What happens in the startup scene in The Netherlands right now? Find out in another Dutch startup news update!
News & Updates
Sendcloud wins Deloitte Fast 50
SendCloud a package deliver startup has won the Deloitte Fast 50 Award, making it the startup with the highest growth rate in the Netherlands. The revenue of SendCloud grew with 5463% over the last four years. Ealier this year the Eindhoven-based startup received 5 million euro in funding from VC firm henQ and existing investors TIIN and BOM (in Dutch).
Dutch Startup Fairphone performs better than Apple, Google and Amazon
Fairphone leads on Greenpeace’s Guide to Greener Electronics. Greenpeace scores 17 of the world’s leading tech companies for this guide based on company transparency, performance, and advocacy efforts across the three areas reduction of emissions through renewable energy, use of recycled materials, and elimination of hazardous chemicals. Other giant technology companies that perform relatively bad are Microsoft, HP and Samsung.
Naver to invest additional EUR 100 mln in European startups, expanding to the Netherlands
Good news for European and Dutch startups working in the areas of artificial intelligence and big data. The South Korean internet company Naver has announced that it will invest an additional 100 million euro in European technology startups, through the France-based ‘K-Fund 1’, that already received 100 million in 2016. The aim of the fund is to expand into other European countries beyond France, such as Germany and the Netherlands.
Robin Radar goes military
The hightech startup Robin Radar Systems will support the Dutch Airforce to monitor bird migrations in a radius of a few kilometres around all the military bases in the Netherlands. This will enable the airforce to prevent collisions of aircrafts with (flocks of) birds (in Dutch).
Funding
Electric scooter startup Bolt Mobility raises €3M
Amsterdam-based electric scooter startup, Bolt Mobility, has raised 3 million euro from equity-crowdfunding platform Seedrs. More than 2000 investors from the UK and the Netherlands chipped in. The round was oversubscribed by over 200%. Previously Bolt Mobility secured a record investment of 3 million euro from the angels investment platform Leapfunder.
BUX raises €10.6 million Series C Round
Trading platform Bux has raised 10.6 million in a Series C round, led by Holtzbrinck Ventures with participation from Velocity Capital and angel investors. The company will launch a Seedrs crowdfunding campaign to raise additional funds. Amsterdam-based BUX is a trading app for people with little or no experience of market trading. The company claims to have 1.2 miljoen users in 8 countries, such as the Netherlands, Germany and Germany. It aims to expand in France in the near future.
Football travel startup Homefans raises 150.000 euro
Homefans, a Dutch-Britisch startup has raised 150.00 euro from business angels and crowdfunders. The company organises group trips to high-profile games, which are tailored in and around the game, such as meeting locals, go to pub nights and play football at the club’s official training pitch. The investment will be used to offer travels to Latin America and the world cup in Russia.
Monday Read
Jason Fried is the founder of Basecamp, back in the day called 37signals. Fried is also the author of one the best little business books I have ever read: Getting Real. Not because of its grandeur, but because of its straightforwardness and little gems of wisdom. Here is another piece of wisdom from Fried: Don’t stare at your industry. Look in the opposite direction. If you look to much at your industry (benchmarking) you’re looking at the past, at what your competitors think customers want. Lead by looking outward and immerse yourself in customer experiences to understand what moves them. Ask yourself this question: how does my product make someone feel?