Cloud and security solutions, modern IT infrastructure and all sorts of smart IT services: the 11 companies within the Interstellar collection each have their own specialization. CEO Maarten van Montfoort: "I believe wholeheartedly in what we do here, as it's a true gem of an enterprise." 

"This kind of is our pride", explains Maarten, as he looks around at the brand new boardroom at the Interstellar campus in Delft. "It's a great business card for what we do here. You'll find everything here for the modern workplace, such as built-in microphones in the ceiling and large screens." With as many as 11 companies under its wing, Interstellar is one of the largest service providers within the IT sector. "Businesses can outsource their entire IT process to us." 

Platform company 

Interstellar entered the market in 2021 with a big bang. Somewhat out of the blue for the world around us, but we had been working on it for months behind the scenes. "Interstellar emerged from Quadrum Capital's desire to build a platform company in the IT field", explains Maarten. He came into contact with Quadrum in 2020. "I had my own IT enterprise that was growing fast and was searching for a private equity investor. I had a direct click with Gert and Arjan at Quadrum, and we shared the same vision of the market and saw the same opportunities." But then a completely new opportunity emerged straight away. "Pretty soon after our meetings, Quadrum called me with a totally different plan: we are looking for an enterprising CEO for the platform company that we are setting up. Would you sell your company to us and then join our team?" At that point in time, Quadrum already had three IT companies under its wing. A fourth was on its way, Maarten's company would be component number five and a sixth one was in the process of being acquired. "In January 2021, a total of six companies entered the market under the name Interstellar and that caused quite a bit of commotion, with people thinking: ‘Where did they suddenly appear from?’”

Interstellar black 

Interstellar now comprises 11 companies with a total of approximately 700 employees. Each company has its own floor at the Interstellar offices in Delft, each with its own individual colours. But that's all about to change. Maarten: "From January 2024, 8 of those companies will continue under the name Interstellar. They will have one board, one organisational structure and everything will get the Interstellar colours: black." Yet it's quite a challenge to unify 11 different flavours of corporate culture. "People have often worked for many years at the company that employs them. How do we ensure that the Interstellar DNA is even more appealing than that of the company they work for now?" To achieve that, this year we launched the Painted Black internal campaign. "We are really keen that everyone enjoys the same corporate experience. We call ourselves a modern IT service provider and want to be a pioneer in technological development, but also in the way in which we work together. In the summer, we organised two festivals and a year-end party is coming soon, all fully Interstellar branded." 

Future plans

But that's not the end of the story. "We have a very clear strategy for the future: Vision 25", Maarten explains. "We have set  a total of 10 strategic objectives for ourselves. Who do we want to be as an organisation in 2025? Looking at facets such as branding, growing through acquisitions, drawing near to talent and customers and taking social responsibility." Quadrum makes a great sparring partner for this purpose. "I've brainstormed a lot with Quadrum about Vision 25. They give Interstellar a great deal of freedom, but at the same time they remain closely involved and always approachable". He continues: "Quadrum has really challenged us to keep growing. They played a key role in many of the acquisitions, but the business has now become so substantial that it is easier for them to take a step back. They have invested in the right people, which means there is now a team in place that will implement the company's vision and strategy. We aim to focus fully on the Dutch market through to 2025. But in the meantime, we'll be preparing ourselves for a possible next phase of growth: going abroad."