The Amsterdam-based tech startup, Expertwired, has announced that it’s closing its doors after two years of operation. This revelation came directly from the company’s CEO and founder, Reinier Huisman, who shared the news via a blog post.
In his heartfelt message, Huisman emphasized that this decision was far from easy. Expertwired was a platform that bridged users with seasoned industry experts for market research consultations, all conducted within the span of 1-hour through phone or video sessions. It offered a dependable, efficient, and cost-effective alternative to traditional research methods such as desktop research or purchasing analyst reports.
Despite the announcement of closure, the reasons behind this decision remain undisclosed. As we bid farewell to Expertwired’s journey, Huisman took a moment to express his deep gratitude to various stakeholders who contributed to the company’s success, starting with the exceptional team that made it all possible.
According to Silicon Canals, Huisman said that he was “honoured to have worked alongside such an exceptional group of individuals”. Additionally, Huisman extended his thanks to Expertwired’s loyal clients and investors, recognizing their belief in the company as valued partners.
Throughout its existence, Expertwired received substantial support from Pop Up Qapital, which led its most recent seed funding round, securing nearly €1M in 2022. Individual investors like Jurgen van Dijk and Ruud van Hoek, founders of Stepstone Corporate Finance, along with Patrick Stal, who brought prior experience from renowned companies like N26, Uber, and TomTom, also played pivotal roles in supporting the company. Notably, existing investor MB Capital remained actively engaged throughout the last funding round.
Huisman concluded with a sense of pride, “I am immensely proud of what we’ve achieved together. Expertwired may be closing its doors, but the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and determination lives on in each of us.”
Expertwired was established in 2021 by Huisman and CTO Jeroen Slor. Huisman’s inspiration to create the company stemmed from his 15 years of experience in strategy consulting and M&A.
His expertise in market research and expert networks revealed the inefficiencies within the current market system, where experts often found themselves underpaid and unable to scale their knowledge sharing effectively.
This realization drove Huisman to build what he termed “a better way” – Expertwired’s network system.
Expertwired’s platform incorporated sourcing and matching technology, connecting market research firms, investment advisors, in-house consulting teams, and other enterprises seeking to engage with industry experts.
Users of Expertwired had the ability to search, choose, and book pre-vetted and screened experts at half the cost of traditional networks. What set Expertwired apart was its commitment to empowering experts to determine their own rates.
“Expertwired pays out experts an average of €400 per interview, but experts always choose their own rate,” Huisman explained. “This makes Expertwired the highest paying platform for experts globally, while clients – who pay a 20 per cent platform fee – always receive better value than alternative ‘low-tech’ networks,” he added.
