KPN Ventures
Investing in entrepreneurial talent
KPN Ventures invests in promising startups. This allows us to accelerate the development of ideas, products and applications. And, it's also helping our customers move forward.
We live in a world in which new technologies are rapidly surpassed by even more innovative technologies. To stay ahead in this world, it is more important than ever to work together with talented entrepreneurs. Startups that develop innovative products that can benefit our customers. And that we can use to make the Netherlands a little safer, more sustainable and better.
Helping each other move forward
We believe that startups have a lot to offer us – and we have a lot to offer them. That is why our investment fund KPN Ventures offers them not only access to growth capital, but also to our extensive knowledge of ICT technology, marketing and sales, as well as our broad network of business partners and customers. This way, startups can grow and mature faster. And with their creativity and short time-to-market they can also improve our products.
KPN Ventures invests – directly or indirectly – in proven and scalable innovations in the field of the Internet of Things, Connected Home, Cyber Security, eHealth, Cloud Services and Data & Analytics solutions.
We believe in outside-in innovation: we innovate by learning from enterprising start-ups in the whole ecosystem. Because a positive and innovative start-up climate benefits everyone: entrepreneurs, startups, our partners, customers and us. In this way, we are helping Dutch society as a whole develop.
"KPN is in a market full of technological developments, where much is to be gained from working with entrepreneurial talent and by investing in innovative companies."- Hans Söhngen, managing director KPN VenturesJasper Wireless
We have a lot to offer startups and scaleups. And they can mean a lot to us. Our partnership with Jasper Wireless, a pioneer in cloud-based platforms, is proof of this. Their solutions help customers manage all their devices connected via the Internet of Things. This way, businesses can implement their own IoT services on a global scale. With Jasper Wireless, KPN has found the perfect partner to connect our customers to a reliable online platform.
But it’s not just KPN customers who can benefit from this innovative service. By participating in Jasper Wireless we gained a financial advantage too. That was certainly the case in February 2016, when Jasper Wireless was taken over by Cisco for 1.4 billion dollars.
Revenues from the sale of our stake in Jasper Wireless have been added to the reserves of our KPN Ventures investment fund. This will allow us to keep investing in young technology companies that are developing the Netherlands.
Actility helps KPN with LoRa
KPN Ventures seeks strategic investments in companies that can help KPN and its customers with their expertise. KPN Ventures invested in Actility, a French IoT company in 2015. In 2016, thanks to Actility’s technology, KPN was the first in the world to launch a LoRa communication network with national coverage for digitally connected sensors. More than a hundred thousand sensors now wirelessly transmit data through this energy-saving and cost-efficient network. LoRa leverages smart solutions, from dike monitoring to waste management.
Sensara allows the elderly to live independently
The innovations in which KPN Ventures invests contribute to the goals that KPN sets. For example, our ambition to keep healthcare good and affordable. In 2017, KPN Ventures invested in Sensara in Rotterdam, a spin-off from TNO. Sensara has developed a personal alarm system based on smart sensors. With their technology, they improve care for the elderly and help the elderly to live independently at home for longer. KPN Health is Sensara's distribution partner and supports the sale of the system, to healthcare institutions and directly to informal caregivers.
Facts KPN Ventures
Established: 2015
Fund size: 70 million
Director: Hans Söhngen
Objective: To promote outside-in innovation, the creation of strategic partnerships with innovative technology companies and achieving a healthy return on invested capital.