Amsterdam-based Clairify, a smart data platform and IoT sensors to measure, analyse and improve indoor air quality in buildings, announced that it has raised €565K in its Seed round of funding.
The investment was led by Rockstart, Oost NL and strategic advisors such as Sander Paul van Tongeren, the co-founder and former CEO of GRESB.
The investors
Rockstart invested in this round through its recently closed €27M Energy fund to target startups that drive the energy transition forward. Rockstart’s Energy 2022 programme has started this month and Clairify is one of the startups participating. The firm has already invested in more than 260 startups and its alumni value to date is more than $1B.
Speaking about Clairify, Max ter Horst, Managing Partner at Energy, Rockstart, says, “Better air quality management in office buildings results in lower energy consumption, but also improves employee productivity and reduces Covid-19 infection risks. Clairify is addressing this large opportunity with a unique analytics product and a young and professional team. Their market traction is impressive, with international real estate companies and large corporations lining up to become their customers.”
Sander Paul van Tongeren, co-founder of GRESB, adds, “For implementing ESG, it took the real estate sector 10 years to collect, analyse and report on the environmental data (the ‘E’ of environmental). Now, the focus changes towards what matters most to real estate users and tenants (the ‘S’ of social goals). Indoor air quality is a cornerstone for the Social goals and Clairify helps companies with collecting, analysing and reporting on this important subject.”
Capital utilisation
Clairify says that the funds will help attract key hires to accelerate marketing and sales, improve customer support and further scale its product.
The startup also reports that since its roots are in Enschede, the Netherlands, it chooses to stay close to its Alma Mater, where it can recruit skilled technology specialists and the high-tech industry suppliers are also close by.
Jacob Issa, investment manager Tech at Oost NL, says, “Clairify has a convincing mission and visionary founders. They identified the air quality problems in office buildings early on and developed a high-quality solution by combining hardware and software so real estate managers gain insight into indoor air quality and can take necessary actions and offer healthy spaces to their tenants. As a promising startup, Clairify is a great addition to the tech-ecosystem in our region.”
Monitor, analyse and manage indoor air quality
Founded in 2018 by Felix van den Horst, Tibor Casteleijn and Wim Kamerman, Clairify builds next-gen software and indoor air quality sensors that transform the management of indoor air quality and thermal comfort in buildings.
The founders envisioned the importance of healthy spaces long before the pandemic and wanted to help people to work in a healthy and productive environment. Companies such as the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, CBRE, iconic buildings like the A’DAM Tower, and the University of Amsterdam use Clairify’s data to create healthy workspaces.
Clairify aims to become the global leader in indoor air quality data, analytics and reporting. Throughout 2021, it grew exponentially as Covid-19 has further accelerated the demand for healthy buildings.
The company mentions in a press release that its proposition fits the current development, where real estate investors look beyond just energy management and more into sustainability and well-being.
Some of Clairify’s current client base in the Netherlands include the A’DAM Tower, Medics without Borders, and the University of Amsterdam. The startup has also partnered with CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm. As there is interest from abroad, Clairify intends to close its first foreign deals this year.
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