Suggestions
Patrick van der Meulen
Duurzame Ondernemer
Patrick van der Meulen is a 33-year-old sustainable entrepreneur and the CEO & Founder of Soly (formerly known as enie.nl), a solar energy company he started in 2013.2 Born in 1991 in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, Patrick studied Commercial Economics at Hanzehogeschool Groningen.12
Career and Company
Patrick founded Soly with a mission to make solar energy accessible to everyone.2 The company has grown significantly since its inception:
- It now serves around 35,000 customers with solar energy solutions.2
- Soly operates in multiple countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, UK, and South Africa.2
- The company has received recognition as a Top50 Challenger by MT/Sprout and was ranked among the fastest-growing companies in the Netherlands by the Financieel Dagblad in 2021.2
Achievements and Recognition
Patrick has received several honors for his entrepreneurial efforts:
- Named in the Sprout Challenger50 list in November 2020.2
- Listed in the Duurzame Jonge 100 (Sustainable Young 100) multiple times from 2016 to 2020.2
- Included in the Sprout Top 25 under 25 in May 2016.2
- His company was recognized in the Deloitte Fast 50 in November 2021.2
Recent Developments
In 2023, enie.nl changed its brand name to Soly to facilitate international expansion.3 The company has experienced rapid growth, with revenue increasing tenfold in January and February 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year.3
Highlights
BIG NEWS: Soly raises € 30 million in equity for future expansion! I am extremely proud to announce that we have raised 30 million in equity. This investment will enable Soly to expand to new markets and to provide affordable and renewable energy to 500,000+ households and businesses by 2030. The investment round was led by ArcTern Ventures in partnership with US-based Fifth Wall, the largest asset manager focused on improving, future-proofing, and decarbonizing today’s built world. Our existing investors, Shell Ventures & Pensioenfonds ABP, meaningfully completed the round. Like every major transition, the energy transition is characterized by progress and setbacks. In that context, I am extremely proud of every Solyan that helped to triple our revenue & impact in 2023 compared to 2022. Our mission-driven approach, rapid international expansion, new products, and proprietary software platform led us through a challenging year. This milestone would not have happened without the unyielding support of my amazing team, co-founders Milan van der Meulen & Richard van der Meulen, my committed Management Team: Dr. Alexander Brunst, Anastasia Dellis, Erika le Roux CA(SA), Neil Anderson, and Matteo Maria Artero, and our Board Members Enrico Ferrari, Jermaine Saaltink, and Jeroen Schreur. Thanks for your support! Welcome, Mira Inbar and Miguel Nigorra Esteban to the Soly Revolution, and thanks for your confidence in Soly. I am looking forward to working together. Find the full press release in the comment below: https://lnkd.in/e36wiSpp #Soly #Investment #energytransition #entrepreneurship
