Successful HSD Access to Capital Event: the Place Where Security Ideas and Investors Met

03 Feb 2016
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Author: HSD Foundation

Within the national security cluster The Hague Security Delta, businesses, governments and knowledge institutions work together on innovations in the field of security. One of the main conditions for the development of innovative security product or services is ‘Access to Capital’. To support security businesses with their search for capital, HSD, InnovationQuarter, Rabobank Region The Hague, and ERAC organised an HSD Access to Capital Event on 3 February at the HSD Campus. 190 People attended the event, amongst 70 investors and 6 businesses that officially pitched their ideas.

The HSD Access to Capital Day offered security businesses and SMEs the opportunity to get in touch with investors, business angels, seed funds and to receive information about different funding opportunities. Mathijs Bouman (RTL Z and BNR) was the moderator of the event. The programme included an investors match with pitch sessions, lessons learned, a money market and the announcement of a new financial investment by InnovationQuarter and Rabobank Region The Hague.

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Announced: Investment of € 5 Million in Robot Robots Company
During the event Robot Robots Company (RCC) received funding of € 5 million from InnnovationQuarter, Rabobank Region The Hague, MAKIS holding BV, CbusineZ and Else B.V.. The Hague Deputy Mayor Ingrid van Engelshoven (Knowledge, Economy, International, Youth and Education) announced the news.

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RRC is a robotics company based in The Hague that focuses on two main areas: Care and Security. A year earlier RRC pitched their security robot SAM at the Access to Capital Event during the Cyber Security Week 2015 ‘powered by HSD’. It was the place where the first contacts between the innovative entrepreneur and the current financiers were made. The investment in RRC provides the opportunity to launch this innovative product on the European market and to stimulate further development of the health and security robots. SAM Outdoor also received cofunding from the HSD Development Fund in 2013.

Pitch
From all the applications of innovative entrepreneurs that would like to pitch their ideas during the event, six entrepreneurs were selected: Atmos, Delft Dynamics, Interbox, Sim-CI, WeaWare and ZIVVER. Previous to the event they were given a pitch training provided by ERAC. ZIVVER was appointed as the winner of the pitches through a public vote. The company received future coaching and advice as well as an interview in a business magazine to promote their innovative security solution. This award was made available by the four organising partners.

Winnaar pitch

Picture winner pitch with Mathijs Bouman, Rick Goud and Patricia Maas

Lessons Learned
Menno van der Marel (director and co-founder of Fox-IT), Wim Hafkamp (CISO at Rabobank) and Karen Sundermann (VP EMEA at EclecticIQ) inspired the entrepreneurs by sharing their lessons learned. They spoke about their (cyber) security opportunities and challenges and gave tips to the participants and future entrepreneur

 

Karen Sundermann: “Be ambitious, think big though realistic”
Menno van der Marel: “Being a specialist makes you unique”
Wim Hafkamp: "A good business plan is key”


Money Market
The interactive money market was the place to receive information about funding. Organisations such as ERAC, K+V, Money Meets Ideas, ERAC, NPEX, InnovationQuarter, Rabobank, NBI, RVO, NPEX, BarentsKrans and Collin Crowdfund gave the entrepreneurs the tools to expand their knowledge on funding and funding possibilities.  

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Would you like to be informed about the next Access to Capital Event? Please send an email to: bram.spitzer@thehaguesecuritydelta.com

HSD Partners involved

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