Battery Ventures Forms Craftview to Deliver Transformative Technology to Craftspeople Across Europe

Building Off Initial Investment in WinWorker, Global Investment Firm Adds Five New German and Dutch Software Companies to Create Robust New Technology Platform; Klaus Enke Named Craftview CEO

Craftview Software GmbH, a new platform company created by global, technology-focused investment firm Battery Ventures, announced its launch and mission to offer innovative business software to craftspeople, field-service technicians and construction-industry professionals across Europe. The partnership with Battery will allow the companies to continue investing in innovation; expand into new markets and geographies; and further their primary objective of helping their customers remain competitive in a rapidly changing market environment.

Craftview brings together the capabilities of six separate software companies based in Germany and the Netherlands, all of which create software for functions such as quote preparation, workforce management, time tracking, material management, resource planning, and cash management. The companies include WinWorker Software, es2000 Errichter Software, KS21 Software, OS Datensysteme, Moser, and Gilde Software; collectively, they have more than 300 employees.

Together, Craftview’s companies serve over 15,000 small and medium sized businesses in trades ranging from roofing and construction to electrical installation to painting, tiling and carpentry, among other specialties.

The market for these businesses in Germany and many other European countries is fragmented but growing: In 2019, there were more than 550,000 construction companies with an average workforce of nine people in the German “Handwerker” market, and they boasted a combined 12% growth rate over the previous six years, according to Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks. The market dynamics are similar across other EU countries. New, pan-European business documentation and online privacy regulations such as GDPR, as well as detailed regulations governing skilled trade businesses in Germany, are driving the adoption of software that can help workers do their jobs efficiently and compliantly.

“For too long, craftspeople in Germany and the rest of Europe have not had access to the kind of sophisticated, customized technology they need to run their businesses in today’s fast-changing market,” said Klaus Enke, a longtime European technology executive and Battery adviser who is now Craftview’s CEO. “Forming Craftview, and leveraging the capital and expertise of Battery Ventures, will help deliver that technology to more craftspeople across the continent and allow them to do their jobs better. We could not be more excited to launch Craftview and deliver on that vision.” In the U.S., Battery is an investor in ServiceTitan*, a similar firm that makes technology for tradespeople.

Morad Elhafed, a Battery general partner, noted: “Our investment in Craftview and its family of companies is validation that the Mittelstand—the powerful group of small- and mid-sized businesses, often family-owned, in German-speaking countries—is a growing force worthy of international investor interest and world-class technology. We are extremely excited to build on our initial investment in WinWorker, and partner with a talented, seasoned executive like Klaus, to grow Craftview and help its businesses become even more robust.”

Elhafed and Zak Ewen, a Battery principal based in London, have joined Craftview’s board.

About Craftview

Craftview is a leader in business-management software with last-mile functionality focused on specialized domains within the construction industry. Our software solutions are among our clients’ most important tools, giving them a professional edge and increased productivity and efficiency. More than 15,000 customers - craftsmen, builders, and field service technicians – rely on Craftview software tools every day in managing projects end-to-end. And because we believe that it takes more than great products for our customers to become masters of their craft, customer success is not only codified in our solutions but also personally delivered by more than 300 Craftview experts. To learn more, please visit www.craftview.de.

About Battery Ventures

Battery partners with exceptional founders and management teams developing category-defining businesses in markets including software and services, enterprise infrastructure, online marketplaces, healthcare IT and industrial technology. Founded in 1983, the firm backs companies at all stages, ranging from seed and early to growth and buyout, and invests globally from six strategic locations: Boston; San Francisco and Menlo Park, Calif.; Herzliya, Israel; London; and New York. Follow the firm on Twitter @BatteryVentures, visit our website at www.battery.com and find a full list of Battery's portfolio companies here.

*For a full list of all Battery investments and exits, click here.

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