Twipe Mobile Solutions understands the power of working together like no other. This tech player from Heverlee was founded in 2011 in close collaboration with Corelio, publisher of De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad, two of Flanders’ main newspapers. CEO Danny Lein: “Together, we developed a cloud platform to publish news content on mobile devices and monitor reading behavior.”

The goal was to connect other publishers to the platform as well,” Danny adds. "This happened quickly. First, two other publishers from Flanders – Het Belang van Limburg and Gazet van Antwerpen – joined in. Then, publishers from the Netherlands also started showing interest: the editors of NRC Handelsblad took the lead, followed by De Telegraaf subsidiary HMC and Media Groep Limburg. As part of our Software-as-a-Service model, customers pay a fee for the software license, hosting and 24/7 service.” ..

In essence

  • Flanders-based Twipe Mobile Solutions developed a user-friendly cloud platform to publish news content on mobile devices and monitor reading behavior. 

  • Customers such as The Telegraph, Le Monde and The Times pay a fee for the software license, hosting and 24/7 service. 

  • The combination of technology and thought leadership proved key to international success. 

Gaining lots of traction quickly

Never change a winning team! “About a year after our first collaboration, we stepped into another innovation project with Corelio,” Danny explains. “Together with De Standaard, we brought out DS Avond, the very first evening edition of a newspaper without a paper parent title. The evening edition caught on, which was a boost.” 

The project opened the door to the French market. Danny: “During one of our prospecting rounds, we met with Ouest-France, the largest French newspaper publisher. They were so charmed by what we had accomplished with Corelio that they promptly wanted to partner with us for their own digital-only evening edition as well.” 

"With more than ten million monthly readers, the Edition du Soir is today one of the most widely read digital newspapers in Europe. In the years that followed, we were able to add four other major French newspaper groups to our list of customers, topped by Le Monde in 2017.” 

Fulfilling the American dream

Meanwhile, customers in the UK, Scandinavia, Switzerland and a number of southern European markets added more than 80 newspapers to the list. “We also want to take a shot at making our American dream come true. We’d already done a roadshow in the US in early 2020. At the time, we secured appointments with 13 newspaper publishers, including The New York Times,” Danny recalls.  

"However, right after our prospecting trip, the world went into lockdown due to the COVID pandemic and we were forced to shelve our plans. The roadshow did lead to a deal with Advance Local for 24 regional newspapers. But the time to expand is now.”

Small vs. big

Media companies choose Twipe Mobile Solutions for its agility and innovativeness, but with 22 engineers, the company lacks the superpower of a tech giant. By comparison, The New York Times has a team of about 1,000 engineers.  

“As a small tech player from Heverlee, we managed to convince large international media companies to work with us mainly because of our strong technology. We combine an excellent user experience for the reader with insights into reading behavior for the editors. This makes our platform unique in the market,” Danny says proudly. 

"We set up scientific research projects and share the insights."
Danny Lein
CEO of Twipe Mobile Solutions
Foto van Danny Lein, CEO van Twipe Mobile Solutions

“On top of that, we have been positioning ourselves as a thought leader within our niche since the early years. We set up scientific research projects and share the insights through publications, webinars, trade conferences and our annual Digital Growth Summit. The news industry is in full transformation. We offer informed insights and a vision for the future of news and journalism. This is how we create credibility, giving us a shot with even the largest media organizations.”  

When it all just fits 

“As a small company, Twipe Mobile Solutions manages to convince very large customers,” says Annik Du Pont, International Business Advisor at Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT). “They do this with continuous innovations, both in terms of technology and approach, but also with a great passion for newspapers and journalism: their target niche, on which they focus 100%. They also commit to thought leadership, sharing their in-depth expertise with the world.” 

“The drive shown by the team at Twipe Mobile Solutions is contagious. So, it’s a great pleasure for the colleagues at FIT to be able to help them in connecting with new clients. For example, FIT offers Twipe Mobile Solutions financial support for its participation in conferences and other digital media events. We also facilitate the organization of the company’s roadshows and seminars, such as in New York. Twipe Mobile Solutions is a source of inspiration for Flanders-based exporters. What’s more, as the proud winner of our 2022 export award, they show that you don’t need to be big to achieve great things as an international entrepreneur.” 

Innovative cocreation

To maximize the company’s innovative power, Twipe Mobile Solutions continues to build on its platform and come up with new features. “This is still often done in cocreation with our customers,” Danny shares. 

"For example, we have a strong partnership with Ouest France, working closely together in the same spirit as in the early years with Corelio. In addition, together with The Times, we developed JAMES, a digital butler that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to compile personalized reading lists for subscribers. We received an innovation grant from Google for this project, catapulting us to the next level in just a year’s time. Other British newspapers then presented themselves as potential customers, and the Scandinavian road-to-market also opened up." 

The future of news media

"Research shows that a lot of consumers would like daily news selections, tailored to their interests,” Danny adds. "Which form digital news offerings will take in the future is anyone’s guess, but the concept of a digital newspaper appears to be here to stay. 

"Also, I strongly believe in the added value of virtual reality for the news industry. It's still futuristic but imagine being able to sit at a virtual table with other readers to discuss articles. Or, how about engaging in dialogue with the journalist in question? News as a conversation starter in a virtual world, that's how I see the future of journalism.” 

Inspiration galore

It’s clear: international business has the power to connect beyond borders – bringing a range of advantages as well as innovative and business opportunities to both sides of the table.