CHILI publish, creator of market-leading software for smart artwork and marketing collateral creation, has raised an additional round of funding from its original investors Volta Ventures, Pamica and Group MC. The €3.625 million investment will be used to double the size of its teams in Belgium and the U.S. to 85 people.
Belgian ingenuity eyes global marketing domination
CHILI publisher is a software solution that enables browser-based editing of customizable documents by users with any skillset. It can also be connected to third-party solutions to facilitate fully automated artwork creation. The company was founded in 2010 and has gained considerable market share over the last few years. Its templating and content repurposing functionalities have helped more than 250 companies optimize and fuel creative campaigns. These include such well-known brands as Coca-Cola, Philips, Kaufland, and the Colruyt Group.
The initial funding provided by Volta Ventures, Pamica and Group MC in 2017 enabled CHILI publish to double its recurring revenue. Now the investors stepped up with another round of funding to further accelerate the company’s growth, a sign of their confidence in the innovative and market-leading nature of the CHILI publish solution.
Kevin Goeminne, CEO of CHILI publish, explains: “We started in Europe, but the U.S. is also taking a special interest in our solution. As business expands, we want to have the right level of resources in place to take care of our customers and partners around the globe. At the same time, we want to make sure our team has the right resources and support to continue to perform at the highest levels.”
Less work, more jobs
CHILI publisher frees up time in packaging and marketing artwork creation and enables a more streamlined deployment of creative and budget resources. It is considered the niche solution to watch in marketing and design automation. The CHILI publish suite includes Adobe InDesign and Illustrator® plug-ins, as well as an extensive feature set and intuitive user-friendliness.
Goeminne elaborates: “This is just the tip of the iceberg. Our solution is going from niche to mass thanks to all the applications our customers and partners are creating and the results they are achieving. In expanding our European and U.S. teams, we’re looking for high-end professionals, including a Global VP of Sales as an addition to our executive team. These enthusiastic experts will help us seek and seize all opportunities, new and existing ones.”
Goeminne points out that CHILI publish develops, brands and markets its technology in-house. “That calls for consistent and continuous dedication to the highest standards,” he says. “Our customer base, partner range, and market scope are continuously expanding – we are currently recruiting 35 people in Aalst and 10 in Chicago. Brands and partners everywhere need us, so we’re staffing up to meet that need. With the right additional people on board, I’m confident we can further expand our technology, conquer new markets and achieve our company mission of shaping tomorrow’s graphics.”
Michel Akkermans, Board Member, speaks for all investors by summarizing: “Every euro of the previous investment was leveraged into substantial increases in sales, customers, partners and human capital. The company is eager, the plan ambitious and the solution mature. CHILI publish is growing substantially, and we believe in the market need for the solution. We’re confident this next funding round will help us take advantage of the untapped market potential of this technology and enhance the enthusiasm level of the people behind it.”
