Still waters run effectively: how Vibrotwist is silently changing the offshore world
“They call this the valley of death,” says Stas Verichev matter-of-factly about the phase his company Vibrotwist is currently in. The term describes the notorious period between innovation and commercialisation, where tech start-ups can run aground. But this Russian-Dutch entrepreneur has already weathered quite a few storms. From missing out on investors to catching the “last grant train” at the last minute. Stas navigates challenges with the determination of someone who knows he has a revolution on his hands.
Eureka on the Maasvlakte
The story of Vibrotwist began six years ago with a moment of pure amazement. During a demonstration on the Maasvlakte, Stas saw a test pile go silently into the ground. “It was very noisy, and everything was shaking,” he says of the traditional method, “and then they switched to our method, and you couldn’t feel a thing… the pile just went in. I immediately thought, Wow, this is going to change everything!”
He can explain this revolutionary technology in surprisingly simple terms: “Imagine you’re on the beach and you want to put up your parasol. You don’t just push it, you twist it into the sand. That’s basically the whole idea.” By twisting piles instead of hammering them, Vibrotwist eliminates the deafening underwater noise and thus saves millions in noise abatement measures. This also significantly reduces installation time and makes it possible to completely remove the steel from the seabed later on.
From PhD to parasol pioneer
Stas’ path to entrepreneurship was not a straight line. “I started off as a researcher, then became an engineer, and then an entrepreneur,” he outlines his professional development. After completing his PhD at Delft University of Technology and prior working at Schlumberger, Royal IHC and Allseas, respectively, he ran a concrete mixer truck company in Russia. “I do have some entrepreneurial background,” he says modestly. That experience came in handy when he decided to commercialise his former supervisor’s revolutionary pile-driving technology.
Support where needed
Once Vibrotwist was established, the reality of running a business came into play. For a start-up, it is very important to fully account for grants and to have clear financial reports in order to convince investors. Through Delft Enterprises at TU Delft, Stas came into contact with Enbition and found them to be the right partner to support him in this. “They also help me with practical questions about matters such as taxes, which is nice when Dutch is not your mother tongue,” says Stas.
Welcome to the valley of death
Tech entrepreneurship comes with considerable challenges: “The biggest challenge remains financing,” says Stas. He hoped to raise money through a grant, but that also required a 20% personal contribution: “But my pockets were empty, and they wouldn’t accept my Albert Heijn bonus card,” he jokes. It became a race against the clock: “You’re trying to catch a train that’s already leaving the platform.” Fortunately, he managed to arrange a cooperation deal with Ampelmann and, with their help, to secure the last available HER+ subsidy before the programme was discontinued.
Now, two years later, the grant is coming to an end, and there is still no final deal with a commercial investor. Vibrotwist finds itself in what Stas calls “Valley of Death”: the period when money is running out, but the commercial breakthrough is yet to come.
“The offshore market is quite difficult, quite conservative,” he sighs. Soon, together with Ampelmann, will be able to prove their technology at sea. Only then will customers dare to get involved commercially. “And then it may take another five years before the first projects are actually up and running,” explains Stas.
Persevering despite uncertainty
Stas cannot yet say what the future holds: “In the worst case, Vibrotwist may go into hibernation. Like a bear in winter. But we will do our best to secure additional financial streams before that.” Despite all the uncertainty, his story is full of enthusiasm, and you cannot help but be convinced that their silent technology will save the industry billions and ensure that the construction of wind farms no longer causes nuisance to marine life.
Small, sharp, effective: how Flocsam is changing the consultancy game
“Most of my life has been pure luck, if I’m entirely honest,” Tom Fleuriot says with refreshing candor. But behind that modesty lies a sharp mind determined to shake up the consultancy world. From the charming Dutch town of Edam, he runs Flocsam, a company that supports companies’ legal teams without binding them to costly contracts. We spoke with Tom about his ambitions.
