What Blockchain Netherlands Foundation does

Blockchain Netherlands Foundation (BCNL) is a Dutch non-profit foundation (stichting) established in 2016 and headquartered at Nieuwendijk 9C, Amsterdam. Operating under the legal name STICHTING BLOCKCHAIN NETHERLANDS, it functions as the oldest and largest blockchain community in the Netherlands, connecting startups, scale-ups, corporate enterprises, projects, entrepreneurs, professionals, governmental bodies, and educational institutes across the Dutch blockchain and Web3 ecosystem.

BCNL does not develop proprietary technology. Its core offerings are community and event services: the annual Dutch Blockchain Week (a multi-event program expanded to 30 events across the Netherlands in 2025 with a 2026 edition already announced) and Dutch Blockchain Days (a 3-day flagship conference held at Meervaart Amsterdam with 50+ partners and ~600 attendees in 2024). The Education Taskforce provides structured engagement across HBO, MBO, and WO educational tracks in partnership with institutions including Hogeschool Utrecht and Saxion University. Adjacent offerings include the Cryptotakkies podcast, the Satoshi's Blokhut weekly Clubhouse session, regional meetups in Maastricht/Eindhoven/Nijmegen/Amsterdam, the Dutch Blockchain Awards co-hosted with Deloitte and Computable, and WhatsApp/Telegram community groups segmented by topic.

The foundation operates on a community-led go-to-market. Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership fees invoiced per calendar year in EUR, supplemented by partner sponsorship for flagship events with partners including Bitvavo, Ripple, Deloitte, OKx, Kraken, Alibaba Cloud, Bybit, Flow Traders, Chainalysis, Techleap, the Dutch Blockchain Coalition, and EY. The organization is GDPR-compliant and serves the Netherlands with stated reach into Belgium and Luxembourg.

Name

Blockchain Netherlands Foundation

Legal name

STICHTING BLOCKCHAIN NETHERLANDS

Website

https://bcnl.foundation

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Blockchain Netherlands Foundation (BCNL) is a Dutch non-profit foundation established in 2016 that operates the oldest and largest blockchain community in the Netherlands, connecting startups, corporates, regulators, and educational institutions through annual memberships, flagship events (Dutch Blockchain Week, Dutch Blockchain Days), and an Education Taskforce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blockchain Community and Ecosystem Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

akta.pro primary industry

Consortium Networks & Governance (network setup, onboarding, rules, node operations) (FSAPAIAB)

Keywords

• Blockchain community networking
• Ecosystem partnership programs
• Blockchain industry events
• Blockchain education initiatives
• Industry association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: BCNL charges membership fees for a full calendar year, invoiced annually in EUR. Members include startups, scale-ups, enterprises, and individuals in the blockchain/crypto space.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Blockchain Netherlands Foundation is a non-profit community organization that operates the leading blockchain ecosystem network in the Netherlands. It connects startups, scale-ups, corporates, government bodies, and educational institutions through paid annual membership, flagship events (Dutch Blockchain Week and Dutch Blockchain Days), city meetups, the Education Taskforce, and a partner sponsorship program. Revenue is generated primarily through membership fees and partner sponsorships.

