Copyright © BusinessAMBE 2023

Among the investors in Unbox, the fintech company of ex-marketer Erik Saelens, a notable name is popping up: the federal investment fund SFPIM.

The company: Unbox links digital money to a social purpose, using blockchain technology. Fostplus, among others, knocked on Saelens' door to test smart deposits on garbage. The test, after a preliminary pilot project at investor KBC, was conducted at Bobbejaanland. In exchange for sorting trash, park visitors received digital tokens, which they could spend in the park.

The news: The Antwerp start-up announces that its latest capital round closed at 12 million euros.

  • As became known earlier, HSBC Asset Management , a part of the British major bank of the same name. is the main investor with 8 million euros.
  • The remaining 4 million euros comes from SFPIM Relaunch, one of the investment vehicles of the federal private equity firm. SFPIM's ambition is to anchor promising local tech companies at home and sees Saelens' venture as fitting that bill.

More context: With HSBC and SFPIM, Saelens brings two prestigious shareholders on board, following earlier KBC (€5 million). In that context, Unbox also announces that Brussels will become the central hub for its global operations.

👉 "As a host country of the European Union, Belgium wants to position itself as a leading hub for financial innovation and radical transparency in the current geopolitical landscape," SFPIM chief executive Koen Van Loo said in the commentary. "The investment in Unbox not only aligns with this strategic objective, but also contributes to nurturing high-potential companies, fostering even more talent at Belgian universities and enriching both our economic and academic ecosystems."

In depth: Saelens and his directors elaborated their underlying philosophy in a white paper. "Money is a wonderful invention, but dated in its current form. It is time to invent something new," it reads.

© The Content Exchange, source News