Tom’s story begins at defence and security company Babcock, where he worked on tenders, contracts, costs, pricing and compliance for submarine and surface ship fleets around the world. As well as offering him the chance to study law, his career progression led him to Australia. There he met his Dutch wife, with whom he eventually settled in Edam. He became Global Legal Director at Reckitt Benckiser, where he spent ten years supporting R&D, marketing, procurement, ecommerce and product development teams around the globe. This experience gave him valuable insights into how legal teams function in large corporations.
The Consultancy Circus
During those corporate years, Tom observed a frustrating pattern: consultancy projects often started small but grew into expensive, multi-year trajectories that frequently stalled or failed to deliver promised value. The biggest frustration? “All of the knowledge and understanding is housed in the consultant. I saw consultants doing this to us as a company.”
Small, Sharp, Effective
A year and a half ago, Tom decided to take the leap and launch Flocsam to approach things in a radically different way: “What I focus on in Flocsam is the smallest impactful change that you can make. We go very tiny, very narrow, very deep, and we produce a shift in working within two days.”
His process is clear: he visits the company, speaks with stakeholders, and determines within days what can change tomorrow and how success will be measured. As Tom sees it: “It’s like learning to fish. Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, teach him to fish and he’ll eat for life. Probably you still can’t learn to fish in a day. It takes time and practice, but you have to start somewhere.”. If something can’t be fixed within two to three days, Tom believes that shows it’s too complex for the next step, and risks running into yet another failing long-term project: “Focus on what can be done”.
Tom Fleuriot, founder of Flocsam
A world of difference
As an international entrepreneur in the Netherlands, Tom faced practical challenges, for example with his previous accountant. As he puts it: “They showed no interest in what I actually did as a company.” A filing mistake eventually cost him a significant five-figure rebate.
Through Portside Tax, Tom was referred to Enbition, and he describes the difference: “When we had the kickoff session, their enthusiasm for seeing how you can maximize the financial assessment was brilliant. It was a complete sea change from the previous accountant.”
Now Tom works with Gabriella at Enbition and particularly values their shared philosophy: “It’s the exact same principle. You want people to have enough knowledge that they can have ownership and that they can do it themselves if they want to. While also understanding that sometimes it is more effective if someone with that day-to-day regular expertise comes in and does it for you.”
For Tom, the partnership provides peace of mind: “It’s just the comfort that I’m not getting it wrong, particularly as a non-native Dutch speaker. It means I have to spend less time second-guessing and looking into stuff.”
Let’s move fast, let’s fix something
Tom remains committed to his approach going forward. He already has several lawyers in mind to bring on board to make legal support “sharper, more outcome oriented and more systemic.” Even with growth, he sticks to his core principle: “I am deliberately rejecting the land and expand business model where you take a client, and you rinse as much cash from them as possible.”
For companies struggling with their legal workload, Tom offers a 60-minute conversation: “They download on me what their challenges are, and then I come back and say, look, here’s what I think will be that smallest impactful change. And then it’s like: let’s move fast, let’s fix something!”
Rapid Growth with Your Start-Up: This Is How PATS Does It!
Imagine this: a small drone that swats that annoying mosquito, so you can sleep undisturbed. In 2017, Bram, Kevin, and Sjoerd also found this a pretty bizarre idea, but they decided to explore what might be possible. This was the beginning of PATS Indoor Drone Solutions. After extensive research, it turned out that the real match for their technology wasn’t in the bedroom, but in horticulture. In early 2018, the idea was further developed, and in 2020, PATS welcomed their first customer.
The Start of the Start-Up
From a start-up with three founders, PATS has grown to over 14 employees in six years. How do you achieve such rapid growth? Bram Tijmons, CEO and co-founder, gives us a behind-the-scenes look.
“Developing technology takes time and money,” Bram explains. “Especially when you don’t have paying customers yet. That’s why we made use of programs like the NWO Take-off program and the UNIIQ investment fund.” In PATS’ early years, they carried out several (paid) pilots, allowing them to demonstrate interest in their technology and that there was a market for their solution. These pilots not only provided PATS with the necessary funding but also the confidence that they were on the right path. “We saw an opportunity to make a sustainable impact with our technology in the transition from chemical to biological pest control.”
