Van den Ende & Deitmers invests in Advance

The Crossmedia Fund of Van den Ende & Deitmers, the venture capital firm of Endemol founder Joop van den Ende and former Endemol Executive Board member Hubert Deitmers, announces the acquisition of a 30% stake in Advance. Advance is an interactive media company situated in Hilversum, near Amsterdam, that has grown into the market leader in the development and exploitation of interactive platforms for advertisers and consumers. With the arrival of this new shareholder, Advance expects to develop new concepts and grow faster in its home market and abroad.

Through its interactive concepts, Advance is able to deliver communication, marketing and sales targets for advertisers. Advance maintains an interactive relationship with 2.5 million Dutch consumers through its platforms. Through its well known platforms, including Je Echte Leeftijd (Your Real Age), Stay or Go, Meer voor Minder (More for Less), Booming Business, Verjaardagsalarm (Birthday Alarm) and GoNoGo, Advance has maintained an active relationship with over 2.5 million Dutch consumers. In addition, Advance has introduced its platforms in Sweden, Belgium and Germany as part of its international growth ambitions.

Frans de Vries, founder of Advance, on the investment of the Van den Ende & Deitmers Crossmedia Fund: “The interactive consumer will significantly change the media & marketingcommunication industry in the coming years. Via this partnership we can independently continue to grow and further expand our position in both the Netherlands and abroad. Furthermore, with Van den Ende & Deitmers we get a very involved shareholder with an impressive network.”

Hubert Deitmers, managing partner of Van den Ende & Deitmers: “We have a great admiration for the know-how and passion of Frans de Vries and his team. Advance is a unique company in its specific development and exploitation of interactive concepts in combination with various media partners. There is an enormous further growth potential in this company, especially abroad. The exploitation of its concepts for advertisers and consumers via internet, TV, print, radio and mobile, makes Advance one of the few genuine crossmedia companies in the Netherlands and therefore for us a terrific partner to further jointly grow.” Van den Ende & Deitmers has invested recently in various crossmedia companies, including TV producer Eyeworks, who has worked together with Advance in various capacities. Reinout Oerlemans, founder of Eyeworks: “Advance has found the key to meaningfully connect interactive media and television. Last year with Stay or Go and this year with Je Echte Leeftijd (Your Real Age) we have developed a beneficial working relationship together to, not only create a successful television show, but also to enter into a long term relationship with the viewer.”