During the first edition of 2024 ’s AGF Trendcafé the conversation subject was ' money ' . In the comportment of about twenty citizenry , Rob van Straten from SkyTree and host Harm van Adrichem from Gearbox share their stories . Their narration were concerned with how external investor can accelerate invention .
Rob vanguard Straten from Skytree speak in the mobile canteen at Gearbox Innovations , Maasdijk ( The Netherlands ) .
Host Maurice Wubben kicked off the event . presently , the question arose : Where is Wilma ? She ’s out cycling , joked someone in the audience sate with regular café - goers , but also some additional visitant due to the prefer topic and location .
The program focalise on how external investor can accelerate innovation . Maurice Wubben kicked off the good afternoon .
Wilma van den Oever is indeedcycling , as she recently left GroentenFruit Huis and also maltreat down as Centennial State - organizer of the AGF Trend Café . This time , Esmee van Breugel assist Maurice in directing the speaker unit ' PowerPoint presentations .
Who ’s partnering with whom?During Pieter ’s presentment , the consolidation overview ( end of 2023 adaptation ) of horticulture chop-chop appear on the screen . In other words , an overview of ' who ’s partnering with whom ' . Pieter presage a second phase of integration , focused on integrating , and in which individual fairness firms will start out selling their acquisitions again . " And possibly , we might even see an initial public offering within the next five years . "
Pieter Vellekoop of Flynth with the famous integration overview .
Originally , Lotte van Rijn from Certhon was supposed to talk alongside host Harm about how their troupe has been able-bodied to motor developments thanks to external financing ( for those rummy about Lotte ’s history , you could read about her experienceshere ) . Then , it was Rob ’s go , the CEO of the chop-chop grow company Skytree , a supplier of CO₂ beguile simple machine .
" If you ’ve never sold anything , then you live on financing , " he deal early on on . Ten class after its initiation , the society is on the verge of generate gross for the first time .
A act of technological explanation on what Skytree does .
Doing the mathRob connect the fellowship at the end of 2021 . He has experience in the upscaling of companies . By the fourth dimension he joined , Skytree was ready . The technology , originating from aerospace , had been adapt for enjoyment in gardening .
" raiser are interested in ' whether it pay off ' , " said Rob . " They make a lot of computing . They have less aid for their carbon footmark . " Something Skytree need to modify . “We provide raiser with a licence to run . "
Currently , three organization from Skytree are operational . One in Canada , one in the newly open demo centre in Bleiswijk ( the Netherlands ) , and one at Division Q / Koppert Cress ( the Netherlands ) . Sixteen systems have been sold and will be delivered in June and July of this year . These are the Cumulus from Skytree . The Stratus , a big organisation , is also have a bun in the oven to be delivered in the quaternary quarter of 2024 .
About twenty visitors were devote a tour along various auto lines and invention at Gearbox .
FFFSo far , 30 million euros have been invested in Skytree . one-half of that , 15 to 18 million euro , is expected this year . The first money occur from the FFF . " Does anyone make out what that stands for ? " necessitate Rob . " Friends , Fools , and Family . " They put the first 5.3 million into the Amsterdam - base fellowship . " I ’ve also put almost all my money in Skytree , even though I ’m not a founder . "
Founding a company is not easy , and upscaling it is n’t either . " It ’s always choosing between the danger you take and the upper you may achieve . Sometimes we only had money for a few more months . Fortunately , I managed not to stress out . " Currently , Skytree pays the salary of 83 mass , so even outsider can realise that it can be tense without revenue .
The figures with an account from Rob who also specifically thanked Rabobank . He was ' super grateful ' to the bank building , which bring a smile to the human face of the attend to bank researcher Cindy van Rijswick . He also mentionedHorticoop , which joined last year and is presently the large shareholder of Skytree .
Holy grailThe CEO also hash out the graphics of raising money . " elevate money is quite vivid . " He shared some advice : " Do n’t go to investing funds too early . It does n’t fit their mandate to invest in such a risk profile , " jazz Rob . " They ’re not allowed . "
With four growers , Skytree is set to put their technology into practice . Those raiser also paid in advance . Skytree hopes to restrict for the Sustainable Energy Production and Climate Transition Incentive Scheme ( SDE++ ) subsidy scheme after the starting time . " That ’s the holy grail , because it cross the unprofitable top . We desire to grow a lot so that the price can decrease . "
Harm van Adrichem , CFO of Gearbox presents the ship’s company trope . The company establish in 2016 .
Increasing productionGearbox is already producing a lot . There are more than 75 functional machines . From a diminished shed to now a magnanimous mansion house in the glasshouse field of Maasdijk ( the Netherlands ) , the company has been ferment since 2016 to make automation line smarter . Gearbox does so with vision engineering . agree to Harm , he advancement of artificial intelligence service , which is now also low-priced for hardheaded applications is progressively make it possible . " The more difficult it is to visualize the intersection , the better we can contend with humans . "
Part of his introduction was a tour of the ship’s company Charles Martin Hall . Harm was assisted by John Duijnisveld , who bring together Gearbox ’s gross revenue squad in January 2024 . The ship’s company has grown quickly in late years , especially after Shawn Harris ’s Orange Wings became an investor . " We ’ve only had one expiration class in seven year , " portion out Harm . That was the twelvemonth many people were hire .
John Duijnisveld ( far left ) beside a row of 3D printers with attentive listeners including Esmee van Breugel ( GroentenFruit Huis ) and Hans Driessen ( BASF / Nunhems ) .
Greenhouse and shed"Up to ten people you may quell afloat for a number of years on money from client and subsidy , " is Harm ’s experience . After that , to scale up , more money is need . specially for hiring more people . " With our product lines , we can now support our organization . " The Gearbox team now counts more than 65 hoi polloi . " We ’re a normal party , just grown quite fast . "
Initially Gearbox ’s focus was on the nursery , however over the last years it has gradually shift to the shed and processing antechamber . " Currently , a lot of money is going into guide . LED is our big competitor . " After investments in LED , many companies do n’t really have money left for mechanisation . " That will modify again , " anticipate the CFO . It means that the money for investment in automation is now chiefly coming from multiply company , and packaging and processing companies .
Not everything could be photographed , as Gearbox provide customs duty solutions and work with patent of invention . Harm did give visitor a peek behind the drapery and explained the instauration .
" It has to hurt"After the tour and presentations , it was time for discussion and question . It was here that Pieter from Flynth made the statement that " It ’s time to get money if your troupe is not doing exceptionally well . " He did n’t refer to the company that were present during the event , but to the private - equity billet in the horticulture sector in universal . He manoeuver out that the amount of money from private equity surmount supply . Many entrepreneur Pieter verbalise to are therefore also regularly contacted by political party with a pile of money .
sure as shooting , that money is nice , but if you really need to introduce it has to injure , states Peter Duijvestijn , tomato agriculturalist and one of the regular trend café guests . Harm could relate . Entrepreneurship and invention are on the carving sharpness . " That ’s why you sometimes have a bad Nox . "
Harm explicate a demo telephone line to Maurice Wubben , Jan Willem Tolhoek ( FreshRecruitment ) and Roy van Beest ( PEAX Data )
The next AGF Trend Café is scheduled for June 18 . It will focus on the simulacrum of horticulture , visiting Concept Factory in Den Bosch .
Peter Duijvestijn and Harm van Adrichem in a conversation next to the snack bar .
Starting in a small shed , Gearbox is today settle in a much large ' shed ' , at the Nollaantje in Maasdijk , the Netherlands
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