Oost NL
Oost NL is the Development Agency of the east of the Netherlands that operates at the behest of public authorities at national and regional levels. According to the organisation, the main sectors of attention are food, energy, health and tech. This is precisely where the start-up Comvay360 comes into play.
Comvay360
Comvay360 is a start-up that launched a digital platform for internal communications within organisations. It combines all forms of communication within one very space. The platform is based on two principles: firstly, personal communication among employees, and secondly, rooms that can be designed according to functionality and/or members. Maarten Coerman describes the software as a unique combination of social intranet, news portal, chat system, cloud storage and narrowcasting - all united in one safe and user-friendly platform, accessible with desktop, laptop and mobile devices. The technology is available to anyone from anywhere, including employees without a company computer or telephone. This makes it a useful tool for SMEs and enterprises with non-desk jobs.
Interview
How did you get into contact with Oost NL?
“We started our start-up last year with a solid first phase based on 80% of our funds. At some point, you reach the limit of what you can do. It is necessary to keep growing more time and resources. Through contacts at the local university, we became familiar with Oost NL. Very quickly it became clear that our start-up matches very well with the objectives of Oost NL. We align especially with the area of digitalisation and that is how we got started”
Could you explain to me how the process went?
“Our contact at Oost NL informed us of the launch of a new funding programme. We decided to take swift action and set up a business plan. The commission of Oost NL reviewed it and gave a favourable recommendation. Afterwards, we handed in the proposal and got accepted as the first applicant.”
It sounds like the process went very smoothly. Would you also describe it that way?
“It has gone according to the expectations. What you often witness at semi-public bodies are commissions, reporting and budgets that lengthen the process to half a year or a year. In our case, the process went rapidly. Within a few months, our proposal was accepted and soon after that we gained access to the resources we needed”.
Would you recommend that other start-ups get in touch with regional development agencies as well?
“Eurada is an organisation with 66 members, and I am not aware of the services other Regional Development Agencies offer and the funds that are at their disposal. I think the Netherlands is quite advanced in access to such funds. I would certainly advise other start-ups, also in other regions, to at least investigate the opportunities Regional Development Agencies that bring to the table.
Attaining investment is not easy. It might sound strange, however, investments up to one million euros are often more difficult to attract than five or six million euro investments. In the United States, early-stage investment is a more common phenomenon.”
Speaking of the European approach, are you also active in the European market?
“We are a start-up with few employees, it is better to do three things right than ten things half. We are currently focusing on our rollout in the Netherlands. We are having various conversations in foreign countries, however, throughout the first year, our main focus is on the Dutch market. After that, we hope to expand our network internationally.”
For more information regarding Oost NL please visit their website here. To learn more about the technology of Comvay360 please visit their website here. For any further inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact Erasmus+ Junior Project Officer Jip Lenssen.
