ICQ-Groep
ICQ Groep is a Dutch staffing and recruitment intermediary based in Apeldoorn that connects interim, freelance and ICT professionals with public sector organizations, semi-governmental bodies and educational institutions through its ZZP mediation, temporary employment and detachment labels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersApeldoorn, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ICQ-Groep does
ICQ Groep B.V. is a Dutch staffing and recruitment intermediary founded in 2009 and headquartered in Apeldoorn. The group connects interim and freelance professionals with government organizations, semi-governmental bodies (ZBO's), educational institutions and select commercial clients in the Netherlands, operating through four main labels: ICQ-Flex Profs (ZZP/freelance mediation), ICQ-Talent Profs (temporary employment contracts introduced in February 2025), ICQ-ICT Profs (ICT-focused detachment with permanent employment), and the Natuurlijk Inclusief program for inclusive labor market solutions. Across these labels the group runs a network of 23,500+ consultants and 1,100+ partners serving 400+ clients and processing more than 3,500 assignments annually, with reported 8.6/10 ratecard quality scoring and 100% customer satisfaction on quality.
The group's underlying technology is the CockPit ATS, an applicant tracking and recruitment management platform co-developed with RecruitNow and launched alongside a refreshed website in October 2023, which supports candidate, assignment and client management across the labels. Complementing the core staffing offering, ICQ added Het Data Kennishuis in September 2024, a specialized data solutions practice using SAP, Informatica and Microsoft technologies. The group's operating stack also includes multi-certification compliance: NEN 4400-1 (SNA), TUV NEN-ISO 9001:2015 and 14001:2015, BOVIB membership, SBB learning-company recognition and GDPR/AVG data handling standards.
ICQ Groep makes money through managed-services and transaction-fee arrangements across three contract forms (ZZP mediation, temporary employment contracts, and permanent detachment), operating on a quote-based model with no publicly disclosed pricing. Its go-to-market combines direct sales, a dedicated partner network of 1,100+ resellers and referral organizations, and inbound digital channels including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Vimeo, content marketing on its website, and email-based job alerts. Customer segments center on Dutch public sector organizations across nine functional domains (IV/ICT, interim management, project management, finance, HR/MarCom, social domain, organizational advisory and spatial/environment), with regulatory compliance under the Wet DBA positioned as both an operational requirement and a commercial differentiator.
ICQ-Groep firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ICQ-Groep
- Legal name
- ICQ Groep B.V.
- Website
- https://icq-groep.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ICQ Groep is a Dutch staffing and recruitment intermediary based in Apeldoorn that connects interim, freelance and ICT professionals with public sector organizations, semi-governmental bodies and educational institutions through its ZZP mediation, temporary employment and detachment labels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where ICQ-Groep is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Apeldoorn
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
ICQ-Groep business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Staffing & Detachment Services: ICQ Groep generates revenue by detaching professionals (in both temporary and permanent employment) to organizations in the public sector. Professionals can be engaged as ZZP'ers (self-employed), through temporary employment contracts, or permanent detachment arrangements.
- Interim Management: The company provides interim management professionals for organizations requiring temporary executive or management level support.
- ZZP Mediation: Connecting freelancers with temporary assignments, facilitating self-employed professionals in finding suitable engagements in the public sector.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Services tailored to individual professionals and organizations |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
ICQ-Groep product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ICQ Groep is a Dutch labor mediation and staffing group that connects ICT, talent, freelance, and inclusive-hire professionals with Dutch public-sector organizations through dedicated sub-labels (ICQ-ICT Profs, ICQ-Talent Profs, ICQ-Flex Profs, Natuurlijk Inclusief, and Het Data Kennishuis). Its core service is the supply of temporary, interim, project-based, and freelance professionals to municipalities, ministries, semi-governmental bodies, and educational institutions, supported by its proprietary CockPit ATS recruitment platform.
Product overview
ICQ Groep is a staffing and recruitment agency specializing in the Dutch public sector, operating as a unified group with multiple specialized labels. The portfolio consists of: ICQ-ICT Profs (ICT detachment with fixed employment), ICQ-Talent Profs (temporary employment contracts combining flexibility with security), ICQ-Flex Profs (freelance/ZZP mediation), ICQ-Natuurlijk Inclusief (inclusive labor market solutions), and Het Data Kennishuis (data excellence center using SAP, Informatica, Microsoft). The main company provides the overarching structure and shared services while each label addresses specific workforce needs: ICT professionals seeking detachment, freelancers navigating Wet DBA regulations, and organizations pursuing diversity and inclusion goals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ICQ-ICT Profs ICT staffing and detachment label that supplies ICT professionals on temporary and project assignments to Dutch public-sector organizations.
- ICQ-Talent Profs Temporary employment and secondment label that places administrative, policy, and project professionals into Dutch public-sector organizations.
- ICQ-Flex Profs ZZP/freelance mediation label that connects independent Dutch professionals with public-sector assignments while ensuring Wet DBA compliance.
