Stichting Toegepast Onderzoek Waterbeheer

What Stichting Toegepast Onderzoek Waterbeheer does

Stichting Toegepast Onderzoek Waterbeheer (operating as STOWA) is a Dutch non-profit foundation (Stichting) founded in 1971 and headquartered in Amersfoort. It functions as the official knowledge center for the country's 21 regional water authorities (waterschappen) and 12 provinces, developing, aggregating, disseminating, and implementing applied research across water safety, water quality, and climate adaptation. Its portfolio combines published research (1500+ publications, 3000+ reports and presentations) with operational tools used daily by water managers.

Its core technology stack consists of multiple connected knowledge platforms: the AI-zoekassistent (a natural language search assistant over the full STOWA publication corpus, co-built with Waterschapshuis), Deltafacts (a curated factual knowledge database on climate, water management, and water quality), Wiki Dijkmonitoring (a collaborative dike monitoring wiki developed since 2016), and the Hydrotheek knowledge resource. Operational products include the App2C dike monitoring app (smartphone-based inspection and damage scoring during high-water events), DigiGids (the national damage classification catalog for water barriers), DijkCheck (online degradation-to-stability assessment), Kennisatlas Waterkeringen (network atlas), the Handreiking Inspectie Waterkeringen guidelines, and the prototype Sandtracer (satellite-imagery and AI for dune monitoring).

STOWA is funded primarily through recurring contributions from the waterschappen and provinces, supplemented by project-based co-financing from bodies such as Regieorgaan SIA / NWO and the EU's Interreg North-West Europe programme. Distribution is free to its public-sector audience via a publications portal, digital newsletter, social channels, and recurring knowledge days; its GTM motion is community-led, sitting at the center of a network that also includes Rijkswaterstaat, the Unie van Waterschappen, the Interprovinciaal Overleg, ProRail, and multiple Dutch universities and research institutes.

Name

Stichting Toegepast Onderzoek Waterbeheer

Legal name

Stichting Toegepast Onderzoek Waterbeheer

Website

https://stowa.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

STOWA is the official Dutch knowledge center for the country's 21 regional water authorities (waterschappen) and 12 provinces, developing and disseminating applied research on water safety, water quality, and climate adaptation through publications, digital platforms, and operational tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Management Research and Knowledge Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL)

Keywords

• Water management research
• Applied water research
• Dike monitoring tools
• Water safety knowledge
• Flood risk management

Headquarters

HQ city

Amersfoort

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: STOWA is a government-funded knowledge center primarily funded by the Dutch water boards (waterschappen) and provinces through membership/contributions. The organization conducts applied research and knowledge development on behalf of regional water managers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

STOWA (Stichting Toegepast Onderzoek Waterbeheer) is the central knowledge center for Dutch regional water managers (waterschappen) and provinces. It conducts applied research and disseminates practical knowledge — including digital tools, publications, guidelines, training, and events — on water safety, water quality, climate adaptation, dike management, and circular water topics.

Product overview

STOWA is the knowledge center for regional water managers (primarily water boards) in the Netherlands. It develops, gathers, disseminates, and implements applied knowledge that water managers need to carry out their tasks. The knowledge can be in applied technical, natural scientific, administrative-legal, or socio-scientific areas. The portfolio includes digital knowledge tools such as the AI-zoekassistent for searching publications, Deltafacts for latest knowledge facts, and the Hydrotheek resource. Key tools include DigiGids (national catalog for damage classification), DijkCheck (online dike assessment), Kennisatlas Waterkeringen (knowledge network atlas), and various handreikingen (guidelines) for inspection and management. The App2C dike monitoring app enables inspectors to record observations during high water events with automatic damage scoring. STOWA also produces the digital magazine STOWA ter Info and maintains collaborative platforms like Wiki Dijkmonitoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Deltafacts A knowledge database presenting the most recent insights in the field of climate, water management, and water quality, based on the latest research.
• Wiki Dijkmonitoring A collaborative wiki bundling all knowledge and experience on dike monitoring, developed since 2016 by the Kennisplatform Dijkmonitoring with water boards, knowledge institutions, and businesses.
• AI-zoekassistent (AI Search Assistant) An AI-powered search assistant that searches through more than 1,500 STOWA publications to answer knowledge questions from regional water managers. Developed in collaboration with Waterschapshuis.
• DigiGids The national catalog for damage to water barriers, providing a reference framework for the quality of various water barrier components with four classifications: good, reasonable, moderate, and poor.
• Kennisatlas Waterkeringen Provides an overview of the various bodies involved in water barrier management in the Netherlands, helping water barrier managers strengthen their network and find the right entry point for questions.
• DijkCheck An online tool that quickly assesses the impact of degradation on dikes, allowing users to check how susceptible the stability of a particular levee is to various forms of degradation.
• Handreiking Inspectie Waterkeringen Guidelines offering water barrier managers handles for properly organizing, managing, and executing inspections of water barriers.
• Handreiking Grasbekledingen The knowledge platform for grass covering on water barriers, providing support for water barrier managers, project leaders, and ecologists in their daily work on grass covering on water barriers.
• App2C (Dijkbewakingsapp) A dike monitoring app for dike inspectors to record observations during high water; damage reports with photos, measurements, and exact location are sent directly to the dike post or levee expert, with automatic damage scoring.
• Dashboard Zorgplicht A dashboard supporting water barrier managers in demonstrating that their primary water barriers meet the required safety standards at all times.
• Sandtracer Monitoring of dune dynamics using satellite data and AI, tracking sand movement and dune changes through satellite imagery and artificial intelligence algorithms.
• STOWA ter Info STOWA's digital magazine published online, containing articles about water management topics and STOWA activities.
• TOOLBOX Continu Inzicht A toolbox for continuous insight in dike monitoring and management.
• Leidraad Toetsen op Veiligheid Regionale Waterkeringen (LTV) Guidelines for assessing the safety of regional water barriers by comparing estimated strength with applicable hydraulic loads.
• Geotechnische Database Database containing results of laboratory research on geotechnical properties of soil from regional and primary barriers, collected from multiple water boards over ten years.

