Working in collaboration with Penny Black and its joint venture incubators, Agfa and ninepointfive, November Five delivered a technology project that strengthened Penny Black’s business case and lowered its backers’ investment risk.
Most of our work at November Five is with large corporations whose aim is to strategically differentiate themselves through their customer experience. We define and create their customer experiences, helping to drive loyalty, reduce churn and build value.
Yet we deliberately reserve a portion of our effort for more entrepreneurial projects – those that require a different mindset and approach when it comes to the application of technology. These are projects where the founders and investors are resilient, tenacious and driven in their commitment to succeed.
Being entrepreneurial is in our company’s DNA. So, when ecommerce innovator Penny Black partnered with us to develop a pilot platform that would deliver personalised ecommerce packaging, they were able to benefit from so much more than just technical expertise.
On the face of it, the challenge was to create a proof-of-concept SaaS platform. But our solution wasn’t just a technical one. Working in collaboration with Penny Black and its joint venture incubators, VC-fund ninepointfive and imaging solution pioneer Agfa, and relying on our entrepreneurial mindset, we delivered a project that strengthened Penny Black’s business case and lowered its backers’ investment risk.
After a competitive bid, we were selected to create Penny Black’s initial platform. The goal was to build the technology that would quickly allow brands to print personalised messages at the point of packing orders in the warehouse, and Penny Black’s pilot customer would use the platform to prove both feasibility and scalability. Ultimately, they wanted to demonstrate that personalised packaging could positively influence future buyer behavior and build customer loyalty.
Brecht Spileers, Director of Corporate Strategy here at November Five, explains the motivations of Penny Black and its financial backer ninepointfive in selecting us. “They were looking for a technology partner that could deal with the complexity needed in building what was more than just a venture,” he says. “Choosing the right tech partner early on meant selecting one that understood the application of entrepreneurship and could deliver that throughout the project.”
A commitment to impact and results more than just delivering on the project brief is something that Pieter Van de Velde, Founding Partner and Chairman of ninepointfive, confirms: “November Five not only delivers excellent quality for cost on a European scale, but they approach projects as if they are their own. That personal involvement and ownership in going the extra mile is something we looked for.”
Continues Brecht, “I think it was important for both Agfa and ninepointfive too that we have experience with large corporations and know how they work - in terms of business as well as IT. In merging our corporate experience with our entrepreneurial approach, we have a powerful combination that allows us to drive the technical and business sides with the same high level of commitment.”
“November Five not only delivers excellent quality for cost on a European scale, but they approach projects as if they are their own. That personal involvement and ownership in going the extra mile is something we looked for.”
We worked with Penny Black’s experienced founder, Douglas Franklin, to build not just a technology solution, but a business. Brecht says, “It was a true collaboration with an authentic connection. With the uncertainty and stress involved in launching a start-up, we never wanted to sit opposite him as just a supplier. We wanted to be part of the team from day one so we could deliver authenticity in our work.”
As it turned out, the approach was vital in achieving successful results later on. Many digital partners will claim to go the extra mile, but ninepointfive confirms that, with this project, November Five really did - and demonstrated how we're so much more than an agency or studio.
Pieter Van de Velde says, “For me, the proof that we had made the right decision came when Penny Black hired a CTO. It’s always easy for a new CTO to blame a development consultant for mistakes, as the consultancy will eventually transition out of the project. But the incoming Penny Black CTO was actually extremely positive about the work. He was especially complimentary about how well November Five had structured the underlying code.”
Pieter explains that he always expected to invest in a proof of concept - a minimum viable product (MVP). He did not anticipate that anyone would deliver technology that would endure. To his surprise though, this was not the case. He says, “I was certain that we would have to discard all the code that had been written for the MVP. But actually, we have kept it as the backbone of the final product. From an investment perspective, this has been extremely pleasing.”
Having worked on the continuing implementation of the platform, Penny Black CTO, Pete Ward, also praises our relationship and output: “They've been very, very good. They have been great at being in a start-up mode and being very economical with our budget. What they have managed to deliver for it is extremely impressive. They're very cost effective in how they've worked and how they've focused on the value to be built.”
He continues, “A common issue with agencies is that they just spend too much time focusing on the wrong thing. Whereas the November Five team was very well tuned into what they needed to build. They took the right shortcuts and built something that was ready to be taken to market, rather than focusing on unnecessary functionality.”
“November Five have made it very easy for me as a CTO to attract and build a team, knowing that they've used really good, modern technology that lots of software engineers want to come and be a part of.”
As a tech partner, it is essential in these sorts of projects to not work in isolation, and avoid building just a technology solution. From the start, we always want to consider the limitations of both the corporate processes as well as the technical constraints of the project. Muriel Mwema, November Five’s Director of Product Management, explains what motivated the November Five team when it came to defining the technical solution for Penny Black. She says, “We were working towards their business goal, meaning at that time that we needed to secure a resounding go in the boardroom about Penny Black's future. So besides the proposed solution being feasible and scalable, we also had to make sound decisions about where to allocate the available time and resources.”