- Natuurlijk Inclusief Inclusive hiring and labor mediation label that supports Dutch public-sector clients in meeting diversity and inclusive-employment objectives.
- Het Data Kennishuis Data and business intelligence solutions label providing data services to clients within and beyond the ICQ Groep staffing portfolio.
Companies that use ICQ-Groep
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ICQ-Groep technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
ICQ-Groep partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City Deal Impact OndernemencoreICQ Groep is a participant in the City Deal Impact Ondernemen, a collaboration of 80+ parties (municipalities, provinces, ministries, knowledge institutions, intermediaries, financiers, consultancies, and impact entrepreneurs) working to promote impact entrepreneurship and inclusive economic growth aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ICQ contributes expertise on inclusive labor markets and has signed for an additional 2-year extension.
- RecruitNowcoreDeveloped ICQ Groep's new website and CockPit ATS recruitment system. Collaboration resulted in improved user experience, optimized functionality, and refreshed design.
- SBBminorICQ Groep is a certified learning company (leerbedrijf) recognized by SBB, the Dutch organization that connects vocational education with the labor market.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ICQ-Groep competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Tottaalf: Tottaalf (part of a Dutch group) is a Netherlands-focused staffing and HR services provider with strength in public-sector and SME placements. It competes regionally with ICQ Groep in the Dutch market on similar temporary and contract staffing services.
Broad incumbents
- Michael Page: Michael Page is a global specialist recruitment firm operating in the Netherlands across professional disciplines including finance, HR, and ICT. It competes for the same professional pool that ICQ Groep places into public-sector assignments, particularly at the interim management level.
- Hays: Hays is a global professional recruitment group with a Netherlands office focused on qualified, professional, and technical placements including public-sector roles. It competes with ICQ Groep on professional staffing but at a larger scale and broader international footprint.
- Randstad: Randstad is the largest staffing company in the Netherlands and globally, with deep public-sector relationships through its Yacht and Randstad Public brands. It sets market pricing and holds framework contracts that ICQ Groep competes against for major Dutch government tenders.
- Brunel: Brunel is an established global staffing and project-services firm with significant presence in the Netherlands across energy, engineering, and public sector. It is a broader incumbent that competes with ICQ-ICT Profs and ICQ-Flex Profs on technical and professional placements.
- ManpowerGroup: ManpowerGroup is a global staffing leader with a Netherlands operation (Manpower, Experis, Talent Solutions) serving public and commercial clients. It is a broad incumbent that competes with ICQ Groep across temporary staffing and professional placement.
Direct peers
- Maandag: Maandag is a Dutch staffing specialist focused on the public sector, education, and semi-government organizations. It is one of ICQ Groep's closest direct competitors in the Dutch public-sector labor mediation market, offering similar ZZP mediation, detachment, and temporary employment services.
- Yacht (Randstad): Yacht is the professional staffing and consulting brand of Randstad in the Netherlands, specializing in ICT, engineering, and public-sector placements. It directly competes with ICQ-ICT Profs for ICT professionals and with the broader ICQ portfolio for public-sector contracts.
- HeadFirst: HeadFirst is a Dutch interim and secondment agency with a strong focus on the public sector, government, and semi-government clients. Its service model (matching professionals to public-sector assignments) and segment focus closely overlap with ICQ Groep's core offerings.
Others
- RecruitNow: RecruitNow is the Dutch technology vendor that co-developed ICQ Groep's CockPit ATS platform. It is an ecosystem enabler and technology partner rather than a competitor, but operates in the recruitment tooling category that supports the broader Dutch staffing industry.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ICQ-Groep social profiles
Digital presenceICQ-Groep compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
ICQ-Groep financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ICQ-Groep leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
ICQ-Groep subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
ICQ-Groep funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ICQ-Groep M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ICQ-Groep
What does ICQ-Groep do?
ICQ Groep is a Dutch labor mediation and staffing group that connects ICT, talent, freelance, and inclusive-hire professionals with Dutch public-sector organizations through dedicated sub-labels (ICQ-ICT Profs, ICQ-Talent Profs, ICQ-Flex Profs, Natuurlijk Inclusief, and Het Data Kennishuis). Its core service is the supply of temporary, interim, project-based, and freelance professionals to municipalities, ministries, semi-governmental bodies, and educational institutions, supported by its proprietary CockPit ATS recruitment platform.
Is ICQ-Groep a public or private company?
ICQ-Groep is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ICQ-Groep founded?
ICQ-Groep was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ICQ-Groep based?
ICQ-Groep is headquartered in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does ICQ-Groep make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Staffing & Detachment Services are the primary driver. The others are interim Management and ZZP Mediation.
Who are ICQ-Groep's main competitors?
Tottaalf is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Michael Page, Hays, Randstad, Brunel and ManpowerGroup. Direct peers are Maandag, Yacht (Randstad) and HeadFirst. RecruitNow is listed as an others.
Does ICQ-Groep have an API?
No public API is recorded for ICQ-Groep.