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Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, De Risk International operates a consumer behavior change engine that provides platforms, mechanics, and 100% underwritten risk coverage for consumer-facing marketing campaigns. The company focuses on reducing costs and eliminating financial liabilities associated with rewards-driven promotional efforts across the manufacturing, retail, finance, telecommunications, insurance, and fast-moving consumer goods sectors. The organization is backed by institutional investors including Portugal Ventures and is managed by a leadership team featuring Business Development Executive Janus Kloppers. By integrating risk management with promotional mechanics, the enterprise allows corporate clients to launch large-scale incentive programs without assuming the underlying financial exposure of high redemption rates. This model enables brands to offer high-value rewards to their customer base while maintaining strictly fixed promotional budgets throughout the campaign lifecycle. De Risk International was founded in 2019 by Marc Johnstone.
De Risk International has raised $420K across 1 funding round.
De Risk International has raised $420K in total across 1 funding round.
# De Risk International: High-Level Overview
De Risk International is not primarily a technology company, but rather a marketing risk management and consumer behavior change platform that uses technology as an enabler. Founded in 2019 and based in Lisbon, Portugal, the company specializes in Reward Risk Coverage for consumer-facing promotional campaigns[1]. It serves enterprises across manufacturing, retail, finance, telecom, FMCG, and insurance sectors by designing, implementing, and underwriting promotional campaigns with reward components[3].
The company solves a specific business problem: promotional campaigns with rewards carry financial risk if redemption rates exceed projections. De Risk International eliminates this risk through actuarial analysis, smart metrics, and fully underwritten coverage, enabling clients to run high-impact promotions without bearing the downside exposure[4]. Its end-to-end solution includes GDPR-compliant campaign mechanics, white-label platforms, digital reward systems, and AI-powered fraud validation[4].
# Origin Story
De Risk International was founded in 2019 by Marc Johnstone (CEO), a respected business leader with a distinguished background in marketing and advertising solutions, and Janus Kloppers, a business development executive with consumer telecom expertise[3]. The company emerged from recognizing a gap in the market: while brands invest heavily in promotional campaigns to drive consumer behavior, they lack effective tools to manage the financial risk inherent in reward-based mechanics.
The founding team brought deep industry experience to address this problem. Johnstone's marketing background combined with Kloppers' telecom sector knowledge positioned them to understand both campaign design and risk management across major industries[3]. Portugal Ventures provided early-stage capital, supporting the company's initial development[3].
# Core Differentiators
# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
De Risk International operates at the intersection of marketing technology, fintech risk management, and behavioral economics. The company rides several converging trends:
Promotional Campaign Digitization: As brands shift from traditional to digital-first marketing, the complexity and scale of promotional campaigns have increased, creating demand for sophisticated management platforms.
Risk Quantification in Marketing: Enterprises increasingly view marketing spend through a financial lens, demanding measurable ROI and risk-adjusted returns. De Risk International translates marketing campaigns into quantifiable financial instruments.
Regulatory Compliance Pressure: GDPR and evolving data privacy regulations have made compliant campaign mechanics a competitive necessity rather than a nice-to-have, favoring specialized providers over generalist agencies.
AI and Fraud Prevention: As promotional fraud becomes more sophisticated, AI-powered validation systems provide tangible competitive advantage and cost savings.
The company influences the broader ecosystem by demonstrating that marketing risk can be managed like financial risk—through actuarial modeling, underwriting, and data-driven optimization. This positions promotional campaigns as a more predictable, measurable business function.
# Quick Take & Future Outlook
De Risk International is well-positioned for growth as enterprises increasingly demand accountability and risk management in marketing spend. The company's focus on actuarial rigor and compliance differentiates it from traditional marketing agencies and positions it to capture share from both marketing services and insurance-adjacent risk management markets.
Key trends shaping its trajectory include the continued digitization of promotional campaigns, regulatory expansion around consumer data and rewards mechanics, and the integration of AI into fraud detection and campaign optimization. As brands operate globally, De Risk International's GDPR-compliant, multi-market infrastructure becomes increasingly valuable.
The company's next phase likely involves geographic expansion beyond Europe and deepening its AI capabilities to offer predictive campaign modeling and real-time optimization—transforming from a risk management provider into a strategic marketing intelligence platform. Its ability to combine marketing expertise with financial rigor positions it uniquely to capture value as the industry matures.
De Risk International has raised $420K in total across 1 funding round.
De Risk International's investors include Portugal Ventures.
De Risk International has raised $420K across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $420K Seed in June 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2023 | $420K Seed | — | Portugal Ventures | Announced |
