Fundsup spoke with René van Dijk, founder of Alle Rust (“Complete Peace”). The company is developing an innovative platform for the funeral industry that automates processes and offers tailored solutions for funeral directors. In this interview, he talks about his background, the collaboration with his team, and the trends in the sector that Alle Rust is responding to, such as sustainability and personalisation.
A Dutch version of this article can be read on the website of our partner: Emerce.
Can you tell us about your background and how you got here?
“I’ve been active in international commerce my entire life, mainly within central banks and currency. I worked for many years at the Royal Dutch Mint, where I was responsible for producing coins for countries worldwide. After 2017, I started advising small and medium-sized businesses on exports. That’s how I entered the funeral industry, where I met my current partners. With them, I’m now using my financial and commercial expertise to make Alle Rust a success.”
Who are your ‘current partners’ and what are their roles within the company?
“There are five of us. Mike Heiste and Bart Lamers are IT professionals with experience in various companies. Erwin Verhaaf has been working in the funeral industry for five years and has a broad network of potential clients. Petra de Bruin is active in the back office, focusing on operations. I handle finance and business development, particularly attracting investors and overseeing international expansion.”
Can you explain the business of Alle Rust and how you manage processes for funeral directors?
“Each year, around 170,000 funerals take place in the Netherlands, and the number grows slightly each year. It’s a stable growth market. There are about 2,500 funeral directors, 35% of which are owned by large players like Dela and Monuta. Our target group consists of small and medium-sized companies. During our market research, we found many opportunities for efficiency improvements, especially in automation. That’s why we developed software flexible enough to support the personal workflow of each funeral director.”
How does the flexibility of the platform work exactly?
“Each funeral director has their own way of working, whether it’s arranging crematoriums or funeral cards. Our software allows these processes to be fully automated and personalized. Funeral directors can also incorporate their own suppliers into the system, ensuring their workflows are optimized without disrupting their unique way of working.”
What is your revenue model?
“We charge funeral directors a monthly licensing fee and earn a percentage on products ordered through our platform. We have agreements with suppliers, such as coffin manufacturers, with whom we have direct connections. This allows funeral directors to see available products in real-time and order them directly.”
You also aim to be a sustainable company. Can you tell us more about that?
“One of the trends in the funeral sector is sustainability. Think of electric hearses, cremation ovens, and biodegradable coffins. We are collaborating with Loop Biotech, which makes sustainable coffins from mycelium (fungal threads). Personalization is also increasingly important in the sector. More people want to add a personal touch to their funerals, such as custom-made coffins.”
Where are you now in terms of development, and what are the plans for funding?
“So far, we have invested €50,000 of our own capital into building a minimum viable product, which is currently being tested by six funeral directors. We plan to fully launch at the beginning of October. For the rollout, we need funding, mainly for software optimization and marketing. We aim to raise €150,000 through a bond loan with an interest rate of 7.5%.”
How does the bond work exactly?
“Individuals can purchase a bond starting from €500. The first year is payment-free, and interest will be paid starting in the second year. After 2.5 years, the full amount will be repaid. Information about these bonds is available on our website www.allerustinvest.nl.”
Do you have any final advice for entrepreneurs just starting out?
“The most important thing is to regularly test your idea with others. We adjusted our concept several times throughout the process based on outside advice and feedback. Stay open to suggestions and remain flexible so you can refine and optimize your idea.”
More information for investors about AlleRust can be found here.