We are
Benedict
Peax
Benedict Peax is a consulting firm that helps companies big and small fund their innovation, growth and sustainability. Our approach begins with understanding a company’s strategy, including its business plans, research and development goals, and financial projections. More often than not, these elements need to be aligned onto each other before we can use them to raise funds from grants and fiscal incentives to (soft) loans, bank debt and private investments.
We call this concept strategic funding.
Our portfolio includes start-ups as well as SMEs, listed companies and multinationals. Our clients are happy to provide testimony as to the uniqueness of our approach, the quality of our service and the dedication of our people.
We serve as our clients’ trusted, hands-on partner for Dutch and European funding schemes and investment opportunities for innovation, growth and sustainability. We connect our clients with investors from our growing network and help them raise capital that can then be leveraged with public loans, grants and fiscal incentives for the lowest possible cost of capital.
This is
Our approach
Why us?
Trusted advisor
We take a deep dive into the commercial, financial, and technological aspects of your company in order to raise funds for growth and innovation in accord with the company's strategic roadmap.
Result focus
We usually link our fee directly to the funds we raise. When your company flourishes, so do we. And when the funds have been raised and require administrative compliance, we remain at our clients’ service.
Large network
We support our clients by providing access to relevant national and international networks. Depending on the specific value we can add, this includes potential technical cooperation partners, private investors, and supporting organizations in the EU, USA, and beyond.
Long-lasting relationships
We invest in our clients for long-lasting relationships through continuous support and personalized services. The deep understanding of your needs leads to better service delivery and consistent value addition.
Smart-ship
Benedict Peax raised over € 500 000 in an Eurostars grant for a collaboration between Smart-Ship and Shiptec.
APEM
Benedict Peax raised € 750 000 for the collaboration between the two companies, which catalysed a long-term relationship.
Parable
Benedict Peax raised € 750 000 for the collaboration between the two companies, which catalysed a long-term relationship.
Vislift
Vislift is an easy-to-install fish migration system that allows fish to resume their migration up Europe’s waterways towards their traditional spawning grounds.
Nowi
Nowi develops a chip that can boost the voltage of energy harvested from ambient sources, such as wifi or mobile phone signals, motion and light. BPx has supported the company in fundraising since its inception in 2016. We congratulate Nowi and are happy to have been part of their journey!
SDS Separation Technology is dedicated to making the industry cleaner by separating gases and particles. A technology that enables companies to reduce their CO2 emissions and promote the transition to green hydrogen.
Benedict Peax helped us achieve WSBO status and obtain over €460,000 of European funding from the Just Transition Funds. This financial support is crucial for developing and scaling up our innovative separation technology. Our partnership with Benedict Peax has been so successful that we have engaged them as strategic funding advisers.
As a startup, we had a revolutionary concept: a chip that draws energy from its surroundings, aiming to find a solution to the 15 billion batteries thrown away every year. It's a great idea, but without funding and the right guidance, it remains just that: an idea.
Benedict Peax successfully guided us through two rounds of investment. Now, Now i is part of Nexperia, and we are ready to deliver on our promise to provide a sustainable solution for batteries. Without Benedict Peax support, we would never have reached this milestone.
We aim to become the most sustainable bakery in the world. Because Fuite Bakery is at the forefront of innovation and sustainability in the bakery industry, we are forced to seek inspiration and cooperation outside our industry.
Working with Benedict Peax has proved invaluable to us. They have an extensive network of progressive companies in different industries and they believe in our project. They helped us secure a crucial R&D grant that enabled us to develop and implement a revolutionary bread printing technology in our bakery. Besides their expertise and network, we appreciate the team's quick responses and personal commitment.
At Draisma Bouw we develop innovative building solutions,like Digital Twin technology, which allows for virtual building and enables optimization. This has led to a product line for fast and sustainable bio-based construction.
Benedict Peax has given us access to grants we did not know about or were too complex to apply for ourselves. Thanks to the provincial grant ‘Natuurlijk Sneller Bouwen,’ a grant of over €100,000, we could invest in digitalizing processes and the development of these Digital Twins. Further more, the collaboration with Benedict Peax assures us that we will stay up-to-date on future grant opportunities, allowing us to continue our innovation journey.