Pete Ward confirms, “They are excellent at that. The architecture that they have built is both extremely high quality and very cost effective.” He goes on to explain how this approach has been key to Penny Black going forward. He says, “November Five has ensured that the running costs are low enough for us to deliver prints for our customers at our target cost. They have done that extremely well. From the start, they’ve created a very well cost-optimized, performance-optimized and robust modern architecture and approach. It’s also made it very easy for me as a CTO to attract and build a team, knowing that they've used really good, modern technology that lots of software engineers want to come and be a part of.”
As part of the project, we made sure to deliver comprehensive documentation that would give Penny Black a full understanding of the platform, its backend code and its operation. It's down to our experience of working in complex corporate environments - where this level of professional documentation is expected - that we are able to provide this.
Pete Ward is appreciative of this. He says, “November Five were really diligent with the documentation they kept throughout the process - to a level that I’ve never seen before. Inheriting all of that has helped us to understand the decisions that were made and why things are the way they are. That is another huge plus to the way that November Five works.”
Both Penny Black and ninepointfive have publicly recognised November Five’s contributions. Pieter of venture capitalists ninepointfive points to four aspects that set us apart in this project. “The first is the quality of the code and the product architecture,” he says. “Then, November Five put the right people on the project. Thirdly, they were receptive to open communication, especially when there were hiccups, like there are in all projects.”
The final aspect is to do with cost. He explains, “November Five understands that for a start-up, it is really difficult to work on a corporate fee structure basis. They are able to switch away from that sort of corporate mindset and position their pricing in a way that serves start-up clients.”
“We needed to secure a resounding go in the boardroom about Penny Black's future. So besides the proposed solution being feasible and scalable, we also had to make sound decisions about where to allocate the available time and resources.”
Ninepointfive also praised November Five for being highly professional and delivering what they needed as a company. Says Brecht Spileers, “To us, this is the biggest recognition. They not only applauded us on the fact that the platform worked technically, but they acknowledged a great collaboration that really helped propel the company forward.”
Muriel Mwema adds, “It's gratifying that we have fully handed this project over and Penny Black has everything at hand to continue making it a success on their own. That may sound counterintuitive, but we love to hear it because it means we did our job well.”
It’s important for us to continue to work on greenfield projects like this, even though they go beyond our core proposition and positioning as a consumer experience powerhouse.
Firstly, it ensures that we continue to invest in our own technical capabilities and can keep abreast of the technological solutions appropriate for venture-backed start-ups.
Brecht explains that these projects mean working with advanced technologies and architectures, which we then can apply to our larger clients. He says, “It means we don’t just philosophise about things like artificial intelligence or machine learning, but that we can actually implement these sorts of technologies in smaller ventures in a meaningful way and then apply the lessons learned to larger clients.”
Equally though, start-up projects help us stay attuned to our own entrepreneurial DNA. As Brecht explains, “As we grow, we still want to find ways of keeping that entrepreneurial spirit without interfering with business as usual. It brings greater levels of commitment from staff and engenders speed in the development process. And we’re able to leverage those skills in our other partnerships.”
Throughout this project, it has been clear how powerful the collaborative approach has been. All parties have worked together to achieve a remarkably successful project.
Printing giant Agfa initially identified the potential of the technology, then partnered with venture capitalists ninepointfive to provide the funding that founded Penny Black. Then, Penny Black’s CEO had the foresight to spot the opportunities that it gave to provide an exceptional unboxing experience for ecommerce customers.
In building the technical foundations for this SaaS start-up, it was important for us to draw on our entrepreneurial DNA. But it was crucial too that we used our corporate experience to anticipate Penny Black’s future scaling and growth. We are delighted at the outcome and pleased at the fruitful collaboration by all parties. It has been a privilege to share our own expertise and to deliver a s-uccessful venture and product launch.
About Penny Black
Penny Black is the only marketing channel with a 100% open rate that allows brands to use the unboxing moment to retain customers, increase CLTV and build loyalty. Our platform and print tech helps ecommerce marketers to create hyper-personalised campaigns and flyers that can be added to customers’ orders during the pick and pack process.
About ninepointfive
Ninepointfive is an independent European VC-fund investing in corporate backed ventures (e.g. alongside Siemens Energy, Liberty Global, Beiersdorf, Zeiss,...). They invest at an early stage in ventures that are (being) set up by leading corporations or invested in by those corporations. 9.5 operates like a classic VC but differs in their focus on corporate collaboration and acceleration.
About Agfa
The Agfa-Gevaert Group develops, produces and distributes an extensive range of imaging systems and IT solutions, mainly for the printing industry and the healthcare sector, as well as for specific industrial applications. Agfa strives to be the partner of choice for imaging and information systems in all the markets in which it operates.
Director Product Management & Delivery
Chief of Staff & Director Corporate Strategy
Director Product Management & Delivery
Chief of Staff & Director Corporate Strategy
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Our Vanbreda Healthcare platform has been awarded a UX Design Awards nomination by International Design Center Berlin – the leading, independent design institution promoting design as a driver for business and social innovation.
November Five was named one of Fast Company’s global 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators in both 2020 and 2021. This annual list, developed in collaboration with Accenture, recognises and honors the top 100 businesses from different industries that inspire, support and promote innovation at all levels. For the consecutive year, November Five was the single Belgian workplace listed.
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