Antwerp-based startup Spencer collects 2,5 million euro to accelerate its growth
Antwerp-based startup Spencer collects 2,5 million euro to accelerate its growth in the next 18 months. Since the launch of its digital workplace assistant, Spencer went through a growth spurt. The startup teamed up with Microsoft and gained the trust of large companies like Proximus, DEME, Delhaize, Q8 and Port of Antwerp. For this new investment round, Spencer can count on the support of all its existing shareholders and financial partners, who confirm their trust and belief in the company’s vision.
A digital assistant that combines information and actions from scattered tools and applications, into facilitated employee-centric journeys. Compare it to CEOs, who often have a management assistant to make sure they don’t have to worry about their schedule, sees that no paperwork is overlooked, and who knows the ins and outs of the workplace. That’s the role Spencer fulfils for each employee – as a proactive assistant, on top of the client’s existing software tools.
60.000 employees worldwide
The Antwerp startup-based has been going strong; merely 15 months in, a partnership was struck with Microsoft, connecting the personal assistant with Office 365. Next to clients like Telenet, DEME, and Proximus, Spencer also convinced large players like Port of Antwerp, Ferranti, Q8 and Delhaize to implement the product and lift their employee experience to a new horizon.
This success was crowned with the Startup of the Year award from startups.be. Today, Spencer is nominated as one of the 10 Rising Stars by Deloitte, for the second year in a row. The results are clear: Spencer has been contracted to support over 60.000 employees worldwide. Meanwhile, the team has doubled in size in the past 6 months, with a clear ambition to grow to 30 team members by next summer.
2,5 million euro
Spencer defined an ambitious growth plan, including an expansion to neighbouring markets and a proposition for medium-sized enterprises. Backed by a strong partner ecosystem and a marketplace of software-connectors, Spencer is ready for an accelerated market entry. Based on the first successes and this growth plan, all existing stakeholders and financial partners confirmed their trust in Spencer with this investment round of 2,5 million euro.
“Spencer’s concept is a perfect fit for our own philosophy: making people’s, or in this case employees’, daily lives easier with simple digital solutions. Other large players also prioritise this, which is why Spencer has been able to sign on several important companies. Within Telenet, we’re implementing Spencer next month. We’re happy to keep supporting the company in its continued growth, because we believe in the innovation Spencer can realise.”
Dieter Nieuwdorp – Senior Vice-President Strategy & Corporate Development @ Telenet
“Our proposition to boost employee experience is increasingly resonating within the companies we are in touch with. With our investment plans, we want to further accelerate our growth, including a launch of Spencer in our neighbouring countries. The strong increase of our team and promising partnerships we’ve closed are essential to realise our strategic ambitions.”
Maarten Raemdonck – CEO @ Spencer
“I’m very proud to see that our latest venture Spencer is taking off big time. By leveraging November Five’s expertise and experience, we’ve shaped a great foundation and solid strategy for Spencer that is yet again gaining trust and confidence from our co-investor Telenet and our financial partners. Together we’re getting Spencer ready to explore many more opportunities and an exciting new phase of growth.”
Tom Vroemans – Executive Chairman Spencer, CEO November Five
November Five
November Five is a partner in digital acceleration, providing services ranging from strategy to development as well as strengthening the growth and market adoption of digital solutions. Besides development of innovative digital solutions and experiences, the Antwerp-based company focuses on conceiving, building, funding and running new initiatives and ventures. Started in 2008 by four complementary founders, the company now has more than 75 dynamic and passionate employees.
Telenet
As entertainment and telco provider in Belgium, Telenet Group is always searching for the perfect digital experience for its customers. Under the Telenet brand, the company focuses on offering digital television, high-speed internet, and phone services to residential customers in Flanders, Brussels, and a part of Wallonia (Henegouwen). Under the brand name BASE, it delivers mobile phone services in Belgium.