Chili publish secures additional funding to spur worldwide growth

The company was founded in 2010. Its templating and content repurposing functionalities have helped more than 250 companies optimize and fuel creative campaigns. These include well-known brands as Coca-Cola, Philips, Kaufland and the Colruyt Group. Chili publisher is a software product that enables browser-based editing of customizable documents by users with any skillset. It can also be connected to third-party systems to facilitate fully automated artwork creation. Chili publisher frees up time in packaging and marketing artwork creation and enables a more streamlined deployment of creative and budget resources, according to the company. The Chili publish suite includes Adobe InDesign and Illustrator plug-ins, as well as an extensive feature set and intuitive user-friendliness.

Initial funding provided by Volta Ventures, Pamica and Group MC in 2017 enabled Chili publish to double its recurring revenue. The additional €3.625 million investment will be used to double the size of its teams in Belgium and the US to 85 people. Chili publish is currently recruiting 35 people in Aalst, Belgium and 10 in Chicago.

Kevin Goeminne, CEO at Chili publish, explained: ‘We started in Europe, but the US 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.’

Goeminne continues: ‘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 US teams, we’re looking for high-end professionals, including a global vice president of sales as an addition to our executive team. These enthusiastic experts will help us seek and seize all opportunities, new and existing ones.

‘Our customer base, partner range, and market scope are continuously expanding. 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.’

Volta Ventures Arkiv invests in young and ambitious internet and software companies in the Benelux region. The fund is supported by EIF and ARKimedesFund II. Group MC is a family-owned investment company that focuses on private equity and real estate. Pamica is the investment company of Michel Akkermans.

Akkermans, speaking on behalf of all the investors, commented: ‘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.’

Norwegian printer Ellco has used Chili publish software to create its ‘Etikettbutikken’ online label ordering portal; read Labels & Labeling issue 2, 2019 for more