Maag Lever Darm Stichting

What Maag Lever Darm Stichting does

MDL Fonds (legally Maag Lever Darm Stichting) is a Dutch ANBI-registered nonprofit foundation headquartered in Amersfoort that funds scientific research, disseminates health information, and provides patient-support services for gastrointestinal, liver, oesophageal, gallbladder and pancreatic ('MDL') diseases. The foundation's stated addressable population is approximately 4 million Dutch people per year who consult physicians for MDL-related complaints, spanning more than 200 distinct conditions. Since rebranding from Maag Lever Darm Stichting to MDL Fonds in 2025, the organisation has centralised its identity around the 'Fonds' fundraising and grant-deployment role.

Its core product portfolio is a mix of digital health tools, information platforms and direct support services rather than commercial software. Flagship offerings include the award-winning WC Wijzer mobile application for locating public toilets; the PDS-test (a Rome IV-based IBS self-assessment); the Keuzehulp PDS shared-decision tool; the MijnIBDcoach patient-monitoring platform hosted via partner hospitals; the Onderzoeksdatabase, an open catalogue of 179 funded research projects since 2012; the MDL Hulplijn telephone helpline; and free downloadable brochures on Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, coeliac disease and colorectal cancer. Funded research projects such as the Slimme toiletbril (a sensor-equipped toilet seat for IBD flare-up prediction) and the Kenniscentrum PDS pilot at Maastricht UMC+ illustrate the foundation's evolution into digital-therapeutics-adjacent and care-network roles.

MDL Fonds operates a donor-funded, non-commercial revenue model and explicitly receives no government subsidy. Total income in 2025 was €11 million, of which 74.5% was directed to mission activities including a €1.3 million scientific research commitment. Income is generated through one-off, monthly and annual online donations, QR-code and collection-box giving, peer-to-peer fundraising events such as the Buik Klassieker, and recurring lottery-partnership proceeds from Nationale Postcode Loterij, Vrienden Loterij and Nederlandse Loterij. Distribution is wholly domestic (Netherlands), with no public API, SDK or commercial pricing structure.

Name

Maag Lever Darm Stichting

Legal name

Maag Lever Darm Stichting

Website

https://mlds.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

MDL Fonds is a Dutch ANBI-registered nonprofit that funds scientific research, disseminates health information, and delivers patient-support services — including the WC Wijzer app, IBS decision tools, and a research helpline — for gastrointestinal and liver diseases affecting roughly 4 million people annually in the Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Amersfoort

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MDL Fonds is a Dutch nonprofit foundation that funds scientific research, provides information, and delivers patient support services for gastrointestinal, liver, esophageal, gallbladder, and pancreatic (MDL) diseases. It operates digital self-management tools (the WC Wijzer toilet-finder app, PDS-test IBS self-assessment, Keuzehulp PDS decision aid, MijnIBDcoach self-monitoring platform), runs a telephone helpline (MDL Hulplijn), maintains an open research database of 179 funded projects, and distributes free educational brochures to patients and the Dutch public.

Product overview

MDL Fonds operates as a health fund focused on digestive diseases (MDL-ziekten), offering a portfolio of digital tools, informational resources, and patient support services. Its core digital products include the WC Wijzer mobile app (toilet finder, award-winning), the PDS-test self-assessment tool for IBS, the Keuzehulp PDS decision-support tool, and the research-backed Slimme toiletbril project. Supporting services include the MDL Hulplijn telephone helpline, an open research database of 179 funded studies, and free downloadable educational brochures. The organisation does not manufacture or sell commercial products but functions as a public health information and research funding body.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WC Wijzer-app Mobile app for iOS and Android that helps users locate nearby public toilets, intended for people with digestive health conditions who need reliable bathroom access when out in public.
• PDS-test (Irritable Bowel Syndrome self-test) Online self-assessment questionnaire based on Rome IV criteria that helps users determine whether they may have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (PDS/IRS) and prepare for a discussion with their GP.
• MDL Hulplijn (Helpline) Telephone helpline providing advice and information for people with questions or concerns about digestive health conditions, available Monday-Thursday 9:30-12:30 at 033-7523550.
• Onderzoeksdatabase (Research Database) Online searchable database of 179 scientific research projects financed by MDL Fonds since 2012, covering gastroenterology, hepatology, and related conditions.
• Kenniscentrum PDS (IBS Knowledge Centre) Specialised treatment centres integrated within gastroenterology departments of partner hospitals, offering standardised IBS diagnosis and treatment according to the latest medical insights, currently piloted at Maastricht UMC+.
• Keuzehulp PDS (IBS Choice Aid) Decision-support tool helping IBS patients and their physicians select appropriate treatment options by identifying what matters most to the patient.
• MijnIBDcoach (MyIBDcoach) Online self-monitoring tool for Crohn's disease patients to track their health status and learn about their condition, offered through partner hospitals.
• Brochures and Information Materials Free downloadable brochures and informational materials covering digestive diseases including Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, coeliac disease, and colorectal cancer, available in Dutch.

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2025, invested €1.3 million in scientific research and received €11 million in total income with 74.5% spent on mission activities

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• British Liver Trust: The British Liver Trust is a UK charity dedicated to liver disease research, patient support, and information — a direct disease-area peer for MDL Fonds' hepatology coverage and education mission.
• Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America: The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation is the largest US charity dedicated to IBD (Crohn's and ulcerative colitis), funding research, running patient support, and producing digital tools — the direct international disease counterpart to MDL Fonds' IBD work, including MijnIBDcoach.
• Diabetes Fonds: The Dutch Diabetes Fund is a Dutch ANBI charity funding diabetes research and running patient-information and fundraising programmes via lottery partnerships and donations — directly comparable disease-specific nonprofit model to MDL Fonds.
• ReumaNederland: ReumaNederland is the Dutch rheumatism foundation funding research and providing patient information for chronic musculoskeletal diseases — same disease-specific Dutch nonprofit-foundation structure and fundraising channels as MDL Fonds.
• Longfonds: The Dutch Lung Foundation is a Dutch ANBI charity funding lung-disease research, providing patient information and support tools, and running lottery and event fundraising — operating the same nonprofit health-foundation model as MDL Fonds.
• American Liver Foundation: The American Liver Foundation is a US nonprofit funding liver-disease research and providing patient information and support — a direct international peer to MDL Fonds' liver-disease work.
• KWF Kankerbestrijding: The Dutch Cancer Society is the largest Dutch health charity focused on a single disease area, funding cancer research, providing patient information, and running multi-channel fundraising including lottery partnerships — the same model MDL Fonds uses for digestive diseases.
• Hartstichting: The Dutch Heart Foundation is a comparable disease-specific Dutch health charity that funds cardiovascular research, provides patient information, runs fundraising events, and partners with Nationale Postcode Loterij — directly comparable structure to MDL Fonds.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MDLFonds
• Facebookfacebook.com/mdlfonds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mdlfonds
• Instagraminstagram.com/mdlfonds

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Maag Lever Darm Stichting