Stichting OVO

What Stichting OVO does

Stichting OVO (Stichting voor Openbaar Verenigd Onderwijs in Gorinchem en de regio) is a Dutch public education foundation founded in 2003, operating 16 schools in the Gorinchem and Hardinxveld-Giessendam region: 11 primary schools (basisonderwijs) and 5 secondary schools (voortgezet onderwijs). The foundation serves students ages 2-18 through diverse pedagogical approaches including Montessori, Dalton, and Jenaplan methodologies, unified under the OVO DNA values of Open, Connect (Verbinden), and Develop (Ontwikkelen). Secondary schools span the full Dutch educational spectrum from practical education (praktijkonderwijs) and vmbo through mavo, havo, and atheneum to gymnasium, including a Technasium program at Fortes Lyceum and an international school (ISK De Toekomst).

The foundation is supplemented by enrichment programs — most notably GOcademy and the Rijke Ontwikkeldag Gorinchem (ROG) — which provide after-school activities in sports, culture, technology, and talent development in partnership with the Municipality of Gorinchem and various local organizations. The technology stack is standard enterprise educational tooling: Microsoft 365, Google Admin, and COOL-Admin for learning and device management across the 16 schools.

OVO is a non-profit foundation funded primarily by Dutch government education appropriations disbursed through DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs). Education is free at the point of delivery as mandated by Dutch law, with no tuition fees. The organization is governed by a sole bestuurder (Nicole Hermans, since March 2023) and supervised by a 5-7 member Raad van Toezicht appointed by municipal councils. OVO has been recognized as an ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) since January 2017. Recent strategic moves include the May 2025 cooperation agreements with Yulius Onderwijs, SWV Munio, and Da Vinci College, and upcoming physical expansions (Omnia College relocation in January 2026 and a new specialized secondary education location in September 2026) under the 2024-2027 strategic plan.

Name

Stichting OVO

Legal name

Stichting OVO

Website

https://stichtingovo.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Stichting OVO is a Dutch public education foundation operating 16 schools (11 primary, 5 secondary) in Gorinchem and Hardinxveld-Giessendam, serving students ages 2-18 with free, government-funded education across Montessori, Dalton, and Jenaplan pedagogical approaches.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary and Secondary Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Virtual & Blended Learning Programs (District-Run) (EDAJAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Title I & Compensatory Education Programs (EDAJAGAJ)

Keywords

• Public primary education
• Public secondary education
• Educational foundation services
• Montessori and Dalton schools
• After-school enrichment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Gorinchem

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a public education foundation in the Netherlands, Stichting OVO receives government funding from the Dutch government (via DUO - Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) to operate its schools. This is the primary revenue source for the organization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Stichting OVO is a non-profit education foundation that operates 16 schools (11 primary and 5 secondary) in the Gorinchem and Hardinxveld-Giessendam region of the Netherlands, delivering free public primary and secondary education to students ages 2-18. The foundation offers diverse educational approaches (Montessori, Dalton, Jenaplan, and Vreedzame School methodologies), enrichment programs (GOcademy, Rijke Ontwikkeldag Gorinchem), and specialized transitional programs for students needing language support or smoother school transitions.

Product overview

Stichting OVO (Stichting voor Openbaar Verenigd Onderwijs) is an educational foundation operating 16 schools in the Gorinchem and Hardinxveld-Giessendam region: eleven primary schools and five secondary schools. Each school maintains its own identity and educational approach (including Montessori, Dalton, Jenaplan, and Dalton methodologies) while sharing the OVO DNA values of Open, Verbinden (Connecting), and Ontwikkelen (Developing). Primary schools include De Driemaster, IKC Merwede, Jenaplanschool Gorkum, Graaf Reinald, Obs De Tweemaster, J.P. Waale, Anne Frankschool, Daltonschool De Poorter, IKC Merweplein, Montessori Gorinchem, and PO de Toekomst. Secondary schools include Gymnasium Camphusianum, Fortes Lyceum (offering Technasium, Atheneum, HAVO, MAVO), Omnia College (VMBO), Vita College (practical education), and ISK De Toekomst. The foundation supplements core education with enrichment programs including GOcademy (after-school activities in sports, culture, technology, and talent development) and specialized programs such as Top Class for language support and drama lessons for school transitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Education Schools (Basisscholen) OVO operates eleven primary schools (basisscholen) offering free public primary education for children ages 4-12, with diverse educational approaches including Montessori, Dalton, Jenaplan, and Vreedzame School methodologies. Schools include De Driemaster (two locations in Hardinxveld-Giessendam), IKC Merwede, Jenaplanschool Gorkum, Graaf Reinald, Obs De Tweemaster, J.P. Waale, Anne Frankschool, Daltonschool De Poorter, IKC Merweplein, Montessori Gorinchem, and PO de Toekomst.
• Secondary Education Schools (Middelbare Scholen) OVO operates five secondary schools offering free public secondary education for students ages 12-18 across the full Dutch track range: Gymnasium Camphusianum (gymnasium), Fortes Lyceum (technasium, atheneum, havo, mavo), Omnia College (vmbo), Vita College (practical education / praktijkonderwijs), and ISK De Toekomst (international secondary education).
• GOcademy (After-school Enrichment Program) After-school enrichment program offering free activities in sports, culture, nature, technology, and talent development for primary and secondary school students from Anne Frankschool, J.P. Waale, De Poorter (primary), Omnia College, Vita College, and ISK De Toekomst. Activities include cooking, nature lessons, first aid, theater, language, art, rap/hiphop, kickboxing, sports, photography, graffiti, creative writing, singing, and DJ-ing. Operated in collaboration with the municipality of Gorinchem and societal partners.
• Rijke Ontwikkeldag Gorinchem (ROG) A collaboration between OVO educational foundation, the municipality of Gorinchem, and various societal partners to provide children with opportunities for talent development through after-school activities. Co-founder and key partner in this initiative is the Gemeente Gorinchem (Municipality of Gorinchem).
• Top Class (Top Klas) A sheltered learning environment at Omnia College providing extra attention for Dutch language for students in group 8 of primary school and classes 1 and 2 of secondary school who have a language backlog.
• Pro/vmbo Class A transitional program at Merewade Praktijkschool for students with practical education potential but vmbo potential, offering curriculum at vmbo basic level in the first year to facilitate progression to vmbo level.
• Drama Lessons Playful drama lessons at Omnia College to prepare primary school students for their transition to secondary education, focusing on social skills development.

