Eclipse raises 3 million euros
LUMA™ crossmedia marketing automation platform is a powerful weapon in times of crisis
Turnhout, Belgium, 22 April 2009 - Eclipse International NV (‘Eclipse’) has announced it has successfully concluded a Series A financing, with 3 million euros raised through a private placement. The capital increase will be used primarily for further development and commercialisation of LUMA™, the unique crossmedia end-to-end platform for marketing automation which gained Eclipse a nomination for the prestigious Red Herring 100, the list of the world’s most innovative technology startups.
The lead investor is Gimv with 2 million euros. The Vlaamse Innovatiefonds Vinnof, or Flemish Innovation Fund, along with management, also subscribed to the capital increase, each to the amount of 0.5 million euros. Steven Coppens of Gimv has been appointed to the Eclipse Board of Directors.
LUMA™ is offered on the Software-as-a-Service principle (SaaS) and is already marketed in the Benelux countries, Germany and the United Kingdom. “But over time we would like to internationalise still further,” notes Kristof Vereenooghe, Eclipse CEO. “That is precisely the reason we attracted Gimv. As a European venture capitalist with a global network, it is the ideal party to support the successive steps in our growth. That we were able to attract an investor of this calibre during these times of crisis strengthens our conviction that we are on the right track with LUMA™.”
“Historically, many business processes have already been automated. But marketing processes have been something of an exception,” explains Steven Coppens, Gimv Executive Investment Manager. “Nevertheless research by Forrester and Gartner among others reveals that marketers have expressed the need for a comprehensive integrated platform to enhance their effectiveness. Forrester and Gartner also predict a significant growth in the market for SaaS applications. We also believe that a prominent role is in store for LUMA™. In the upper market segment LUMA™ is the first real end-to-end platform offering a solution for the needs of medium and large enterprises.”
Cost-saving sales support and promotion
LUMA™ is a unique web-based end-to-end solution enabling users to create and produce a variety of printed and online marketing communication materials, while also supporting the complete logistical handling of even the most sophisticated crossmedia direct marketing campaigns. The application also has an extremely low threshold: its interface is characterised by unique WYSIWYG features (what you see is what you get) which also makes it accessible to non-specialists, even without training, thereby promoting acceptance. Using LUMA™ a company can delegate the generally expensive and time-consuming personalisation and localisation, and the entire logistical process, to the sales organisation which knows the clients and their needs best. Individualised, and thus more relevant, and quicker communication leads to better results. Marketing can be aligned optimally with the sales organisation’s objectives. With LUMA™ a company can save costs while also offering improved sales support, and can even boost sales.
Taking advantage of the crisis
Eclipse has earned its stripes in recent years with customised intelligent crossmedia communication: communicating the relevant message to the right target group, via the right media and at the right moment. Thus Eclipse has arranged sophisticated direct marketing campaigns for Esprit and Centraal Beheer Achmea among others. LUMA™ has also garnered Eclipse a host of fine references. Major players such as Coca Cola, Electrabel, P&V Verzekeringen and Metro Cash&Carry each have their own LUMA™ platform.
The economic crisis unlocks new perspectives for Eclipse and LUMA™, Kristof Vereenooghe believes. “Not only because we offer a cost-saving solution, but also because it is precisely in these times of crisis that personal and relevant communication with clients and prospects is essential if you want to achieve results.”