At FORWARD.one, we believe in thinking big and investing early in driven, execution-focused teams with bold ambitions to shape a brighter, more sustainable future. We were honoured to be part of Sensorfact’s journey from its early days in 2019, watching it grow from a seven-member founding team to a thriving organisation of over 300 employees by 2024. Their eventual exit to ABB is a significant milestone and serves as a blueprint for how a relentless focus on commercialisation, exceptional teams, and strong product-market fits can transform startups into top-class companies.
During our time with Sensorfact, they consistently beat revenue target after revenue target. With an unwavering focus on commercialisation, they evolved from a promising startup into one of Europe’s fastest-growing scale-ups. Their journey is a true inspiration—showing how a bold vision and relentless grit can redefine what it means to scale with purpose.
Today, Sensorfact’s innovative solutions already empower more than 1,900 customers across 50+ countries to reduce energy waste and unlock the full potential of their industrial operations. Still, it's only the beginning of their global expansion.
Sensorfact identified a critical challenge in the manufacturing world: factories struggle to save on energy bills and reduce waste. In response, their easy-to-use, hardware-enabled SaaS solutions unlock essential data trapped in machinery and turn it into actionable intelligence. This empowers factories not only to reduce energy waste and improve operational efficiency but also to operate more sustainably.
Staying competitive in an evolving landscape—where European manufacturers compete with those from low-cost countries—means having a strong grip on efficiency and digitalisation. While many competitors overlooked SMEs in favour of larger enterprises, Sensorfact recognised the potential in the small and mid-sized markets and was laser-focused on delivering value to these businesses.
Starting with a solution to measure electricity usage in 2017, Sensorfact stayed on top of market demands through constant innovation. The successful launches of additional products—such as predictive maintenance solutions, gas, water, and steam sensors, as well as OEE tools—demonstrated their ability to spot market fits and shape the future of the ‘making world’.
Sensorfact began as an intrapreneurial initiative in 2017 within the multinational energy company Engie and energy forecasting company Dexter. When Engie approached us in 2018, two things became immediately clear:
First, the quality of Sensorfact’s team. Led by their CEO, Pieter Broekema, the founding team impressed us with their entrepreneurial spirit, and ability to push forward and adapt to new market demands through relentless grit, focus, and agility.
Second, the large market opportunity. Sensorfact’s hardware-software combination creates a uniquely “sticky” solution—once customers adopt Sensorfact’s system, it becomes an integral part of their operations. This model does not only drive annual recurring revenue but also delivers significant long-term value for customers.
Navigating the challenges of any startup is no easy feat, but we were confident in our decision to invest in Sensorfact’s team and get on board as their first professional investor. Not long after, FORWARD.one became Sensorfact’s largest shareholder.
At FORWARD.one, we don’t just invest—we partner with founders. For us, this meant rolling up our sleeves and working side by side with Sensorfact.
We supported the team in building Sensorfact’s sales playbook, creating one of the most efficient and optimised sales engines we’ve seen. With a sharp focus on growth and commercialisation, revenues almost doubled year after year.
Throughout the five-year partnership, we worked closely with Sensorfact every step of the way—providing strategic guidance and aligning on critical decisions. Recognising the importance of leadership, we advised Sensorfact in recruiting top talent, including current CFO Hans Beukers and independent chairman Ronald Kasteel. We also strategically supported Sensorfact's fundraising rounds, helping them attract co-investors such as Korys, SET Ventures, and Blume Equity.
ABB’s proven expertise in electrification and automation, combined with their global reach, complementary product portfolio, and strong relationship with the team, made them the ideal partner to further scale Sensorfact.
The collaboration creates powerful synergies: Sensorfact’s innovative digital energy management tools will strengthen ABB’s offerings, while ABB’s large and existing customer base unlocks immediate opportunities for Sensorfact. Together, they will drive industrial efficiency and create a lasting global impact.
Sensorfact’s success highlights the impact of a relentless focus on commercialisation, the importance of hiring exceptional talent, and the value of maintaining a laser-sharp focus on market fit.
For us at FORWARD.one, this success story is more than just a testament to Sensorfact’s excellence—it’s a blueprint for how startups can evolve into global leaders by aligning product, team, and strategy. Investing in visionary teams that tap into massive markets with scalable products remains at the core of our investment decisions.
We are proud to have been part of Sensorfact’s journey every step of the way—from being their first professional investor in 2019, to a trusted partner over the years, and ultimately, the facilitator of their successful exit.
Now, under ABB’s leadership, Sensorfact will continue to grow and pave the way for a more efficient and sustainable future. While their exit marks the end of our chapter with them, we are excited to see the impact they will continue to make on a global scale.
CEO Pieter Broekema, Hans Beukers, Niels Dijk and the entire Sensorfact team—your ambition and ability to execute is truly impressive. Independent chairman Ronald Kasteel, and our very own Paul Pruijmboom, Frederik Gerner and Riemer Smink—thank you for your tireless efforts and contributions. Bianca van Dulmen and Coen Bos, thank you for your support on sales. And our incredible co-investors—Karel Van Cleemput at Korys, Julia Padberg at SET Ventures, Eleanor Blagbrough at Blume Equity—thank you for your trust and partnership, it’s been great working alongside you to help Sensorfact achieve their ambitions. Last, thank you to Shanti Strafinger, Oliver Kutscher, Giampiero Frisio and Thomas Wehrle from ABB for the great collaboration to make this deal a reality.