Quantifiable outcome

• OVO schools successfully serve the Gorinchem and Hardinxveld-Giessendam region with 16 schools under one foundation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stichting Yulius Onderwijs (Lingewaal College)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2025School cooperation agreement signed in May 2025 between OVO, Yulius Onderwijs, SWV Munio, and Da Vinci College to strengthen and innovate educational offerings in Gorinchem. The collaboration involves shared facilities at Da Vinci College's Mollenburgseweg location and joint educational programs including a new vocational secondary education route.
• Da Vinci CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2025Housing agreement for Omnia College (vmbo) to relocate to Da Vinci College building effective January 2026. Creates continuity between vmbo and mbo education with continuous learning paths. Fortes Lyceum students also gain access to innovative practical facilities for projects and profile work.
• SWV MuniocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2025Cooperation agreement for educational support services, particularly for students requiring additional support. Collaboration on specialized secondary education at the Willem de Vries Robbéweg location starting September 2026.
• Gemeente Gorinchem (Municipality of Gorinchem)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder and key partner in the Rijke Ontwikkeldag Gorinchem (ROG) initiative, which organizes the GOcademy after-school program. The municipality provides support and resources for these educational enrichment activities.
• Gorinchem BeweegtminorOthersSports partner in the GOcademy network, offering children access to sports facilities and activities at Sportpunten after school hours.
• The Mall (Youth Center)minorOthersYouth organization that has set up a youth center at Vita College where students are welcome every Wednesday afternoon for activities.
• Centraal Punt (Stichting Boukie)minorOthersSocial organization providing various activities for youth including sports, music, podcast recording, app programming, and a study class for Omnia College students.
• Stichting Kindercentra Gorinchem (SKG)minorOthersPartner in the GOcademy network, contributing to the after-school activity ecosystem for children in Gorinchem.
• Gorcums MuseumminorOthersCultural partner offering educational activities and cultural experiences for GOcademy participants.
• Natuurcentrum GorinchemminorOthersNature center partner providing educational nature activities for GOcademy participants.
• Bibliotheek aan ZetminorOthersPublic library partner contributing to educational activities and literacy programs within the GOcademy network.
• Gorinchem InspireertminorOthersLocal inspiration network partner contributing to community engagement and educational initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Besturenraad: Besturenraad is the Dutch association representing public education foundation boards (schoolbesturen). It is not a competitor but is an industry body that influences policy and represents the interests of foundations like Stichting OVO in collective bargaining with the Dutch government.

Direct peers

• Agora Roermond: Agora Roermond is a Dutch secondary education foundation (voortgezet onderwijs) operating multiple school locations offering vmbo, havo, atheneum and other tracks. Comparable to OVO's secondary school offerings including vmbo, mavo, havo, atheneum, gymnasium, and technasium programs at Fortes Lyceum and Omnia College.
• Penta Primair: Penta Primair is a Dutch public primary education foundation with multiple schools serving communities in a defined regional catchment. Comparable to OVO's primary school network operations, governance structure, and government funding model.
• INNOVO: INNOVO is a Heerlen/Sittard-Geleen-based public primary education foundation operating multiple schools with diverse educational concepts. It is comparable to OVO's primary school foundation model and Dutch public education governance structure under municipal supervision.
• Stichting CVO Groep: CVO Groep is a multi-school foundation operating secondary education (voortgezet onderwijs) across multiple locations in the Netherlands. Directly comparable to OVO's secondary school arm (Fortes Lyceum, Omnia College, etc.) in scale, multi-school foundation structure, and Dutch public secondary education funding.
• Stichting BOOR: Stichting BOOR is one of the largest public education foundations in the Rotterdam region, operating dozens of primary and secondary schools under district-run foundation governance. It is directly comparable to Stichting OVO in operating model (multi-school foundation), funding source (DUO government funding), and ANBI structure.
• Stichting SOML: Stichting SOML (Stichting Openbaar Middelbaar Onderwijs Limburg) operates multiple public secondary schools across Limburg municipalities. Comparable to OVO's secondary education arm in operating public voortgezet onderwijs under district-style foundation governance with government funding.
• Movare: Movare is a Limburg-based public primary education foundation operating dozens of schools across multiple municipalities. Comparable to Stichting OVO in being a regional multi-school public foundation with diverse pedagogical offerings under district-style governance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stichtingovo
• Instagraminstagram.com/stichtingovo
• TikToktiktok.com/@stichting.ovo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichting-ovo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Stichting OVO