PROFO vzw
PROFO vzw is a Belgian non-profit founded in 2006 that supports vulnerable young people across Flanders through coaching trajectories, in-school support, educational tools (notably the Motivatiepuzzel methodology), and workshops spanning education, labor market, society, and wellbeing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What PROFO vzw does
PROFO vzw is a Belgian non-profit organization (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk, RPR-0879.448.619) founded in 2006 and headquartered in Brussels (Willebroekkaai 36), with operational reach across the Flanders region. The organization supports vulnerable youth and young adults — including those facing school dropout, mental-health challenges, truancy, neurodivergence, addiction, bullying, and family/societal instability — through coaching projects, educational tools, and workshops spanning four life domains: education, labor market, society, and wellbeing. Its portfolio centers on the NAFT (Naadloos Flexibele Trajecten) trajectories commissioned by the Flemish Government's Agentschap Opgroeien, complemented by the SONO in-school support project, Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar (a primary-to-secondary transition module), Multitrajecten (long-term multidisciplinary trajectories delivered with Groep Intro and Arktos), NAFT-1G1P (collaboration with CLB and family-assistance partners), and the Lokaal Partnerschap TROEF multi-problem accompaniment model run with local governments and VDAB. Proprietary intellectual property is concentrated in the Motivatiepuzzel (Motivation Puzzle) methodology — available in School and Work variants — and in a portfolio of applied frameworks (Experiential Learning, Recovery-Oriented Practices, Trauma-Sensitive Practices, New Authority, System Coaching, Interactional Design).
PROFO's revenue model is structurally that of a multi-funded non-profit: the largest inflows come from EU funding (Europa WSE / ESF+) and Flemish government subsidies (Agentschap Opgroeien, Departement Onderwijs en Vorming, VDAB), supplemented by project co-financing from local governments (Stad Lier, Mechelen, Antwerp, Oostende, Leuven, etc.), crowdfunding and donations via Koning Boudewijnstichting, Because.eu, Trooper, and WhyDonate, a small e-commerce shop selling Motivatiepuzzel tools, and modest workshop fees (including a refundable €20 participation deposit for Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar). Services to vulnerable youth are delivered free at point of use; workshops for professionals and sales of educational tools are priced on a custom/transactional basis. The go-to-market is community-led and project-based: end users are reached via partner schools, CLB (Centrum voor Leerlingbegeleiding) referrals, municipal partnerships, and direct project intake, with recruitment of youth coaches handled through the VDAB job portal and outreach via LinkedIn (~212 followers) and Facebook.
The organization operates with 11-50 employees (LinkedIn lists ~51 people) under General Director Timothy Van Raemdonck, appointed 2 March 2026, who leads a structure comprising a board, policy team, and regional directors. Operations are distributed across Flanders through regional offices (Brussels HQ plus Kortrijk, Antwerp, and the Rivierenland area for TROEF) and a 14+ partner SONO school network spanning MSKA Roeselare, Atheneum Bellevue Izegem, GO! Atheneum Oudenaarde, GO! Talent Dendermonde, Kozi/Marco Polo Antwerp, Provil Lommel, PTS Maasmechelen, Shift Pelt, and others. PROFO does not disclose revenue figures; its funding base is programmatic and renewal-dependent on Flemish and EU multi-year cycles.
PROFO vzw firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PROFO vzw
- Legal name
- PROFO vzw
- Website
- https://profo.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- PROFO vzw is a Belgian non-profit founded in 2006 that supports vulnerable young people across Flanders through coaching trajectories, in-school support, educational tools (notably the Motivatiepuzzel methodology), and workshops spanning education, labor market, society, and wellbeing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PROFO vzw industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Support Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialized Homework Support & Academic Coaching (Remediation-Focused) (EDAKADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Homework Help & Study Skills Coaching (EDAJALAB)
Keywords
Where PROFO vzw is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
PROFO vzw business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Project Funding: EU and government funding for youth support projects including NAFT (Naadloos Flexibele Trajecten), SONO, and other educational support programs. Funding comes from Europa WSE (ESF+/Europees Sociaal Fonds), Flemish government departments (Departement Onderwijs en Vorming, Agentschap Opgroeien, VDAB), and local government bodies.
- Crowdfunding and Donations: Financial support from crowdfunding organizations including Koning Boudewijnstichting, Because.eu, Trooper, and WhyDonate.
- Workshop Fees: Workshops for professionals and organizations on topics including motivation, resilience, and experiential learning. A participation deposit of 20 euros is charged for certain programs (Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar), refundable upon completion.
- Shop Products: The organization operates an online shop for educational materials and tools (Motivatiepuzzel - Schoolmotivatiepuzzel and Werkmotivatiepuzzel).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar summer program - free with 20 euro deposit |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Workshops for professionals |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
PROFO vzw product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PROFO vzw delivers individualized coaching trajectories, in-school support and preparatory programs for vulnerable young people in Flanders, focused on education participation, labor market integration, societal participation and well-being. Its core programs include NAFT (Naadloos Flexibele Trajecten), SONO in-school support, Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar transition program, Multitrajecten and TROEF; the organization also commercializes the Motivatiepuzzel educational tool and offers workshops for professionals.
