Helsinki-based Droppe, a Finnish B2B distribution company, has closed a €3.9M funding round led by OpenOcean, a European early-stage venture capital firm.
Key participants in the funding round included Miki Kuusi and Marianne Vikkula from Wolt, Ilkka Paananen from Supercell, Robert Gentz from Zalando, and Lifeline Ventures, Droppe’s existing investor.
OpenOcean’s General Partner, Tom Henriksson, says, “Through its Source-to-Order platform, Droppe provides buyers with the easiest way to source, order, and manage the products their operations rely on.”
“For brands, Droppe offers more than just an online distribution channel. It provides a scalable order management system and a powerful data engine that delivers actionable insights on matching demand with supply, helping brands understand how to expand their market share and enter new markets across Europe—putting them back in the driver’s seat of their success.”
“Droppe’s strong founders have shown their ability to develop a compelling online product that can serve both small and large businesses in Europe. We are proud to support Johannes and Henrik in the next phase of their journey.”
A Source-to-Order platform
Founded in 2020 by Johannes Salmisaari and Henrik Helenius, Droppe has developed a Source-to-Order platform tailored for businesses, anticipating the trend where 80 per cent of B2B sales will be online by 2025.
The platform simplifies how companies can source, order, and manage supplies like safety gear, paper products, workwear, and packaging materials, meeting the digital preferences of modern buyers.
Droppe also enables direct supplier-to-customer transactions, eliminating the need for intermediary storage, repackaging, and additional logistics involved in moving products from brands to businesses.
This streamlined approach enhances efficiency as well as supports the creation of shorter and more sustainable supply chains across Europe. Droppe says, that through its platform, businesses can advance their sustainability objectives and contribute to a greener future.
In addition, over 150 leading European brands specialising in safety, workwear, paper and packaging products have adopted Droppe’s Source-to-Order Platform as their strategy to capture the growing online market and expand into new markets.
Over 150 European brands specialising in safety equipment, workwear, paper products, and packaging materials have adopted Droppe’s Source-to-Order platform.
Capital utilisation
The funding will help Droppe to empower its mission to transform B2B distribution, shifting from traditional methods established since the early 2000s to a modern, digitally-focused approach.
Co-founder Salmisaari, says, “We are in an exciting phase at Droppe, both market and company-wise. With increased technology adoption and millennials stepping into buyer roles, the landscape of business purchasing decisions is changing.”
“The culture is moving away from transactions with salespersons via physical visits, emails and calls towards digital experiences that streamline purchase decisions and enhance the collaborative management and coordination of recurring orders.”
With the funds, Droppe aims to enhance its platform to meet B2B customers’ online expectations. They also plan to recruit new commercial talent in Helsinki and Cologne to support its growing European customer base.
Co-founder Helenius, adds, “The funding will support Droppe in expanding our database of suppliers, products, and their associated technical product and standard data. This will help buyers source and order more efficiently and objectively.”
“Furthermore, Droppe will put even more focus on supporting operations and procurement teams across Europe to help them manage the purchasing of their operations supplies, providing them with greater control over their operations.”
“We’ve seen the need for a platform like this and are excited to expand our offering.”