Product overview

BCNL Foundation operates as a community ecosystem rather than a traditional product company. Its core offerings consist of community networking services, annual flagship events (Dutch Blockchain Week and Dutch Blockchain Days), an Education Taskforce for blockchain education initiatives, regular city meetups, a newsletter service, and dedicated WhatsApp community groups for focused discussions. The organization connects blockchain startups, enterprises, entrepreneurs, professionals, government bodies, and educational institutions to foster collaboration and advance blockchain adoption in the Netherlands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BCNL Membership (Community Network) Paid annual membership giving Dutch blockchain startups, scale-ups, corporates, professionals, and individuals access to the BCNL community network, partner introductions, ecosystem visibility, and invitation to private networking activities.
• Dutch Blockchain Week Annual flagship blockchain event week featuring a 2-day conference in Amsterdam, executive dinners, niche meetups, sports showcases, networking activities, and side events held across Dutch cities, with the 2025 edition running 30 events nationwide.
• Dutch Blockchain Days Annual leading Dutch multi-day conference dedicated to blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Web3, combining substantive programming with networking opportunities; 2024 edition at Meervaart Amsterdam featured 25 breakout sessions and 50+ partners.
• BCNL Education Taskforce BCNL initiative that develops blockchain education in the Netherlands across HBO, MBO, and WO institutions, delivering guest lectures, workshops, curriculum support, student internships, and research collaborations such as the Web3 Lab at Hogeschool Utrecht.
• BCNL Meetups
• BCNL Partnership Program Sponsored partnership tiers (Ecosystem Partner, Media Partner, GTM Partner) for companies seeking visibility, brand association, and collaboration within the Dutch blockchain ecosystem.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• W3BWAVEcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 October 2024BCNL Foundation joined as an ecosystem partner for the W3BWAVE Talent Pool Launch event. Founder Rudolf van Ee and Education Task Force member Raoul Esseboom participated in the event focused on talent development in digital assets and trading.
• TechleapcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 June 2023Techleap partnered with BCNL for Dutch Blockchain Days 2023 and other ecosystem initiatives, supporting the Dutch tech and blockchain startup scene.
• EY (Ernst & Young)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 September 2022EY and HVG Law collaborate with BCNL on enterprise blockchain advisory and regulatory matters, providing expertise to the ecosystem.
• Dutch Blockchain CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2021The Dutch Blockchain Coalition collaborates with BCNL on ecosystem initiatives, education, and industry development projects.
• ComputablecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 November 2019Computable serves as the technical infrastructure partner for the Dutch Blockchain Awards and provides press coverage for BCNL events and ecosystem news.
• BitvavocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBitvavo is an official partner of BCNL, providing cryptocurrency exchange services to the Dutch ecosystem. Bitvavo supports BCNL events including networking drinks and community activities.
• RipplecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRipple is an official partner of BCNL, offering blockchain solutions for cross-border payments. Ripple has been featured in BCNL news and events, sharing insights on regulatory developments.
• Deloitte NetherlandscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDeloitte NL officially joined as an official partner in May 2023. Deloitte's Head of Blockchain participates in BCNL activities and the firm hosts the Dutch Blockchain Awards ceremony.
• OKxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOKx is an official partner of BCNL, providing cryptocurrency exchange services and participating in ecosystem events.
• KrakenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKraken is an official partner of BCNL, supporting the Dutch blockchain community through events and partnerships.
• Alibaba CloudminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlibaba Cloud is an official partner of BCNL, providing cloud infrastructure support for the ecosystem.
• BybitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBybit is an official partner of BCNL, engaging with the Dutch blockchain community.
• Flow TraderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlow Traders is a key ecosystem partner that hosts the W3BWAVE Talent Pool Launch event at their Amsterdam office, demonstrating commitment to talent development in digital assets.
• CoinmerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoinmerce is a Dutch crypto exchange platform that is part of the BCNL ecosystem, with founder Nick Smits actively involved in community activities.
• BLOXminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBLOX is a partner in the BCNL ecosystem, providing blockchain and crypto services.
• Hogeschool UtrechtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHogeschool Utrecht collaborates with BCNL's Education Taskforce on blockchain education, including the Web3 Lab initiative for student research and knowledge sharing.
• Saxion UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaxion University of Applied Sciences published the 'Basisboek Blockchain' (Basic Blockchain Book) in collaboration with BCNL's educational efforts.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dutch Blockchain Coalition: Dutch multi-stakeholder coalition focused on blockchain ecosystem development in the Netherlands; explicitly listed as a BCNL partner and shares overlapping objectives (education, policy, ecosystem building) within the same geography.
• Bitcoin Wednesday: Amsterdam-based grassroots blockchain and Bitcoin community organizing recurring meetups and education events; competes for the same Dutch crypto-curious audience and sponsor pool that BCNL targets.
• European Blockchain Association: Pan-European non-profit industry association for blockchain and DLT, focused on policy advocacy and ecosystem development; overlaps with BCNL's mission and corporate membership base at a larger geographic scale.
• Techleap: Dutch tech-startup ecosystem support organization with overlapping corporate partners (Deloitte, etc.) and partnership ties to BCNL; comparable in mission (startup acceleration, ecosystem building) within the same geography.
• Web3 Foundation: Swiss foundation stewarding the Polkadot/Web3 ecosystem through grants, education and ecosystem coordination; structurally analogous to BCNL as a blockchain-focused foundation, though operating at global rather than regional scale.

Regional players

• Crypto Valley Association: Swiss non-profit association building the Crypto Valley blockchain ecosystem through events, education and policy advocacy; a close structural analog to BCNL operating in a different geography (Switzerland vs. Netherlands).
• Blockchain Hub Berlin: German blockchain ecosystem and education initiative operating blockchain meetups, hackathons and educational content; comparable model to BCNL with a focus on a different DACH geography.

Broad incumbents

• Ethereum Foundation: Swiss non-profit stewarding the Ethereum protocol and broader ecosystem through grants, research and community events; an established blockchain foundation with overlapping governance and ecosystem-building mandate, but at protocol-level scale rather than regional.

Others

• Chainalysis: Blockchain analytics and compliance vendor listed as a BCNL ecosystem partner; adjacent to BCNL's mission as an infrastructure provider supporting the Dutch blockchain community rather than a direct competitor.
• Deloitte Netherlands (Blockchain practice): Big Four firm and core BCNL partner that co-hosts the Dutch Blockchain Awards; operates an enterprise blockchain advisory practice that overlaps with BCNL's enterprise-member segment and is a key sponsorship contributor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCygPNEMu1qFUcwB2T2yB3-w
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bcnlfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/bcnlfoundation
• Xx.com/BCNLfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Blockchain Netherlands Foundation