Graciëlla van Vliet, co-founder of Closure, embarked on her entrepreneurial journey with a mission to address a deeply personal and sensitive issue—how to manage digital identities after someone passes away. The inspiration for Closure came when a former co-founder, Chantal, received a Facebook notification to congratulate her deceased grandmother on her birthday. This unsettling experience highlighted the growing problem of managing digital identities and subscriptions that persist after death, and it planted the seed for what would become Closure.
A woman with a “boring” insight
“We were techies, no designers. Our first logo consisted of the word ‘Closure’, starting with a circle – representing the circle of life. However, people missed that the circle álso represented the letter ‘C’ and therefore thought our company was pronounced “Loser” (Losure). While this still has to do with “loss” to some extent, it was not what we we’re aiming for.”
Closure was born out of a need to provide a one-stop solution for dealing with digital afterlife management, offering a service that helps cancel accounts, subscriptions, and other digital footprints. Over time, the company’s mission evolved, but its core purpose remained the same: to simplify the lives of those dealing with loss by handling these difficult tasks on their behalf.
“We love boring businesses. Dealing with death is boring, debt relief is boring, and knowledge management, which Jochem.ais active in, is also boring. But that’s precisely what we find interesting, because there’s so little innovation in these areas. Few companies find them interesting to be involved in, which means there’s a lot we can improve on, and we can really specialize and claim that niche.” (quote style)
Initially, Closure focused solely on helping individuals manage digital identities after a death. However, as the company grew, so did its understanding of the market and the potential for broader applications. During the pre-seed phase, supported by the fund, Graciëlla and her team recognized an opportunity to expand their service beyond managing digital identities after death. They began collaborating directly with enterprises like banks, insurers, and telecom providers to offer specialized customer service solutions for various life events, not just death.
Graciëlla explains, “Initially, our focus was solely on managing digital accounts, but we soon realized the potential to expand our services to include other life events. Now, we provide customer service solutions for various scenarios, such as debt assistance”. This pivot allowed Closure to grow and serve a broader range of needs, making it a more comprehensive service across a wide variety of repetitive, but sensitive administrative chores.
Opening up on life with Closure
Reflecting on her journey, Graciëlla shares three key pieces of advice she would give her younger self:
Start earlier: Graciëlla believes she could have benefited from starting even earlier. She began Closure during her master’s degree, balancing it with her studies, a job, and other commitments. Looking back, she wishes she had started in her bachelor’s years when she had even more freedom and fewer responsibilities. “I wish I had started at the beginning of my bachelor’s degree because you have so much freedom then. No mortgage, no family to support, or whatsoever”.
Go all in: She emphasizes the importance of committing fully to a venture. By starting Closure full-time right after her studies, Graciëlla was able to focus entirely on the company, accelerating its growth. She advises against running a startup as a side project, as this can slow down progress and dilute the focus. “You’re also looking for small successes that say, okay, we have no idea where this is going. And now we’ve become a kind of software niche customer service company”.
This business was made for bootstrapping: While Graciëlla acknowledges the value of external funding, she also recognizes the trade-offs, particularly the loss of some autonomy. If she were to start another company, she would bootstrap more and rely on loans, like this fund, rather than early venture capital, to maintain greater control over the company’s direction. “I think fundraising is often hyped as a milestone… but it does influence the course of your company and your journey as a founder. My advice would be to talk to different founders, who bootstrapped, who raised, and decide what works best for you”.
Why startup funding matters
For Graciëlla, pre-seed financing, particularly from the fund, was crucial in Closure’s early days. It provided the necessary capital to focus full-time on building the business without the immediate pressure of generating revenue. This financial support allowed Closure to navigate the long sales cycles typical in enterprise deals, giving them the runway to refine their product and secure their first major customers.
Reflecting on the importance of external validation, Graciëlla says, “It’s the validation from an external party. I think that shouldn’t be underestimated. People really pay attention to that”. This validation was crucial when pitching to large enterprises like Ardanta, their first major client.
Closure’s journey with the fund began through their involvement with UtrechtInc., a startup incubator. The connection was logical and strategic—UtrechtInc. provided the support and environment they needed as young entrepreneurs, and the fund offered the financial backing.
The fund was particularly attractive because it was structured as a loan, which aligned with Graciëlla’s preference for maintaining control over her company rather than diluting ownership through equity funding. “The fund was the perfect fit because it offered the financial support we needed with the flexibility to grow at our own pace”.
The future of Closure
Graciëlla van Vliet’s journey with Closure illustrates the importance of strategic funding, the benefits of starting early, and the value of maintaining control over your business. Her insights offer valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly in navigating the challenges of early-stage startup life.
With the support of the fund and the access to the ecosystem provided by UtrechtInc, Closure has grown from a quirky insight into a company that provides essential services for some of life’s most “boring” chores.
“We started Closure after my co-founder got a Facebook notification to congratulate her deceased grandmother on her birthday. We thought, ‘Well, if Facebook thinks she’s still alive, maybe we’re onto something here!’