Quantifiable outcome

• DijkCheck-app developed to quickly assess impact of degradation on dike stability
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FlashFloodBreaker (Interreg NWE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024European water safety project funded by Interreg North-West Europe. STOWA leads development of the App2C dike monitoring app, testing emergency response methods, and training experts on emergency measures. Partners include Emschergenossenschaft und Lippeverband (Germany), and organizations from Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Ireland.
• Radboud UniversiteitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Lead executor of Future Dikes 2 project, developing guidelines for establishing and managing species-rich, strong dikes. Project is HWBP-subsidized with 13 participating water boards.
• Kenniscentrum Bever (Beaver Knowledge Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021A collaborative initiative including STOWA, Rijkswaterstaat, ProRail, Unie van Waterschappen, Interprovinciaal Overleg, and the Zoogdiervereniging. The center focuses on sharing knowledge for sustainable coexistence with beavers, addressing beaver burrowing damage to water barriers and infrastructure.
• Zoogdiervereniging (Dutch Mammal Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in beaver behavior studies, including the transmitter research project. Conducts fieldwork and knowledge sharing on beaver detection and management.
• Hogeschool Van Hall LarensteinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences participating in the beaver transmitter research project to study beaver behavior near dikes and waterways.
• RijkswaterstaatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration partner in water safety programs including PIW (Professionaliseren Instandhouding Waterkeringen), ORK (Ontwikkelingsprogramma Regionale Keringen), and various dike research initiatives.
• Unie van WaterschappencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organization of Dutch water boards, co-commissioning party for ORK program and Kenniscentrum Bever initiative.
• Interprovinciaal Overleg (IPO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization representing Dutch provinces, co-commissioning party for ORK program and partner in Kenniscentrum Bever.
• ProRailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRail infrastructure manager collaborating on beaver burrowing research, as beavers pose risks to railway dikes. Co-funder of the 'Graverij door bevers en (water)veiligheid' project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Unie van Waterschappen: Unie van Waterschappen is the umbrella association of all Dutch water boards. It is an ecosystem participant: a co-commissioning party for STOWA programs (ORK, Kenniscentrum Bever) rather than a competitor, and a key governance stakeholder.
• Interprovinciaal Overleg (IPO): IPO is the association representing the twelve Dutch provinces. It is a co-commissioning party for STOWA's ORK program and a key governance stakeholder, not a competitor but a peer institution within the Dutch water-governance ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Witteveen+Bos: Witteveen+Bos is a Dutch engineering firm with deep expertise in water safety, dikes, and water systems. Comparable as a commercial provider of applied water engineering and advisory services to waterschappen and provinces.
• Rijkswaterstaat: Rijkswaterstaat is the national agency managing Dutch main waterways and flood defenses. It is a broad incumbent partner and quasi-comparable organization, commissioning and consuming STOWA research while also producing guidance for water management.
• Royal HaskoningDHV: Royal HaskoningDHV is a major Dutch engineering consultancy with a large water-management practice advising waterschappen, provinces, and Rijkswaterstaat. Comparable as an established provider of applied water expertise to the same Dutch client base.
• Wageningen University & Research (Water & Climate): Wageningen UR conducts large-scale applied and academic research in water systems, climate, and agriculture, including water-quality work comparable to STOWA's Deltafacts content. A broader institution with overlapping research themes.
• TU Delft — Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences (Water): TU Delft's water research groups produce dike, hydrology, and flood-risk science used by Dutch water managers. Comparable in producing foundational water knowledge, though operating as an academic rather than applied knowledge center.

Direct peers

• KWR Water Research Institute: KWR is a Dutch applied water research organization focused on water quality, drinking water, and circular water systems. It is comparable as another nonprofit research body serving Dutch water authorities with applied knowledge and publications.
• Deltares: Deltares is the leading Dutch applied research institute for water, subsurface, and infrastructure. It is the most directly comparable peer, also serving Dutch waterschappen, Rijkswaterstaat, and provinces with applied research, modeling tools, and advisory services in water management.

Emerging players

• HKV Lijn in Water: HKV is a Dutch consultancy specializing in hydrology, flood risk, and water-system modeling for waterschappen and safety regions. Comparable in providing applied water tools and modeling services to a similar Dutch client base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/STOWAwater
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/STOWAvideo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stowa

Compliance2 records

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 Stichting Toegepast Onderzoek Waterbeheer