Include Industries, a new acceleration fund for industrial SMEs, aims to take over promising companies and further grow them together with the owner. “It is a safe option that strikes a balance between financial exit for the owner, respect for the built-up company, and continuity for the team going forward,” Ilko Bosman (44) and Daan Kersten (52) said of their new venture.
Kersten and Bosman made a name for themselves as founders and builders of 3D metal printer maker Additive Industries. They later joined photonics scale-up PhotonFirst, where they are leaving after nearly two years. PhotonFirst specializes in measurement systems with optical sensors based on photonics technology.
A growing number of industrial SME entrepreneurs will want to sell their businesses in the coming years to enjoy retirement, Bosman and Kersten reveal in a press release. “Succession in the family, however, is less and less often an option.” Include Industries says it only wants to invest in companies with growth potential and has no plans to sell the companies after some years. “The focus is on long-term value creation from which the exiting owners will benefit.”
The two founders want to use “their experience in growing technology companies quickly and carefully” to provide continuity for industrial Dutch SMEs. “Synergy between companies within Include Industries should ensure a successful transition to a new phase and provide new fuel for growth,” said Daan Kersten, CEO of Include Industries.
“We have learned that with a clearly formulated multi-year plan and a culture of openness and ambition, a new perspective for a sustainable future emerges,” adds CFO Ilko Bosman. “Especially if you combine that with solid business processes and modern IT infrastructure. We are happy to contribute to that.”
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