Gradyent's core business is developing Digital Twins that provide real-time insight into energy consumption and loss. This insight allows networks to be optimized and CO2 emissions to be reduced by up to 10%.
Working with Benedict Peax has been a game-changer for us. As a start-up in the renewable energy sector, we initially found the world of funding opportunities impenetrable. Benedict Peax offered a helping hand. They understood our technology and identified strategic funding options, such as the Innovation Credit and the Just Transition Fund, which resulted in 2 million euros in funding.
At Concr3de, we developed powder-based 3D printers that allow you to produce complex and precise parts. The system offers the ability to create new material properties and scale and reuse waste.
Benedict Peax was essential to our success by helping us get the right funding. With their strategic approach, we found the right grants and investors, obtained a bank loan, and secured €750,000 from the Just Transition Fund—a big step towards the future of our company and more sustainable construction.
Introducing Tara: a highly accomplished professional with a background in Aerospace Engineering, advanced studies at NASA, and a successful stint as a system integration engineer at ASML. Her career transitioned into consulting within the high-tech innovation sector, reflecting her passion for practical applications of her expertise. Beyond her professional achievements, Tara is a creative enthusiast, known for her entrepreneurial ventures and culinary skills. With a technical foundation and a penchant for creativity, Tara embodies our commitment to versatile team members who bring both expertise and cultural enrichment to the table.
Jesse, an Economics and Business Economics graduate from Erasmus University of Rotterdam, has a keen interest in the convergence of finance and technology. His diverse professional background spans financial asset management, startups, and private deal-making, skills that greatly contribute to his current role as a strategic funding consultant at Benedict Peax. Outside of work, Jesse enjoys both playing and watching sports, and has a passion for discovering new music with an eclectic taste. While his neighbors might not share his musical preferences, he often indulges this hobby in Rotterdam's vibrant nightlife scene.
Varsha has an MSc in Social Policy and Social Interventions from the University of Utrecht. She has profound knowledge of grants and tax benefits on a European level. She supports organisations in the field of acquiring public funding in such a way that it matches with their innovation roadmap. Varsha is passionate about innovations in the (med)tech sector and likes reading about this as well. She loves to travel and to spend time with friends and family.
Jeffrey Eelman studied Political Science at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. After completing his degree, he sought to diversify his skill set, which led him to pursue a master's degree in Economics with a specialization in public policy. Upon concluding his studies, Jeffrey came in contact with Benedict Peax and was immediately sold to the role of Strategic Funding Consultant. This opportunity allowed him to apply his academic knowledge in a practical setting and engage with innovative companies, gaining valuable experience. Outside of his professional pursuits, Jeffrey enjoys cycling on his racing bike, playing darts with friends, and visiting Texel, the island where he grew up.
Carst Ivo Meijer is a grants and innovation consultant with over 25 years of experience. He has an MSc in Management & Organisation from the University of Groningen. Through the years, he has worked in a wide range of sectors for companies ranging from small SME’s to some of the largest global corporations, which has given him a broad understanding of technology development and innovation processes. He is always interested in creative, impactful innovations, especially concerning sustainable development and has been involved in a couple of start-up initiatives in renewable energy. After a decade in the eastern region, he returned to the north of The Netherlands where he lives with his wife and two teenage boys. With their intensive sports schedules there is little room for other activities, but he still manages to play volleyball twice a week himself. Future dreams include the development of sustainable energy projects in Lesotho, the native country of his youngest son.
Bob Stassar, co-founder of Benedict Peax, holds a Master's in Business Law from Erasmus University Rotterdam. His career started in academic research, followed by a stint in the military and a legal practice in various law fields. He later shifted to entrepreneurship, joining a consulting firm focused on innovation grants, contributing to its growth and international expansion. Outside work, Bob stays active with gym workouts and is involved in his three sons' sports activities, including football, basketball, and rugby.
Guus is fascinated by the creativity and entrepreneurship of Dutch companies in the face of pressing societal and environmental transformations. He combines a sharp sense of opportunity for subsidies and tax benefits for innovation with ten years’ experience as a funding consultant. His superpower is to identify and capitalise on relevant funding opportunities for his clients. Guus likes to combine a personal connection with a goal-oriented approach that is in line with the strategic ambition of the organisation, while also being practically feasible. In his free time, Guus enjoys the good company of friends and his growing family.
