The Setle platform in use (Image Credits : Setle)
Young startup Setle aims to facilitate renovation processes. Co-founder Thibaut Nivelles talks about their story and goals for a greener future.
Can you tell us the story of Setle? How did it start and what are your “core values”?
A few years ago, I was giving on-site renovation advice and explaining what the best approach to renovation was. But the operation scaled rapidly and was very time-consuming.
Then I met Wilfried Van Damme (who is now Setle co-founder). He came up with the idea to automate the process. And that’s how Setle was born. We officially launched it at the end of 2019.
I saw first-hand that renovation processes lacked transparency. It shouldn’t. Setle’s goal is to help (future) home owners and real estate agents get a holistic view of the renovation process and all that it entails, so that they don’t have to worry.
Our vision goes hand in hand with the new European regulations [*such as the European Green Deal] aimed at a greener world.
Our goal is to make the rebuilding of property easier and more transparent for every stakeholder involved ! We are on a mission to protect the life quality and financials of (future) home owners. Starting in the pre-buying phase, till you get in your coach. We consider all aspects and costs involved in property, from renovation to energy consumption. Just so we can maximize your budgets and make your life better!
Thibaut Nivelles
How does it work ?
The app can be used on construction sites or by potential owners to estimate the costs of a property. They can get real-time insight just by clicking on the user-friendly interface, which provides them with hard real estate data.
How has Covid-19 impacted your work?
We actually saw an increase last year, not only in the number of customers but also in the frequency of use by existing users.
“It was the perfect time to offer a digital solution.”
What would you like to see in the future?
Currently, renovation processes lack transparency in Belgium. They are generally thought to be very expensive and time-consuming.
That’s why our biggest challenges right now are, on the one hand, to make the process more transparent and, on the other hand, to convince people that this is the best solution. With our app, we want to motivate people to think differently about renovation. Because ultimately, new European regulations such as the European Green Deal and the European Energy Pack will make it compulsory. So if it’s just a matter of years, why not start now and better understand how it works?
What is your mid-term and long-term vision ?
Our mid-term goal is to grow our customers’ portfolio and make sure they understand how our application works. Because understanding is the first step towards more efficient use.
Then, our long-term goal is for Setle to be recognized by the market and widely used. And of course, our overall goal is to make every property efficient.
For more information, click here.
Liuba Diederich