All Microsoft Dynamics partners under one roof: with that idea, Novature was established in 2022 with an investment from Quadrum. CEO Louis Rustenhoven: “We now support more than 1,000 partners in Europe and Canada.”

With the dream of setting up a complete Microsoft Dynamics platform, Louis Rustenhoven and Arie-Willem van der Plas entered into discussions in 2021. Louis was at that time CEO of Companial, an IT company that supports Microsoft Dynamics partners in the use of Microsoft Dynamics software. Arie-Willem van der Plas was managing director of DycoTrade, a company that implements high-end commodity ERP software solutions based on Microsoft Dynamics. “We wanted to create an eco-system in which we combine Companial’s considerable distribution power with our own software solutions on Dynamics such as those of Dycotrade”, explains Louis.

Supporting partner

Microsoft Dynamics is the umbrella name for Microsoft’s suite of business applications. “The success of Microsoft depends on the success of their partners”, Louis explains. “They conduct 90 percent of their business worldwide through partners. If they are successful, Microsoft is too. What we do at Companial and Novature is to support those partners. We are actually an extension of Microsoft.” And what exactly do they provide support with? “A partner buys a Microsoft Dynamics license from us. We then offer them business and technical services such as consultancy, training, installation assistance and migrations, these partners can contact us with all their questions.” The merger with DycoTrade to form the new Novature is the first strategic step in order to be able to offer the most complete package of services possible. Louis: “DycoTrade is an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) that offers specialized software solutions for trading in specific sectors such as coffee, grain and the metal industry. By now adding these software solutions to the Companial range within Novature, we can bring everything together for the partner and the partner’s customers.” Incidentally, the two companies still operate under their own name: “We both serve different market segments and find it important that both Companial and Dycotrade continue to exist as a name in their own markets.”

Investor

It was no coincidence that Quadrum became the investor behind Novature. “Quadrum already owned DycoTrade”, explains Louis. “The click was good from the start. We explained our business model and how Companial and DycoTrade are able to strengthen one another. The entrepreneurship shown by Quadrum to bring our companies together was very strong and decisive for us.” And not only that, “Quadrum lets the entrepreneur be the entrepreneur. We are given space to do business, but at the same time they also like to spar with us about new ideas and are also open to them.”