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BlueCielo From a small-town software developer
to a Fortune 500 supplier.

Willem-Jan Scholten, CEO from 2012 to 2019: "At BlueCielo we develop software for managing industrial assets."

"We work for industries for which malfunction is not an option, such as chemical and pharma companies and oil platforms. In critical environments like these, it is crucial to accurately document the workings of a production facility or platform, including any modifications. In the past it was assumed that the responsible engineer would have all the answers, but in today’s regulatory environment this is no longer feasible."

Replacing an engine in mid-flight.

"Before Gilde, with no less than 25 shareholders, it was difficult for BlueCielo to chart a competitive course, despite having so much potential. Gilde’s buy-out brought clarity, in one fell swoop. And with the fresh perspective of a newcomer I was able to tap straight into that potential. My first priority was to underpin the soul of the company.

We adopted an international culture, with which we tried to inject clarity into complexity. At the same time, we took great strides developing both the organization and the product. Sometimes it felt like replacing an engine in mid-flight, but it was the only way to maintain the necessary momentum."

“Gilde did not want to sell, but keep building. It’s so gratifying to see that our entrepreneurship is realizing its full global potential.”

Willem-Jan Scholten, CEO BlueCielo (2012-2019)

US-centric.

"Over the years the organization had become somewhat fragmented, with offices from the US to Russia and each with its own approach. These have now been consolidated into a single global organization, centered on the US and focusing fully on our software product. From what typically used to be customization involving several months of consultation, we now offer a first-rate platform in the cloud, one with which customers can get straight down to business. We invested large sums and resources in this platform and are now perceived as the global market leader in independent software for asset information management. That’s quite an achievement for a software developer from a small Dutch town!"

Not selling, keep building.

"We were internationally successful, quickly attracting interest from buyers abroad, but Gilde insisted that it was too soon to sell and that we should keep investing in the company to improve it even further. That gave us the space to keep building on what we’d achieved, until in 2017 the ideal strategic partner came knocking: Accruent. This American software company is a perfect fit for us, in terms of product, ambition and culture. We are now flourishing in our new sphere of operations and our people are growing to global stature. BlueCielo’s success is the result of a team effort and it’s so gratifying to see that our entrepreneurship is realizing its full global potential."

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See what growth and collaboration can do for a business:

1.5T $

of customer assets managed

1,200

customers in more than
50 countries worldwide

98%

of customer rentention
year over year

Team

Gerhard Nordemann

Year of investment

2012

Industry

Business services

Location

Hoofddorp, the Netherlands

Other investments

Retail