Hatch: celebrating 10 years of Where-To-Buy (WTB) Innovation

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Today Hatch, the Where-To-Buy (WTB) innovator, celebrates its tenth birthday. It’s a good moment for a trip down memory lane. On April 28, 2011, Joris Kroese and I went to the notary to found the WTB specialist Hatch, Iceleads actually, as we called it back then. A few successful pilots with brands were concluded, and Intel became the global launching customer. A joint project with Icecat. I worked with Joris already for years as he was the founder of the computer retailer Pcsnel, a client. Joris saw an opportunity in WTB. This choice turned out to be a very good one.

In the following years, Joris was driving a rapid expansion of the WTB business. The startup leveraged in the beginning our retailer network, but quickly developed its own. More and more brand owners liked the offering such as Philips, Bose, and Kärcher. To turn their web visitors into buyers. Helping their key retailers, instead of competing with them through a direct model.

In 2015, the company reached the 1 million euro revenues mark, changed its name to Hatch, and Vortex Capital joined as a growth investor. Contributing to the professionalization of the team and the further expansion of the business. Continued fast growth and R&D brought Hatch to the place where it is now. One of a handful of global WTB providers. Hatch leads the space because of its relentless pace of innovation: adding physical retailers to its global network, providing shoppable reviews, and offering tools for digital shelf management.

I am looking forward to the next stretch of the journey. Congrats to the Hatch team and all involved in its success!