Product overview
PROFO vzw is an educational support organization offering a portfolio of youth support programs and tools. The core offerings include NAFT (Naadloos Flexibele Trajecten) for vulnerable secondary school youth, and the Motivatiepuzzel (Motivation Puzzle) tool available in School and Work variants. These are complemented by specialized programs like SONO (school-based support), Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar (secondary school preparation), Multitrajecten (multi-trajectory support), and NAFT-1G1P collaboration. The organization also provides workshops on motivation, resilience, and job seeking, delivered both as standardized modules and open offerings based on local needs. The portfolio operates across Flanders with various local government and EU co-financing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Schoolmotivatiepuzzel (School Motivation Puzzle): Educational tool for professionals to work with youth on school motivation
- Werkmotivatiepuzzel (Work Motivation Puzzle)
Products and services
- NAFT (Naadloos Flexibele Trajecten)
- Motivatiepuzzel (Motivation Puzzle) Puzzle-based educational tool for professionals supporting youth on school and work motivation. Available in Schoolmotivatiepuzzel and Werkmotivatiepuzzel variants and sold through the PROFO online shop.
- Schoolmotivatiepuzzel Workshop Workshop for professionals working with youth on school motivation, covering the theory of the Schoolmotivatiepuzzel tool, its practical application in daily practice and hands-on exercises.
- Werkmotivatiepuzzel Workshop Workshop for professionals working with job-seeking or professionally active young adults, covering work-motivation theory and practical application of the Werkmotivatiepuzzel tool.
- Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar Summer transition program for sixth-grade students entering secondary education. Combines sports, games and reflection activities to build resilience, manage test anxiety and stress, and develop learning and social skills ahead of the transition. A €20 participation deposit is fully refunded after completion.
- SONO In-school support project that delivers tailored assistance directly within partner secondary schools in Flanders, addressing each school's specific support needs for students and school teams. Active across Kortrijk, Antwerp, Roeselare, Izegem, Oudenaarde, Dendermonde, Leuven, Lommel, Mechelen, Oostende and Nieuwpoort.
- Multitrajecten Long-term multidisciplinary accompaniment for youth with multiple problems and high risk of school dropout, delivered through partnerships with Groep Intro and Arktos.
- NAFT-1G1P Collaboration project between the NAFT sector, CLB centers and the 'Één gezin één plan' youth care network, supporting the implementation of learning support centers by combining expertise from educational support and family assistance.
- TROEF (Lokaal Partnerschap TROEF) Local partnership project supporting vulnerable people with complex multi-problems via Stad Lier, Stad Mechelen, Berlaar, Nijlen, Heist-op-den-Berg and partners including Emino, Morgenmakers and MIVAS. Aims at step-by-step progress toward societal participation and sustainable work, targeting an average of 85 accompagnements per year with minimum 20% outflow to work.
- Open Workshop Aanbod Open offering of workshops across most Flemish regions on topics including job application skills, resilience, recovery-oriented practices and experiential learning. Available on a regional basis and via direct request to [email protected].
Companies that use PROFO vzw
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PROFO vzw technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
PROFO vzw partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- VDABcoreVlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding. Partner in employment support projects including Lokaal Partnerschap TROEF, supporting vulnerable people toward labor market participation.
- Stad AntwerpenmajorLocal government partner supporting local youth projects in Antwerp region.
- Stad OostendemajorLocal government partner investing in multitrajecten project and Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar summer program.
- Stad MechelenmajorLocal government partner investing in adapted trajectories for vulnerable youth.
- Stad LeuvenmajorLocal government partner in the region.
- Stad LommelmajorLocal government partner in the region.
- Stad OudenaardemajorLocal government partner supporting youth projects.
- Stad NieuwpoortmajorLocal government partner supporting Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar program.
- Gemeente Heist-Op-Den-BergmajorLocal government partner in Lokaal Partnerschap TROEF for supporting vulnerable people with complex multi-problems.
- Lokaal Bestuur BerlaarmajorLocal government partner in Lokaal Partnerschap TROEF.
- Lokaal Bestuur NijlenmajorLocal government partner in Lokaal Partnerschap TROEF.
- Arktos vzwmajorSector partner collaborating in multitrajecten project with Groep Intro and PROFO for long-term multidisciplinary support.
- Groep Intro vzwmajorSector partner collaborating in NAFT-1G1P (taking lead in Oost-Vlaanderen) and multitrajecten project.
- AkindominorSector partner working on behalf of vulnerable youth.
- Apart vzwminorSector partner working on behalf of vulnerable youth.
- Iedereen Verdient VakantieminorSector partner (IVV) working on behalf of vulnerable youth.