Peter Saarloos studied philosophy at Utrecht University, where he also lectured and obtained his teaching certificate. After his education, decided to make the transition to strategic consultancy. Obviously. He is inquisitive and no potential improvement or inconsistency escapes his methodical approach paired with sharp eye of the philosopher. Consultancy taught him to simplify but be warned: Peter is still a philosopher at heart, and off-topic questions will result in long rants. In his spare time, Peter likes to make music, read, box, draw, and play games.
Kelbey Wheeler, who studied Aerospace Engineering at the Technical University of Delft and specialized for six years, transitioned to strategic consultancy while maintaining his unwavering passion for technology. He dedicates his free time to staying updated on the latest innovations across various scientific and technological domains. His diverse interests and knowledge make him well-suited to assist startups and SMEs in maximizing their growth potential while critically evaluating their innovations. In his remaining free time, he enjoys good food in good company, hits the gym, plays the guitar, engages in games, and socializes with friends.
Ellen, a Geophysics MSc graduate from Delft University of Technology, has extensive experience from working in seismic data processing for Schlumberger across the Netherlands, Austria, and the Gulf of Mexico. She spent fifteen years abroad in Denmark, Italy, and the USA, gaining diverse skills and language proficiency, and later worked for an Italian insurance broker. On returning to the Netherlands, Ellen joined a startup in the energy sector and in 2018 moved to Benedict Peax, bringing her international experience and dynamic problem-solving skills to the company.
Gerben, with a Master's degree in Management & Organisation from the University of Groningen, initially worked for five years as a management consultant, specializing in strategy, innovation, and technology transfer. In 2004, he launched greenfield public funding advisory branches across Central and Eastern Europe, which eventually expanded to six countries and twelve offices, employing 125 people. After returning to the Netherlands, he started a greenfield public funding advisory company, focusing on the high-tech industry and utilizing his international experience. With nearly 25 years of expertise, Gerben actively balances family life with his entrepreneurial pursuits, also contributing to community activities as a board member of the association ABC and the president of the local football club's youth section.
Stefanie has an interesting past known to few. While studying commercial economics, she was an active bikini fitness competitor as well as titleholder in her division for the Dutch bodybuilding federation NBBF. She had the opportunity to travel around and competed in several body-building competitions. After leaving bodybuilding, she moved to Curaçao and gained experience as a property and casualty underwriter in the insurance industry. After 5 years of living and working abroad, she decided to return to the Netherlands to be with her family. Moving back from Curaçao, she worked as a claim handler in properties for one of the largest insurance brokers. Stefanie is still interested and active in sports, only not at a competitive level. She enjoys spending time and making memories with friends and family.
Stay hungry stay foolish’. Stephan is an enthusiastic, honest and positive-minded guy, always looking for the best way to help companies. This is because of Stephan’s biggest professional influencer: his dad, whom is an entrepreneur himself. Stephan never ceases to be intrigued, likes to ask a lot of questions, and loves to discover how ‘simple’ (read: ‘very complex’) things actually work. After 7,5 years in banking, providing loans to mid-sized companies, Stephan decided to switch careers and join Benedict Peax. Turns out that it is even more fun to help companies securing financing without the need for repayment! In his own time, you’ll find Stephan bouldering (low altitude climbing without ropes), taking a stroll or supping on the Amsterdam canals.
Pieter Paumen, co-founder of Benedict Peax has an MSc in Industrial Engineering and a 25-year career in multinationals like Philips and NXP Semiconductors and with European startups in operations and as CEO. He now, uses his experience to help entrepreneurs achieve their ambitions to innovate and grow. Sometimes with advice, often with funding, always with dedication. Outside work, Pieter is busy with his family maintaining a historic farmhouse and garden, and trying to keep up his running pace.
Xavier Weert, co-founder of Benedict Peax, has a strong technological and scientific background, with an MSc in Mining and Petroleum Engineering and a doctorate in Fluid Dynamics from Imperial College London. He began his career in R&D and then switched to consultancy in the Netherlands, where he fuses scientific and cultural insights with sharp analytical skills. He is a perceptive listener, adept at handling complex issues. He is fluent in French, Italian, English, and Dutch, conversant in Spanish and German, and knows enough Turkish to get himself in trouble.
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