PARTICIPATION CRITERIA
We invest in independent tech companies that make a significant contribution to the digital backbone of the Netherlands and Europe, characterized by high quality management, scalability, and strategic significance. These are enterprises with demonstrable innovative strength and growth potential, led by entrepreneurs with ambition and execution power. Participation is selective and reserved for enterprises that wish to commit sustainably, through a minority or majority stake.
THE PARTICIPATION CRITERIA
AMBITION AND GROWTH POTENTIAL
Organic growth
and/or growth capital
for buy & build
strategy
TECH (ENABLED) CONTEXT
Complementary mission critical
service providers with
tech(-enabled) service
propositions
FINANCIAL TRACK RECORD
Revenue of ≥ € 10m with strong
recurring character and track
record of growth, profitable
with at least €2m EBITDA
CONTINUITY
& CSR
Demonstrable attention to social responsibility, employees, and customers
LEADERSHIP & COMMITMENT
Founder(s) and/or Management Team remain involved for strategic goals and value creation, with an interest as co-shareholders.
FIT WITH
DNA
Want to be part of
mutual cross-pollination
between the alliance
participants
WHAT CAN PARTICIPANTS EXPECT FROM DEC-ALLIANCE?
DEC guarantees continuity in technology, entrepreneurship, and ownership. Societal relevance, collaboration, and professional ownership are guiding principles in this regard. We focus on value development over time, without exit pressure stemming from prescribed cycles. In doing so, DEC fundamentally distinguishes itself from withdrawing investors and protects both companies and society against quick foreign buyers and geopolitical pressure.
FOR ENTREPRENEURS
As a participant, you retain full control over strategy, culture, and organization. At the same time, you become part of a community of like-minded entrepreneurs; not a talking club, but a place to build together. This is not a non-committal alliance: entrepreneurs invest in each other. Collaboration arises where it matters. There is no imposed blueprint, no imposed synergy, and no forced business dealings. That horizon lies with the major challenges of our time: digital autonomy, resilience, and innovative power. Within DEC-Alliance, entrepreneurs connect on substance while jointly building scale, impact, and continuity. Joining can be gradual or a one-off, allowing entrepreneurs to join and grow within the model. The alliance offers space to reflect, recalibrate, and look ahead, with entrepreneurs who understand the complexity of entrepreneurship. This creates a hub of vital tech companies with a sharp shared agenda.
FOR INVESTORS
DEC-Alliance offers access to carefully selected investment opportunities in profitable companies with proven continuity, which are less well-suited to traditional investors and are often more difficult to access. To date, investments have been made in two clusters of companies, comprising a total of ten business labels, and DEC-Alliance possesses a strong pipeline at both platform and add-on levels. Investments are aimed at predictable value development and financial results. Due to the stability of the companies and the structural market dynamics surrounding digitalization, the portfolio profile features an attractive upside with a manageable downside. Committed capital is invested almost immediately, and the model offers periodic options to realize value. Fundamental principle: return is always the result of careful stakeholder management and never an end in itself. All of this is anchored in our evergreen investment model. Without an exit horizon, but a structure for sustainable value creation.
OUR EVERGREEN PARTICIPATION MODEL BUILT ON CONTINUITY
The model is designed for parties that choose continuity over arbitrage, collaboration over short cycles, and careful ownership over financial engineering. Continuity at DEC does not mean conservatism, but rather room for focused ambition, growth, and innovation. DEC-Alliance offers a mature alternative to traditional private equity in particular .
Key features:
-
Focus on companies with structural cash generation
-
High-quality non-auction deal flow from the network
-
Entry possible through both minority and majority stakes
-
Committed capital is deployed almost immediately for participation
-
Broad opportunities for employee participation
-
Value creation from dividend streams and capital appreciation
-
Net return target of 10–15% per year
-
Periodic options to realize value appreciation
-
Focused on high upside, low downside
FOLLOWING
FUNDAMENTAL TRENDS
>50% of Dutch tech exits go to foreign buyers
>85% of cloud usage in the Netherlands runs on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud
Only 4% of the global cloud market is in European hands.
1.2% R&D intensity in digital services
(versus ~3.5% in industry)3–5 year short-term PE playbook clashes with stakeholder interests: customers, employees, and society.
€53 billion ('24) – €240 billion ('28) evergreen investment trend continues steadily in Europe
