We’re proud to share our latest investment in Heroyam: a Zwolle-based social employment agency that places newcomers (refugees, asylum seekers and status holders) into jobs across the Netherlands.
Heroyam works as a temp staffing agency with a difference: alongside job placement, it offers Dutch lessons, skills training, and personal guidance to help newcomers succeed in the workplace. Started in 2022 to support Ukrainian refugees, the model has since expanded to all newcomers, helping hundreds into sustainable jobs. The company operates under strict labour-market compliance standards, and has earned a ‘Starter of the Year’ award and a place among the top 1% of B Corps along the way.
We’re investing alongside Rabobank to help Heroyam scale that impact further.
Why We Invested
Heroyam reflects exactly the kind of company we look for: where social impact and business performance reinforce each other rather than compete.
Inclusion as economic strategy: with an ageing population and persistent labour shortages, Heroyam turns an overlooked talent pool into a real answer for Dutch employers – not as charity, but as a competitive advantage.
Dignity in the process: every placement is built on genuine investment in the individual (language training, coaching, long-term guidance), not just a transaction between employer and employee.
Proven standards: Heroyam’s top 1% B Corp status is independent confirmation of what we look for in every investment: rigorous, embedded commitment to sustainability, ethics, and transparency.
“Heroyam shows that social impact and economic value aren’t opposites. They reinforce each other. The team proves that unlocking untapped talent moves people forward while giving businesses real solutions. These are exactly the kinds of companies we invest in.”
— Dave Dirks, Managing Partner, Shaping Impact
What’s Next
With over €1 million in funding from Shaping Impact and Rabobank, Heroyam will accelerate its mission: helping even more newcomers find sustainable employment, while easing the labour shortages facing Dutch employers.
For us, Heroyam is a reminder that some of the strongest economic solutions start with the people the labour market has overlooked. We look forward to supporting Bart, Hans, and the team as they keep building it.