The Challenge of Financial Administration
PATS started using Exact for their financial administration. “At first, I thought, ‘I can easily keep track of this myself. It’s straightforward, and I have everything under control.’ But as we grew, it quickly became more complex and took up more and more time,” says Bram.
A valuable tip led Bram to Enbition, and he quickly decided to outsource the financial administration. “Enbition not only took work off our hands but also brought structure and insights. Thanks to them, we were able to get a detailed view of our cost flows and justify our business operations.”
Continuous Innovation and Scaling
As a tech company, innovation is at the core of PATS. While scaling up, they continue to work intensively on developing their technology. “For example, we received the EIC Accelerator, a European subsidy that helps us continue our innovation,” says Bram. “To qualify for such subsidies and properly account for them, transparency and well-organized financial administration are absolutely essential.”
Bram Tijmons, CEO van PATS
The Role of Enbition
“Enbition plays a crucial role in accounting for subsidies and maintaining an organized administration,” Bram continues. “Thanks to Bart from Enbition, we can view our finances in detail with just the push of a button. He has streamlined everything. I don’t know if he ever takes a vacation because he seems to always be available. I can call or text him anytime for advice. His hands-on approach and extensive knowledge are incredibly valuable. It’s fantastic to have such a personal collaboration!
Tip
Bram is now focused on attracting new financing and closely monitors PATS’ recurring revenue. “Looking back, there is one thing I would definitely have done differently,” Bram reflects. “I would have started working with Enbition much earlier. It has given us so much insight and peace of mind. My advice to other start-ups? As soon as you notice you’re spending more than a few hours a week on invoicing and other administrative tasks, seriously consider outsourcing them. This allows you to focus on the growth and core activities of your business, and gives you a clear view of your financial position.”
Dashboarding: How do I present my company to interested parties?
If you run a startup and have ambitions to grow, it is instrumental to be able to convince investors of your potential. An important part of this is having a well-organized dashboard. And no, it doesn’t have to be an expensive system! In this blog, Tjitze explains why dashboarding is so important and how you can use it to effectively present yourself to financial parties.
What is Dashboarding?
Dashboarding is the process of collecting, visualizing, and interpreting key data in a clear overview – a dashboard. This allows you to quickly gain insights into your company’s performance and support strategic decisions.
Tjitze explains: “When presenting to an investor, you need to not only pitch your idea and solution but also make it clear how you’re going to make money with it. Investors want to know that you have a firm grip on your finances and that you understand precisely what’s important for your success.”
The first question when setting up a dashboard is: what exactly do I want to know?
Tjitze emphasizes the importance of setting specific goals from the start. If my company is successful: what does that look like? A good dashboard provides insights into both financial and non-financial goals. Tjitze explains: “Often people remain vague in their approach: ’Just measure as many things as possible,’ or they think ‘we’ll report on costs and profits.’ But if you don’t focus on specific goals, you won’t achieve your success. That profit should be the result of achieving your objectives.”
Choose a fancy system
Set up a dashboard with your specific goals and make sure to regularly review it. ‘How are we performing compared to our objectives?’. A dashboard doesn’t have to be a fancy tool – an Excel spreadsheet can work perfectly, as long as it helps you monitor and evaluate your goals clearly.
Stay Focused!
“It’s about having clear goals,” says Tjitze. “Whether you pull that data from Excel or a nice PDF, investors can see through the fancy presentation. The most important thing is that you can demonstrate that you know where you’re heading and can objectively determine if you’re achieving your goals.”
Tjitze encourages using the OKR method (Objectives and Key Results). This method helps in setting the most important goals for your company and linking measurable short-term goals to them that will help you achieve success.
