Smartfin and Newion invest € 2.5 million in SEQUESTO, the most intelligent AI RFP Response Platform
Brussels – 17 September 2025
Smartfin and Newion announce a strategic €2.5 million investment in SEQUESTO, the Belgian scale-up redefining the way companies respond to tenders, RFIs, and RFPs. With its AI-first approach and agentic workflows, SEQUESTO automates nearly all repetitive, time-consuming, and error-prone tasks across the entire RFx cycle, structurally boosting tender teams’ efficiency and win rates.
The global market for RFP optimization software is growing rapidly, driven by the increasing number and complexity of tenders and the breakthrough of AI technology. For most organizations, responding to RFPs, RFIs, and other complex procurement procedures is still a highly manual, time-intensive, and frustrating process with high costs and relatively low win rates.
Where legacy players offer only incremental improvements, SEQUESTO fundamentally transforms the RFx process through deep use of innovative, advanced AI capabilities. This sets it apart from traditional competitors like Loopio and Responsive, who have dominated this segment for years.
The impact goes well beyond saving time: SEQUESTO systematically reduces content management costs, speeds up time-to-value, and demonstrably increases win ratios on complex bids.
Founded in 2020 by Patrick Dalvinck (CEO) and Evrard t’Serstevens (CTO), SEQUESTO has evolved from a Belgian start-up into an international growth company. Today, SEQUESTO operates in multiple European core markets and the US, serving customers ranging from fast-growing SaaS companies to highly regulated enterprises, including ISS Facility Services, ooDrive, and Barona. The team currently numbers sixteen and continues to grow.
“SEQUESTO delivers a holistic solution that unites orchestration and response development in one powerful platform, purpose-built for tenders. Where other tools are confined to niches, SEQUESTO supports the entire RFx cycle and is deployable across every sector and region,” says Frank Claassen, Managing Partner at Newion.
With the € 2.5 million capital injection from Smartfin and Newion, SEQUESTO aims to accelerate its international expansion and solidify its position as the most intelligent AI RFP Response Platform.
“Tenders are strategically important for many companies, but the process is often slow, complex, and inefficient. SEQUESTO combines AI and automation to fundamentally redesign this process. At Smartfin, we invest in companies that build platforms which structurally improve efficiency,” says Jürgen Ingels, Founding Partner at Smartfin.
About Smartfin
Smartfin is a European venture and growth capital investor with over € 600 million in assets under management. The fund focuses on early- and growth-stage B2B technology companies across Europe and the UK. Smartfin combines a strong track record in venture capital and private equity with decades of operational experience in building and scaling international technology businesses. More info: www.smartfinvc.com
About SEQUESTO
SEQUESTO empowers tender teams with advanced, AI-driven technology that automates repetitive, error-prone, and time-consuming tasks. The platform structurally lowers content management costs, accelerates time-to-value, and measurably increases win ratios on complex RFx projects. More info: www.SEQUESTO.com
About Newion
Newion is one of Europe’s most experienced early-stage and growth venture capital funds, focusing on B2B software. Since its founding in 2000, Newion has been investing in exceptional teams with global ambitions. The fund is supported by the European Union via the InvestEU Fund. More info: www.newion.com
