Datenna
| Type | Private (B.V.) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Data intelligence |
| Founded | May 2017 in Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | Eindhoven , Netherlands |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | |
| Website | datenna |
Datenna is a Dutch data intelligence company focused on China-related corporate and government data. It is headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
The company aggregates Chinese-language primary sources — including corporate registries, procurement records, patent filings, and government publications — to map ownership structures and state connections of Chinese entities.[1][2] Its clients include government agencies, defence organizations, and compliance and corporate users. Datenna also conducts research on European acquisitions by Chinese investors.[1]
History
[edit]Datenna was founded in 2017 by Jaap van Etten and Edward Brinkmann. Van Etten had previously worked as a Dutch diplomat, serving as a Science and Technology Attaché at the Dutch embassy in Beijing before launching the company.[1][2]
Datenna received a soft loan from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, part of the Dutch government, in 2017.[3]
In 2020, Datenna research showed that the "Chinese government has a stake in 53% of Swiss companies acquired by Chinese firms since 2010." The Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) in the Swiss acquisitions "is either part of the Chinese government, or the Chinese government has a substantial stake in the acquiring company but not a controlling one."[4][5][6][7][8]
In February 2025, Alex Younger, former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), joined the company's advisory board.[9]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Bermingham, Finbarr (2024-03-31). "The Dutch software company that could shape EU-China relations for decades". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
- 1 2 "About Us". Datenna. Retrieved 2026-07-13.
- ↑ "Automated Chinese Industry Data". Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland. 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
- ↑ Vlaskamp, Marije (12 October 2020). "De lange arm van Beijing: Europese bedrijven in Chinese staatshanden, zonder dat ze het weten" (in Dutch). DPG Media B.V. de Volkskrant.
- ↑ "More than half of Chinese acquisitions in Switzerland have state fingerprint". swissinfo.ch. 24 November 2020.
- ↑ Zaugg, Julie (23 November 2020). "L'ombre de Pékin plane sur les investissements chinois en Suisse". Le Temps.
- ↑ Brooke, James (2 October 2020). "Friday, October 2". Ukraine Media Group. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
- ↑ Wiersma, Jelte (1 October 2020). "Nederlands onderzoek: Chinese staatsbedrijven kopen in het geheim Europese bedrijven" (in Dutch). ONE Business bv / New Skool Media.
- ↑ "Datenna Welcomes Sir Alex Younger, Former Chief of MI6, as Advisory Board Member". www.prnewswire.com. 2025-02-05. Retrieved 2025-05-16.