How Brenger makes big goods transportation sustainable

‘The idea came when my ex-girlfriend's mother had left her phone in Doetinchem and asked if I could pick it up from Utrecht,’ says Koedam. ‘Sending it by mail was not an option in this case, so that would take a whole day's travel. There had to be an easier way, I thought.’ Koedam discovered that there were platforms for passenger transport, such as Uber, but no efficient solution for transporting (large) items.

In 2016, Koedam and Van der Have, former fellow students from Groningen, founded Brenger to fill this gap in the market. Koedam: ‘People often rent a van. That costs time, money and effort. At Brenger we link transport orders to routes of (independent) couriers who are already on the road anyway. So we use unused capacity of these vans.’

Brenger focuses on reducing CO2 emissions by utilizing the capacity of courier vans and encouraging second-hand purchases. ‘This is in line with the energy transition Rabobank is pursuing,’ says Peri Bakr, Startup & Scale-up banker at Rabobank. Koedam: ‘In the initial phase, I stood at a gas station one afternoon and, while filling up their van, asked people if they would be willing to transport stuff via our platform and what they would pay for it.’

In addition, Brenger is committed to inclusiveness. ‘Our system has been modified to prevent discrimination in the selection of couriers,’ Koedam explains. By using an algorithm instead of consumer choice, all couriers, regardless of name or background, are given equal opportunities. Brenger uses advanced algorithms to combine transports efficiently. With a courier app, drivers manage their schedules, including non-Brenger transports. The app provides suggestions for additional trips on existing routes, showing exactly how much time and mileage they cost and what they generate.

A partnership with Marktplaats in 2018 heralded an important growth phase for Brenger. Koedam: ‘We noticed that many people were selling large items such as furniture through Marktplaats, but that transportation was an obstacle. By collaborating with Marktplaats, we were able to solve this.’ The partnership has since expanded. ‘This year we integrated our service directly into their platform, allowing users to arrange transportation with one click. This makes buying and selling large (used) items easier.’

Rabobank provided debt financing of €1 million under the IBSK (Innovative Security Credit) scheme, which allowed Brenger to scale up without issuing shares. Bakr: ‘We immediately saw Brenger's potential in 2022 as an innovative software company with a positive market impact, especially in terms of sustainability. The partnership with Marktplaats confirms the demand for their service and shows their growth potential. We are proud to support this financially and strategically.’

Koedam: ‘For us, this was ideal to grow further and expand our technology without selling shares. Rabobank's support also gives confidence to other investors.’ But the collaboration went beyond financing. ‘Rabobank also shared its expertise and network. They put us in touch with experts who, among other things, thought along about financing electric buses and are exploring with us how payments to couriers can be accelerated.’

Since its founding in 2016, Brenger has grown from two founders to a team of 34 FTE, with an office in Amsterdam and collaborations with major platforms such as Marktplaats. Koedam: ‘Our ambitions are to become the number one company for the delivery of large items in Europe and to provide the transportation management system for couriers. Ruben Hulsbergen, relationship manager for Large Business adds: ‘We want to grow with Brenger, also when they spread their wings internationally. We are exploring how we can continue to provide financing, especially for sustainability initiatives such as the switch to electric vehicles.’ Koedam looks back on the past few years with pride: ‘It is extraordinary that our idea, which originated in an attic room, has grown into a company with a large team and hundreds of couriers who carry out daily transports.’

Brenger was able to grow further at an early stage with help from Rabobank. Wondering what we can do for your startup or scale-up? Check out our different financing products and innovation funds for sustainable growth in every stage of development. Besides financing, the Startup & Scale-up team is also happy to put its knowledge and network to work for you.

Find out which type of financing suits you