“Technically strong and, above all, customer-focused: that is our strength.”

Cloud Group grows and breaks through clichés in the telecom landscape

Start-ups dream of growth. But as soon as that growth materialises, complexity also increases. Structure and strategic insight then become at least as important. Brothers Pieter and Frederik Roelants, founders of the promising telecom player Cloud Group, know this better than anyone. VGD played a crucial role in their growth story: not only as a financial and legal partner, but also as a strategic accelerator.

What started as a side job grew into a fully-fledged tech company with almost 40 employees in ten years. Cloud Group is currently one of the fastest-growing independent telecom companies in Belgium. “We don't want to be your average operator. Our strength lies in our technical independence and our focus on service. This allows us to respond quickly and guarantee quality,” says CEO Pieter Roelants. And with success, because according to reviews on Google, Cloud Group is currently the highest-rated operator in the Benelux. “This confirms that we are on the right track.” 

With rapid growth, complexity also increased over the years. Today, the biggest challenge for the company is maintaining focus. “As soon as your company gains traction, opportunities pop up everywhere,” adds CTO Frederik Roelants. “And then it's tempting to pursue every idea. But you have to dare to focus and structure.” 

Automate to accelerate

To steer their growth and ambitions in the right direction, Pieter and Frederik Roelants went in search of a partner who offered more than just figures. They found that partner in VGD. “What immediately convinced us was their proactive mindset,” says Pieter. “They don't just think along with us, they are often one step ahead. A concrete example: they have automated our entire flow of purchase and commission invoices. This saves us, and our more than 300 partners, a lot of time every month.”

All partner commission invoices are processed using a self-billing model, which VGD set up in collaboration with Cloud Group. “It's a fairly unique system that delivers enormous efficiency gains,” explain Anthony De Prol and Peter Maes of VGD. This is precisely where VGD wants to make a difference: removing barriers so that their customers can respond more quickly. “We actively seek out optimisations that boost the growth process. In doing so, we look beyond traditional accounting tasks. That's our way of truly supporting entrepreneurship.”

Advice for every stage of growth

Cloud Group now consults VGD for every strategic decision. Frederik Roelants: “They recently assisted us in buying out investors. Without that step, we might now be part of a large telecoms group. But thanks to VGD, we remain in control of our own destiny.”

VGD's in-depth expertise is now also being applied to other areas. “For example, they proactively identify opportunities and ensure that we are eligible for favourable tax measures, such as subsidies and investment deductions,” Pieter Roelants continues. “That gives us peace of mind: we know that we haven't overlooked anything.”

The future? Pieter and Frederik are confident about what lies ahead. “We are ambitious,” says Pieter. “Within five years, we want to be active in at least ten countries. Our technology is ready, and so is our team. With VGD at our side as a strategic partner, we firmly believe that we can make that leap.