Rotterdam, Protestantse Diaconie Utrecht, KNR-PIN, Fonds Fransiscus), Emmaus, and individual donors. The organization has ANBI status making donations tax-deductible.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ubuntuhuis is a small-scale, community-led drop-in center in Utrecht, Netherlands that provides free in-person services to people experiencing homelessness, poverty, social isolation, or without valid residence permits. Core offerings include an open-door welcoming space, warm meals prepared together with visitors (about 30 daily), laundry, one-on-one guidance with paperwork and Dutch language, and co-organized activities such as theater, music, sports, gardening, bicycle repair, and reflection sessions. The organization operates on a donation- and grant-funded nonprofit model under the Ubuntu philosophy, with all services delivered free at the physical location.

Product overview

Ubuntuhuis is a community-based drop-in center offering social support services rather than a technology product company. The organization provides a suite of interconnected services centered around its core drop-in program: open drop-in hours (Ma-Tue 09:00-17:00, Wed 14:00-17:00), warm meals prepared by visitors, 1-on-1 guidance for practical matters, and creative/educational activities including theater workshops, sports, and bike repair. Supporting programs include the Ubuntustemmen podcast, visitor story collection, a biannual newsletter, and internship/volunteer opportunities. These services operate as a unified social support ecosystem under the Ubuntu philosophy of mutual belonging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ubuntustemmen: Podcast series of Ubuntuhuis featuring stories, interviews, and background information about the organization and societal issues they address.

Products and services

• Open Inloop (Drop-in Service) A welcoming open-door drop-in service offering a safe space for people experiencing homelessness, poverty, social isolation, or without valid residence permits. Provides basic amenities including coffee/tea, laundry facilities, and a breakfast, with no appointment needed during operating hours (Monday and Tuesday 09:00-17:00, Wednesday 14:00-17:00).
• Warme Maaltijd (Warm Meals) Visitors prepare and serve warm meals themselves (approximately 30 people daily), with donated ingredients providing nourishment and culinary skill-building opportunities.
• 1-op-1 Begeleiding (One-on-One Guidance) Personalized assistance helping visitors with homework, Dutch language learning, form completion, and contacting institutions for practical matters.
• Theater Workshops Weekly theater lessons held at Het Wilde Westen every Monday afternoon (15:00-17:00), including music, dance, movement exercises, and creative activities.
• Sport Activities Various sports activities available through Sport Coalitie Utrecht partnership, including occasional sports tournaments where an Ubuntu team participates.
• Fietsreparatie (Bike Repair) Bike repair service available Monday 11:00-15:00 with volunteer assistance; self-repair possible on other days, supporting mobility and independence for visitors.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Het Wilde WestenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater venue where Ubuntuhuis visitors attend weekly theater workshops. Collaborative activity partnership for creative expression and skill development.
• Sport Coalitie UtrechtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports coalition providing access to various sports activities for Ubuntuhuis visitors. Enables participation in diverse sports programs.
• Vrijwilligers Centrale UtrechtcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolunteer center in Utrecht that advertises volunteer positions at Ubuntuhuis, helping connect potential volunteers with the organization.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Buurtteam Utrecht: Utrecht's neighborhood-based social service teams providing individual and family support, case management, and referrals. Operates in the same city and on overlapping social assistance mandates as Ubuntuhuis.
• INLIA: Dutch foundation providing shelter, guidance, and legal/practical support specifically to undocumented migrants across the Netherlands. Highly comparable to Ubuntuhuis's explicit service to people 'without valid residence permits'.
• De Regenboog Groep: Amsterdam-based foundation running drop-in centers ('inloophuizen') and daytime activity programs for people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and social isolation. Closest operational analog to Ubuntuhuis's open-door drop-in model.
• De Tussenvoorziening: Utrecht-based organization providing shelter, supported housing, and social support for homeless people and other vulnerable residents. Operates in the same city and serves overlapping populations; notably, a current Ubuntuhuis board member also works there.
• Emmaus Utrecht: Local Emmaus community in Utrecht combining shared living/working for people in vulnerable situations with community-facing activities. Comparable community-based, dignity-first philosophy and a current Ubuntuhuis funder.

Regional players

• Stichting Voedselbank Midden-Nederland: Regional food bank serving central Netherlands including Utrecht, distributing food packages to households in financial hardship. Directly comparable community food-relief function to Ubuntuhuis's daily ~30-meal warm-meal program, though via a distribution rather than co-production model.

Broad incumbents

• VluchtelingenWerk Nederland: Nationwide Dutch organization supporting refugees and asylum seekers with legal aid, integration, and social support. Overlapping beneficiary population with Ubuntuhuis (migrants, undocumented) but broader policy and advocacy mandate.
• Leger des Heils Nederland: Dutch arm of the Salvation Army and one of the largest nationwide providers of emergency shelter, day centers, and social support for homeless and vulnerable populations. Operates at much larger scale across many Dutch cities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/samen.meer.mens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ubuntuhuis
• Instagraminstagram.com/ubuntuhuis

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Ubuntuhuis