At Cloud86 in Drachten, you get a real person on the phone when you call customer service. That's not the only thing that sets the web hosting company apart in cloud services. Founders Gideon Vergouwe and Maurice Graber invest in their own hardware and software so that clients can count on quality, speed and reliability. Funding from the Frisian Development Corporation (FOM) made it possible to purchase a new hardware rack.
Maurice Graber: "Hardware rack is a typical data center term. Simply put, it is indeed a rack in which hardware will be placed. But such a rack has certain specifications. This rack cost about 2.5 tons, the next one might cost 4 tons. The quality of such a rack is essential to what we deliver: speed and reliability. That is our primary focus, which is why investments like this are necessary. Thanks to FOM, we were able to purchase this rack.'
Back to the roots
Maurice is almost 39, but has 20 years of experience in web hosting. He co-founded SoHosted, with this company Gideon joined as a partner in 2016. They decided to move forward together in 2019 and founded Cloud86. Both men were eager to get back to the roots of web hosting. 'More and more parties are opting for cloud solutions. Because we develop our own hardware and software, we can choose the right composition very precisely. That way we achieve the best performance for our clients and really make a difference.'
Good hosting and support
Clients purchase a hosting service from Cloud86 in the form of a subscription: they pay per month or per year. Maurice: 'You can compare it to your television or telephone subscription. Because more and more people and organizations have a website, webshop or their own domain, good hosting is increasingly important: it ensures that your place on the Internet is reliable and always accessible. There are many hosting companies, but there have been many takeovers lately and our type of company is not common in Friesland.' By that type, Maurice also means Cloud86's approach to customer service. 'We prefer to call it support: the employee who answers when you call helps you immediately, even with technical questions. We don't see support as a cost item; it's actually the core of our service.'
Ambition: 100,000 customers
On the Internet, the reviews are very favorable and Cloud86 has already attracted almost 19,000 customers. 'By the end of 2026, we want to have 100,000 customers. We are now adding 10,000 to 12,000 per year. To reach the target number we need to expand further. In the Netherlands we are growing relatively fast, but there is still room for improvement. The biggest opportunities are mainly abroad. That is why we now have an English-language website in addition to the Dutch version: www.cloud86.io.'
Because we develop our own hardware and software, we achieve the best performance for our customers.
Maurice Graber, Cloud86
Internal training program
Internally, the company is also growing rapidly. 'We are in the process of professionalizing and setting up a management team. We now have a team of about 25 people and are diligently looking for more technical staff. That is why we are starting an internal training program and are going to cooperate with NHL Stenden and Windesheim.' This will all take place in Drachten. 'To make remote working also possible, we have to organize our procedures and processes differently. Then in time people from other countries and even other time zones will be able to work for us. That would be ideal, since our work goes on 24/7.'
Collaboration with the FOM
Maurice enjoys sparring with FOM's investment manager Klaas Kooistra on personnel issues, among others. 'From NOM, Klaas was involved in the company of a friend of mine, who linked us together. When Klaas went from NOM to FOM, we got into serious talks with each other and eventually came to a funding agreement. Currently we are talking to each other, among other things, about how to attract the right people and create sufficient internships.'
Flywheel effect
Gideon and Maurice are well-versed in ratios and data: they know exactly where they are building. 'We have already been able to adjust our forecast positively a few times as a result.' Maurice continues: 'We are now seeing the effect of our focus and investments: we are in the middle of that flywheel effect. We like to do that together with people who also get energy from building something together. We work hard, but it still feels like a hobby. I'm eager every Sunday evening to get back to work on Monday morning. You can immediately feel the winner's mentality we have when you enter our office. Wonderful!
'Cloud86 is truly a growth opportunity'
Investment manager Klaas Kooistra of the FOM immediately found Cloud86 interesting. 'They are in a different phase than most of the companies we finance, which are often startups. This is a real tech scale-up and we don't have many of those. With companies like this, I know after just one appointment: I would like to finance this one. It really is a growth opportunity. Klaas knows the entrepreneurs' big ambitions. 'We invested in Cloud86 to help enable the acceleration they are in now. It is clever that they stand out in the web hosting landscape, which includes many large parties and yet they know how to distinguish themselves. I appreciate their vision: using their own hardware and software to offer the best product at the lowest possible price, with great support. That is exactly what they do. They are at the top of all lists, in terms of speed and customer experience.'
Nice proposition
Klaas is confident about what's next. 'They have a nice proposition and are busy with marketing. They have a good and experienced marketing man for that: Willem Jan Rutgers.' Klaas concludes, 'With their web hosting they also offer an infrastructure for the Frisian SME, in that sense they are also building the BV Friesland.'
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