Fintech startup InvoiceFinance, the innovative Dutch city bike brand VanMoof and VIBES.technology have closed big investment rounds to accelerate their growth. While InvoiceFinance has landed an investment of 6 million euros to become the market leader of their sector, VanMoof has closed an investment of 4 million euros to meet the ever-increasing demand for its iconic bikes. Additionally, the software company VIBES.technology has landed a 300.000 euro investment made by UNIIQ.
InvoiceFinance
The investment was done by multiple investors in the financial sector, lead by investment fund Peak Capital. CEO and co-founder of InvoiceFinance, Sven van der Biezen, made a couple of interesting statements, following the announcement of the latest investment round. “As an entrepreneur, you are bound to wait too long for your money because of long payment terms. The money is basically yours, but you can’t reach it yet. This situation can be avoided. InvoiceFinance provides companies with a solution, by providing complete advances on invoices on the same day that they are being sent. This comes in handy when you need money straight away.”
InvoiceFinance was founded in 2015. The company basically provides flexible overdraft facilities based on outstanding invoices. Effectively, the money can be spent almost immediately, as it is deposited by InvoiceFinance within 24 hours. Creating a InvoiceFinance-account is free and done in five minutes. Having an account will also enable you to have more insight on costs.
Van der Biezen: “There are more developers and data scientists active at InvoiceFinance than actual credit analysts. This was made possible because of the full automation of our platform. Because of this we can also charge at lower rates and have better insight on potential risks.
VanMoof
This company, which is lead by the Dutch brothers Taco and Ties Carlier since 2009, has allegedly designed “the world’s smartest city bike” by stripping out unnecessary parts, improving the essentials, and adding smart technology. Its iconic bikes combine integrated design with smart technology to help people move around cities more freely. Having a proven track record in Europe, the United States and Asia, the bike has attracted fans all over the world. VanMoof has won multiple awards and has become a sought-after brand for city dwellers. In addition to online sales, the company has its own brand stores in Amsterdam, Tokyo, Berlin, Taipei and New York.
And now, the Dutch venture capital firm Slingshot has invested 4 million euros in VanMoof. This investment will enable VanMoof to meet the ever-increasing international demand for their smart bikes. Taco Carlier, VanMoof founder, stated the following: “Slingshot’s entrepreneurial approach is a perfect match for us. We are not just looking for a financial contribution. Slingshot is actively involved with the companies in which it invests. We believe its experience, hands-on mentality and the interaction with their network of successful entrepreneurs will provide the support we need to achieve our ambitions.”
Tom Kist, Managing Partner at Slingshot, made a statement as well: “VanMoof’s fantastic smart bikes will conquer the world. VanMoof is in the right place at the right time: every major city in the world is investing in cycling infrastructure. The industry-leading technology embedded in its bikes will help congested global cities become efficient accessible metropoles. We support VanMoof’s ambitions and are convinced they’ll achieve their goals.”
VIBES.technology
Innovative software company VIBES.technology has received a capital injection of 300.000 euros from UNIIQ and regional partners. This was announced on October 6th by Theun Baller, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at TU Delft. The startup helps manufacturers of cars and other products eliminate vibrations and noise at an early stage in the design process. The technology, which uses dynamic substructuring, separates a product into components. Subsquently, the effect of each specific component on the vibration and noise level can therefore be mapped individually.
VIBES.technology’s co-founder Daniël van den Bosch stated the following: “Not only does this improve user experience, it also extends a product’s life cycle.” Major industries, amongst which BMW Group, use the expertise of VIBES.technology. Concluding, VIBES.technology’s other co-founder Maarten van der Kooij also made a statement. “We expect the solution we are working on to provide a solid basis for a product that will enable industry-wide efficiency gains in design processes aimed at noise and vibration reduction. Rabobank Zuid-Holland Midden will also support us with a contribution from their innovation fund.”