“We still define growth too often as a growing team”

About Soluz.io

• Founded at the end of 2018 as a joint venture between KBC and fintech company Arco Information
• Specialised in the simplification and digitalisation of invoicing flows for Belgian mid-cap companies
• 25 employees
• Revenue: 4.5 million euros

Why did you choose the Scale-Up Masterclass?

“In 2026, Belgium will be the first country in Europe to apply the new rules stating that all B2B invoices must be sent in a standardised digital format. Over the last two years, we’ve grown significantly, supported by a joint venture with KBC – and a capital injection from them as well. The new rules will mean that even more companies need our services – certainly those with international invoicing flows. But we’re hitting challenges relating to scalability. For example, we have seen the pressure on our original core team of developers increasing greatly over the last few years. We now employ 25 people, who have 25 families to support. I don’t want to run the risk of one of our developers getting ill or being out of action for another reason. How can we make our company less dependent on the core team? How do we ensure that we as leaders are less crucial to daily activities, so that our company can manage without us? This concrete challenge was what made me enrol for the Scale-Up Masterclass.”

What are the main insights you gained from the training programme? How do they help you tackle the challenges you face with your business?

“The academic context, and particularly the modules on go-to-market strategy and how you attract the right people, were interesting. For me, though, the added value mainly lay in the combination with practical experience that participants share in masterclasses like this one. There were about 25 of us on the programme: entrepreneurs from different sectors and language regions. The struggles, experiences and tips shared by such a varied group of competent people were very enriching. And there was also a natural sense of trust. Everyone had the courage to communicate honestly about their doubts and the search that entrepreneurship entails. In fact, there was one particular two-hour session with five entrepreneurs that laid the basis for our new strategy. Someone suggested an approach, someone else generously shared their contacts, and someone else drew my attention to a certain technology... these led to ideas that I could really work with. In short: we still associate growth all too often with the number of job openings. If I see someone boasting on LinkedIn about their growing team, I think: that isn’t the point, is it? Healthy growth is essentially a matter of introducing more efficient processes and technology. Then the figures follow automatically.”

How did you put that insight into practice?

“At the end of this year, I am presenting a new strategy to the Board of Directors for the period 2026-2030. I can’t go into too much detail yet, because we’re still brainstorming with management, but we want to build a Soluz.io 3.0 – a clone of our current company, as it were. By committing to open-source software and AI, we will no longer be dependent on the developers, who constantly have to write new code. That will make our company scalable, safe and futureproof.”

What impact has the Scale-Up Masterclass had on your business?

“The programme took me out of my comfort zone. It forced me to create mental space to work on my company, as well as just in it. During the in-company project (an assignment on a specific business or strategic challenge for the participants’ own companies), I was encouraged to put the insights into practice right away. A programme like this is best compared to a marathon: you need to train with a goal or competition in mind, otherwise you’re at risk of just jogging around a bit. The Scale-Up Masterclass was my competition. Would I have arrived at these insights without the programme? Maybe, by doing research at weekends and in my free time. But the programme forced me to do more than make space. Exchanging ideas intensively with lecturers and other entrepreneurs led me very quickly to insights that we can put into practice effectively.”