'Almost every country requires a different strategy'

From a fall detection system and an innovative helmet to a tracker that offers help after bicycle theft. Assen-based Bypoint wants to increase the safety of cyclists and their bikes throughout Europe. Founder Joris Koops chooses a well-considered approach: "First get the home market perfectly in order, then take the real steps across the border.

He grew up in Assen, next to the car company that his father ran with two brothers. Joris Koops liked the idea of becoming an entrepreneur. Even as a child he thought up business ideas and curiously walked around the showroom of the family business. Why does one salesman sell more than another? How do employees treat each other and customers?

He is now founder of Bypoint, a startup that develops and distributes innovative solutions that enhance bicycle safety. In 2022, for example, the company introduced the world's first fall detection system for bicycles that does not link to a cell phone or app. Or more precisely, a small device that simply mounts on the seat tube and sends an SMS to pre-specified contacts after a fall. If the fall is not serious, the cyclist has one minute to press a button.

The idea for Bypoint arose while studying Entrepreneurship and Retail Management at the Hanzehogeschool Groningen. Joris was immersing himself in innovations and transitions when once again his attention was drawn to the bicycle industry. By bicycle safety in particular. This leaves quite a bit to be desired, he noticed. Every year there are about 50,000 unilateral bicycle accidents in the Netherlands, a good number of them fatal. Among them proportionally many over-70s, possibly due to the popularity of e-bikes.

In 2020, shortly before graduation, he applied for the Rabo Entrepreneur Award. With his own funds and help from a product developer, a prototype of the system was built. With results, as Joris was declared the winner and received a check for 10,000 euros. 'Yes, that was a nice stepping stone,' he smiles. 'But after that it really starts. What do I have and where do I want to go? From that, of course, a funding requirement rolls out. Ik Ben Drents Ondernemer, IBDO for short, then helped me to set out the lines, broaden the network and sharpen the business case.

At the end of 2021, an initial funding of three tons was raised from the Boost Up foundation, a group of Asser Investors and the province of Drenthe. Enough to further develop the product together with several partners. A year later, the fall detection system was ready and production and distribution could begin.

In recent years, the number of bicycle accidents has steadily increased. And so has the attention and awareness for the importance of bicycle safety. For Bypoint, this is reason to broaden our product range and therefore to offer more than just the fall detection system. 'The fact that we now have multiple, products is mainly due to the growing demand for safety products,' Joris explains. 'But it also has to do with shelf space and visibility. You only become visible when you have more shelf space in a store and thus start to stand out more often.' He takes a helmet out of a packing box. 'Look, this is the Bypoint S-ERT helmet. The bicycle helmet features Energy Reduction Technology, a special foam layer that provides extra cushioning when you fall on your head. Also special is the rechargeable lighting all the way around. In addition, in collaboration with BouwTag, the inventors of BouWatch, we have developed a track & trace system whereby if the bicycle is lost or stolen, it is tracked by a professional tracking service. So in addition to safety for the cyclist, our product development is also explicitly focused on safety for the bicycle.

Bypoint keeps innovating and coming up with new solutions. Not only for the Dutch market, but also beyond. Indeed, in Germany, the first stores are already connected. 'That's a kind of pilot,' Joris explains. 'We want to get a feel for the international market, in this case the German market. How is bicycle safety viewed and how can we best introduce our products there? At the same time, we are also exploring the possibilities in Belgium.'

In other words, if you as an SME are going or want to go abroad with your product or service, it requires careful preparation. Hence Joris made his international ambition known at an early stage to IBDO, with whom he was still in regular contact. Well, then you should definitely sit down with Han Smidt, our Internationalization Advisor," was his response. That's what happened and since then they have been meeting frequently and Han helps Bypoint where necessary to take the right steps on the international market. As an advisor, but above all as a sparring partner.

The cooperation between the consultant Internationalize and Bypoint is not limited to advice alone. For example, Han also brought the company into contact with NHL Stenden to conduct research into potential new markets. A number of interesting countries have already emerged from this, including Denmark and Spain.