Measure, Evaluate, and Plan
Once your goals are set and measurable, it’s important to evaluate regularly. “Schedule a review, whether it’s weekly, monthly, or biannually – find what fits your business. Then ask yourself: do you think you’ll achieve your goals? If the answer is yes, great, keep going. If the answer is no, it becomes a discussion point: what will we do to still reach the goal? This ensures you constantly confirm you’re on the path to success.”
A Helping Hand
If you’re struggling to get concrete goals on paper or if your team can’t agree internally, Tjitze assists companies – whether starting or already established – with setting up dashboards through business consultancy that goes beyond financial figures. In one or more sessions, he asks critical questions and helps clarify objectives. “It’s best if an internal employee takes over the process and handles the monitoring,” says Tjitze. “Sometimes I stay involved to keep asking the critical questions and ensure the company stays on track.”
Want to know more about how Enbition can help your company with dashboarding and project management? Get in touch with Tjitze!
Populytics: from rapid growth to calm and clarity through project control
Achieving the company’s five-year goals in just eight months is an impressive feat. This is exactly what Populytics has accomplished. However, this also raises the question: how do you maintain control over your projects during such rapid growth? This blog delves deeper into Populytics’ successful approach and offers insights for other service-oriented companies.
Populytics: innovation and participation
Populytics emerged from academic research and has not slowed down since. The company applies an innovative methodology to better involve citizens in government decision-making. Through the use of Participatory Value Evaluation (PVE), citizens can digitally take the place of ministers, politicians, and other decision-makers. They engage with an issue and advise decision-makers, ensuring citizens are effectively involved in government decisions. Shira Hollanders, director of Populytics, explains: “Our goal is to truly make the voice of the citizen count. With our methodology, we can present complex decisions in an understandable way and make meaningful participation possible.”
Calmer waters
Since its founding at the end of 2020, Populytics has grown rapidly. “After five months, I fully committed and became a co-owner of the company, and we now have 14 employees, 12 of whom are in the research team,” Shira says. “Our clients are mainly ministries, provinces, and municipalities. We are now in calmer waters, which is what we wanted. We no longer need to move at the same frantic pace as the past years.”
In addition to government agencies, Populytics is now also targeting the business sector as a new market to involve employees in decisions that affect them. “We remain ambitious,” Shira adds.
From little insight to calm and clarity
At the start of their journey, Shira and her team had little insight into their finances and were dealing with a labor-intensive bookkeeping process. This changed quickly when they were introduced to Enbition in the spring of 2021. “Tjitze from Enbition helped us largely automate our bookkeeping and brought structure to our financial planning and project management. That brought us a lot of peace,” Shira says. Tjitze from Enbition adds: “Starting a business out of passion is fantastic, but in the long term, it’s necessary to have good control over your projects. This helps you manage costs, monitor results, maintain satisfied customers and employees, and, above all, ensure profitability!”
Project Control
How do you, as a consultancy company, maintain control over your projects? Tjitze offers three tips:
- Monitor projects from the lead phase. Your first conversation with a lead is the start of the project. How big is the deal? How much time can you spend on it? Does the client have a budget? Also, include the financial goals of a project from the start so you’re not surprised later.
- Make one person responsible for the project. This person should report on everything, including finances. This is what we call project control. Even if this person doesn’t execute all tasks, they maintain an overall view.
- Set clear goals for margins and results. How much margin do you want on a project? Do you always aim for 10% or 30%? Clear goals are essential for effective project management—make them measurable.
Sharing goals
A crucial element in aligning your entire organization is making your goals clear within the company. Tjitze explains: “Populytics has done this well by applying the Objectives and Key Results (OKR) methodology, setting goals, measuring and tracking them regularly. They also share their goals with the entire organization, so everyone is aware and involved in working toward the common goal.”
Enbition tailors its approach to you
“Enbition is an accessible and pragmatic organization,” Shira says. “They consider the stage your company is in and adjust their approach accordingly. They are flexible in their thinking, which is great.”
Want to experience what Enbition can do for you in terms of project control? Contact Tjitze!