In the past it was the time that company Tapp created a new data logger that incorporated chips and sensors with the paper that was made from agricultural scrap. While it seemed like a good concept, launching it into the market proved to be a difficult task. “As brand new to the market We discovered that our rivals were huge US businesses with multi-million dollar revenues. To be able to compete as startups it was necessary to adopt a different strategy and a different approach to financing. It isn’t possible to succeed with only your locality; you need to think outside the box.”

Tapp ultimately secured growth funds through Scherpenhuizen as well as Freshclusive The latter having a the paper-based data loggers. “Paul Schockman, the founder of Freshclusive was our very first customer and was always passionate. He was instrumental in improving the quality of our product by continually asking crucial questions. This was how we created the product. Paul often assured me that I could return to him in the event that I had any questions, and therefore, that’s exactly my plan.”

“We met with a lot of prospective investors before settling on Scherpenhuizen as well as Freshclusive. The two seemed like a great match, like an engagement,” Niels says. The financial details of the investment will not be made public due to competition motives, however as per Postma it is similar to a typical start-up seed round.

The typical start of the beginning of a new startup

Since its beginning the company based in Leeuwarden has grown by 40% per year. Tapp currently has 90 clients from various fields, such as agriculture and floriculture. However, selecting the ideal customer group was an arduous task. “At the beginning the company, we experienced a rather typical beginning for a new company. Most startups come with an idea to solve the problem. Our solution worked and we was seeking out the most profitable way to make it a profitable. The search started off somewhat broad. We designed a functional product before looking for an appropriate market. It was not known that both the agricultural as well as ornamental industry utilized data loggers in a large way. It is fortunate that the Netherlands offers a favorable environment for business.”

“I am grateful that so many businesses truly believe in sustainability and not just adopting the term to make a statement. Our paper loggers are a perfect fit. We’ve embedded three components within this paper: sensors batteries, as well as the NFC chip. We have used the agricultural waste, and not wood fiber as the base of our paper, making our method almost circular. Nowadays, data loggers that are standard get discarded as electronic trash that is harmful to our environment. The loggers we have on our smart phones can be recycled using paper in addition to being shared across all mobile phones.”

“Initially the paper recorded temperature. But it is now possible to determine humidity. The paper measures temperatures as low as 30oC. We’re also working on revamping the dashboard in general and plan to launch the updated version in the summer of this year,” Niels says. “Eventually we would like to be able to extract 10,000 data points of the paper, without requiring the use of an app. We have no competitors that offer this.”

Tapp will use the funds to gain the needed certifications and improve the technology. “For example, we would like the paper to transmit information automatically into the cloud so that there is no need for an iPhone,” Niels explains. Marketing and sales must also be strengthened. “When you arrive to this site, there are a lot of developers who’ve created a great product. the software. However, at the end of the day, we must be able to enter the market. This is something that has been done much less of over the last few years. I’d love to see the opportunity to have a booth in Fruit Logistica, for instance. It’s much simpler to arrange today!”

For further information:

Niels Postma

Tapp

Mob: +31(0)6 4194 7785

[email protected]

www.tapp.online