Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks

What Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks does

Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks (WBGL) is the official scientific bureau and think tank of the Dutch GroenLinks (GreenLeft) political party, founded in 1991 and registered as an ANBI-status non-profit foundation in The Hague, Netherlands. The organization develops and disseminates green and left-wing political ideas, producing a portfolio of intellectual products including the quarterly magazine De Helling, research reports (e.g., 'New Idealism for a Disrupted Europe', 'Ideologie nieuwe partij', 'Voorbij het kapitalisme'), opinion articles, podcasts such as 'De Linkse Revolte', video recordings of events, and the annual Gaialezing lecture series (named after the Gaia concept, with speakers including Kate Raworth in 2023 and David Van Reybrouck in 2022). It runs Jong WB, a youth think-tank program offering masterclasses, excursions, political dinners, symposia, and youth-led research denktanks on themes such as media/democracy and water quality. The organization is not a technology company; its core capability is research, publishing, and convening political discourse within the Dutch progressive ecosystem.

The organization's primary audience is GroenLinks party members and sympathizers, with secondary engagement of young activists (under 35), policymakers, academics, and journalists. Distribution is multi-channel: a content website, quarterly print magazine, social media presence on Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, monthly email newsletter, in-person events, and partnerships with allied organizations including the Green European Foundation (which co-funds European research via European Parliament channels), the Wiardi Beckman Stichting (PvdA's think tank, collaborating on GroenLinks-PvdA merger ideology), DWARS (GroenLinks youth organization), and European Parliament PvdA/GroenLinks fractions. Revenue comes from a tiered 'Vriend van WBGL' membership program (€2.50/month for members under 27, €5.50/month for ages 27-35), magazine subscriptions, donations via the website, and implied parent-party and grant funding. Leadership is provided by director Noortje Thijssen (since 2022), supported by project leaders Hans Rodenburg and Richard Wouters, magazine editor Sara Madou, and a small core staff of approximately 14 employees augmented by fellows and volunteers. The organization is governed by a board and holds ANBI public-benefit status under Dutch law.

Name

Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks

Legal name

Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks

Website

https://wbgl.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks is the official think tank of the Dutch GroenLinks political party, producing research publications, the quarterly magazine De Helling, podcasts, and the annual Gaialezing lecture series for party members, progressive activists, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political Think Tank Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Political Organizations (813940)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Government & Public Sector Conferences (MPAGAGAH), Conference Proceedings & Research Reports Publishing (EDAGAFAL)

Keywords

• Political research services
• Think tank publications
• Policy analysis
• Green politics research
• Political magazine publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Den Haag (The Hague)

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. Vriend Membership Program: The organization operates a membership program called 'Vriend van WBGL' where supporters pay monthly fees ranging from €2.50 to €5.50 depending on age. Members receive the quarterly magazine De Helling, priority access to events, and newsletter updates.
2. Magazine Subscriptions: Quarterly publication 'De Helling' is distributed to members and subscribers. The magazine covers green and left politics, society, culture, and science.
3. Donations: The organization accepts donations from supporters. A 'Doneer' (donate) option is available on their website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks is a Dutch political think tank affiliated with the GroenLinks (GreenLeft) political party that conducts independent research, publishes a quarterly magazine called "De Helling," runs a youth think tank (Jong WB), produces podcasts and articles, and organizes events such as the annual Gaialezing lecture. Its work focuses on green-left political thought, progressive policy analysis, and ideological development for the party and broader public.

Product overview

Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks operates as the scientific/thinking arm of the Dutch GroenLinks political party, producing research-based publications and policy insights rather than a traditional software product. The organization offers a portfolio of intellectual products including quarterly magazine 'De Helling', research reports and publications, video content, podcasts (such as 'De Linkse Revolte'), and annual events like the Gaialezing lecture series and Gaia essay competition. The organization also runs 'Jong WB', a youth think tank program that conducts research initiatives (denktanks) on topics like media, democracy, and water quality. This is a political research and publication organization, not a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• De Helling: Quarterly magazine covering green and left-wing politics, society, culture and science
• Jong WB
• De Linkse Revolte

Products and services

• De Helling

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

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.

• Green European Foundation (GEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in European research projects including 'New Idealism for a Disrupted Europe'. GEF provides partial funding through the European Parliament, enabling cross-border political research collaborations.
• Wiardi Beckman Stichting (WBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly organized conference 'Groeien dankzij grenzen' with the PvdA's scientific bureau. Collaborative research on shared political themes between social democratic and green movements.
• DWARSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organization of GroenLinks. Jong WB collaborates with DWARS on youth political development activities.
• Green European FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organized webinar on green hydrogen with Green European Foundation, PvdA Duurzaam, and Milieunetwerk GroenLinks.
• European Parliament Fractions of PvdA and GroenLinkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized conference in the Dutch Senate (Eerste Kamer) on green economy and boundaries.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• European Policy Centre (EPC): A larger, Brussels-based think tank producing policy research on EU affairs. Relevant as a structural peer to WBGL's policy-research arm — a more established incumbent at broader European scope.
• Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS): A leading Brussels-based think tank covering European economic, political, and regulatory policy. Comparable as a research-publication-led policy organization, though broader and more EU-focused than WBGL.
• Tony Blair Institute for Global Change: A much larger, internationally active party-adjacent think tank focused on policy advisory. Relevant as a benchmark for what a party-linked policy institution can scale into, though operating in a centrist/center-left rather than green-left space.
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS): The German political foundation affiliated with the CDU. Functions as a much larger, internationally active party think tank with similar research, publication, and convening activities — relevant for benchmarking scale and operating model.

Direct peers

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES): The German social-democratic political foundation affiliated with the SPD. Comparable as a political-party-adjacent think tank/foundation with research, publications, events, and international cooperation activities.
• Green European Foundation (GEF): The pan-European political foundation affiliated with the European Green Party. Directly comparable as a green-political think tank/foundation, and an active strategic partner of WBGL on European research projects.
• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung: The German political foundation affiliated with Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (Greens). Structurally analogous to WBGL as a green-party think tank, but at a much larger scale — a benchmark for what WBGL could grow into.
• Wiardi Beckman Stichting (WBS): The scientific bureau (think tank) of the Dutch PvdA social-democratic party. Directly comparable as a sister party-affiliated think tank in the Netherlands, already engaged in joint research and events with WBGL on the GroenLinks-PvdA merger.
• Wetenschappelijk Instituut voor de VVD / Mr. Hans van Mierlo Stichting: Dutch D66 (progressive-liberal) scientific institute. A party-affiliated think tank with a comparable role to WBGL on the political-ideology spectrum, producing research and convening activities in the Netherlands.
• Teldersstichting: The scientific bureau of the Dutch VVD (liberal-conservative) party. Directly comparable as a Dutch party-affiliated think tank producing research publications, ideological development, and events for its political family.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JWBgroenlinks
• Facebookfacebook.com/JWBgroenlinks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wetenschappelijkbureaugroenlinks
• Instagraminstagram.com/jwbgroenlinks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks