In close collaboration with the CATCHPlus Project Office, Kennisland and DEN wrote a proposal for a heritage-sector-wide solution to safeguard the valorisation of project results after the completion of the project.

CATCHPlus, in contrast to CATCH, focused on valorisation and the capitalisation of research results. In other words, the construction and implementation of tools and services to improve and maintain access to heritage collections.

Analyses of the business plans for the CATCHPlus tools and services and the market revealed that CATCHPlus – just like the heritage sector in general – faces an important issue. Many heritage institutions are experimenting with and investing in the development of (prototypes of) digital products and services that will strengthen the digital infrastructure for heritage. However, that does not provide sufficient safeguards for sustainable management, supply and ongoing development of the tools. The parties involved in CATCHPlus were often found to lack the knowledge and capacity needed to realise sustainable safeguarding – keeping products and services available on a large scale for the long-term. Parties who can and want to take on the responsibility do not offer their services as a matter of course. Other heritage institutions and markets players are often not aware of the existence and value of the tools and spin-offs.

CATCHPlus lacks a party who on its behalf, and in the interest of the heritage institutions, can find a supplier for the tools and services developed by the heritage institutions. In other words a broker is needed who can make the link between the development of knowledge, prototypes and demos, and the further development and exploitation of these in the longer term. Although there are companies active in CATCHPlus, to date no organisation has come forward that actively engages in the valorisation of project results managed or retained by a heritage institution.

In the near future the businessplan for a heritage broker will be further developed.