- JongerenatelierminorSector partner working on behalf of vulnerable youth.
- TopuntminorSector partner working on behalf of vulnerable youth.
- WerkplekarchitectenminorSector partner (SFAI/WPA) working on behalf of vulnerable youth.
- EminomajorPartner in Lokaal Partnerschap TROEF supporting vulnerable people with complex multi-problems.
- Morgenmakers (vzw WEB)majorPartner in Lokaal Partnerschap TROEF supporting vulnerable people with complex multi-problems.
- MIVASmajorPartner in Lokaal Partnerschap TROEF supporting vulnerable people with complex multi-problems.
- SONO Partner Schools (various)majorPartner schools including MSKA Roeselare, Atheneum Bellevue Izegem, GO! Atheneum Oudenaarde, GO! Talent Dendermonde, Kozi Antwerpen, Marco Polo Antwerpen, Centrum voor Aanloopfase en Duaal PTS, KA Hoboken, CLW Het Keerpunt, Provil Lommel, PTS Maasmechelen, Shift Pelt where PROFO delivers in-school support through the SONO project.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PROFO vzw competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Sardes: Dutch organization supporting education and youth development, including for vulnerable groups, with comparable public-funder model. Adjacent regional player that could become a competitor or partner if PROFO expands north of the border.
- Stichting Alexander: Dutch foundation focused on equal opportunities for young people in education and the labor market. Highly comparable mission and methodology in a neighboring market that PROFO could expand into, but does not directly compete in Flanders.
Broad incumbents
- CAW (Centrum Algemeen Welzijnswerk): Flemish umbrella network of welfare centers offering general well-being support including for youth, on similar addressable demand to PROFO. Functions as a broad incumbent with public funding rather than a niche K-12 specialist.
- CLB (Centrum voor Leerlingbegeleiding): Flemish government-mandated student guidance centers that formally refer students to PROFO's NAFT trajectories. Operates as the upstream public incumbent in the same pupil-support pathway PROFO serves.
- Centrum voor Jeugd en Gezin (Logo and lokale CJG's): Flemish publicly funded network of youth and family centers under Agentschap Opgroeien, delivering preventive child and youth support including school-related well-being. Functions as the public-sector incumbent adjacent to PROFO's commissioned NAFT work.
Direct peers
- JES vzw: Flemish non-profit focused on equal educational opportunities and youth participation. Comparable in targeting vulnerable youth in education, partnering with schools, and combining direct service with advocacy.
- Groep Intro vzw: Belgian non-profit sector partner of PROFO on NAFT-1G1P (Oost-Vlaanderen lead) and Multitrajecten. Works with vulnerable youth in education, social participation, and labor-market activation across Flanders using comparable coaching methodologies.
- Awel vzw: Belgian non-profit offering anonymous listening, chat, and telephone support for children and young people, including on school- and wellbeing-related topics. Comparable youth-segment focus and Flemish-government funding model.
- Uit De Marge vzw: Flemish youth work organization supporting equal opportunities for children and young people growing up in poverty, with overlapping funder base (Flemish government, local authorities) and similar in-school and community delivery model.
- Arktos vzw: Belgian non-profit that co-delivers the Multitrajecten project with PROFO for long-term multidisciplinary support of high-risk youth. Operates in the same Flemish youth-support ecosystem with overlapping school and local-government clients.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PROFO vzw social profiles
Digital presencePROFO vzw financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PROFO vzw leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
PROFO vzw funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PROFO vzw 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 PROFO vzw
What does PROFO vzw do?
PROFO vzw delivers individualized coaching trajectories, in-school support and preparatory programs for vulnerable young people in Flanders, focused on education participation, labor market integration, societal participation and well-being. Its core programs include NAFT (Naadloos Flexibele Trajecten), SONO in-school support, Klaar Voor Het Middelbaar transition program, Multitrajecten and TROEF; the organization also commercializes the Motivatiepuzzel educational tool and offers workshops for professionals.
Is PROFO vzw a public or private company?
PROFO vzw is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PROFO vzw founded?
PROFO vzw was founded in 2006. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is PROFO vzw based?
PROFO vzw is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does PROFO vzw make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Project Funding is the primary driver. The others are crowdfunding and Donations, workshop Fees and shop Products.
Who are PROFO vzw's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Sardes and Stichting Alexander. Broad incumbents are CAW (Centrum Algemeen Welzijnswerk), CLB (Centrum voor Leerlingbegeleiding) and Centrum voor Jeugd en Gezin (Logo and lokale CJG's). Direct peers are JES vzw, Groep Intro vzw, Awel vzw, Uit De Marge vzw and Arktos vzw.
Does PROFO vzw have an API?
No public API is recorded for PROFO vzw.
What industry is PROFO vzw in?
PROFO vzw's product category is Youth Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKADAJ, Specialized Homework Support & Academic Coaching (Remediation-Focused), with a secondary code of EDAJALAB, Homework Help & Study Skills Coaching. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.