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Key people at DFF.
DFF is a precision contract manufacturer specializing in the medium-to-high volume production of precision-machined components and electromechanical assemblies based in Agawam, Massachusetts. Operating from a fully integrated 300,000 square-foot manufacturing facility with continuous production capabilities, the company provides automated CNC milling, turning, design engineering, and quality assurance services. The manufacturer serves industrial clients operating across the warehouse robotics, medical device, semiconductor, aerospace, and defense sectors while maintaining AS9100D and ISO 9001 certifications alongside ITAR registration. Following a period of significant expansion, the organization added 165 workers during 2021 to reach a total workforce headcount of 325 employees. In March 2022, the business was acquired by Cadrex, a manufacturing platform and portfolio company of CORE Industrial Partners, with operations overseen by executives including William Marganti, Ray Brodowski, and Keith Campbell. DFF was founded in 1969.
Key people at DFF.
DFF Ventures (formerly Dutch Founders Fund) is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2018, based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, that invests in digital solutions for underdigitized industries across Europe and the MENA (EMEA) region.[1][3][4] Its mission centers on a no-nonsense approach to company building, emphasizing entrepreneurial grit, solid execution, and the people behind the ideas, while providing capital, operational expertise, and networks to help founders scale globally.[1][3] The firm focuses on key sectors including marketplaces (B2B, B2B2C, consumer transactional models), vertical SaaS for niche underdigitized verticals, tech-enabled services for efficiency via software and automation, and marketplace enablers; it has expanded into Vertical AI, recommerce platforms, and marketplaces with its third fund.[1][3][7] DFF has approximately €85-100 million in assets under management across its first two funds, 36 portfolio partnerships (some in stealth), and has made 43 investments with 3 exits, significantly impacting the EMEA startup ecosystem by backing over 30 founders from 25+ nationalities in areas like logistics, FinTech, healthcare, and automotive.[1][3][6]
DFF Ventures originated in 2018 as Dutch Founders Fund (DFF), evolving into its current name while maintaining a focus on early-stage investments in EMEA.[1][3][6] The fund was created by founders with hands-on experience building companies like WeTransfer, Just Eat, Hiber, Treatwell, and fonQ, positioning it as "the fund we wish we had back then."[3] Key partners bring backgrounds from Booking.com, Zalando, Bol, BCG, and ING, emphasizing a founder-centric ethos.[3][6] Its evolution includes launching DFF I and II (totaling €85m AUM), growing to 36 portfolio companies, and recently opening DFF Ventures III with over €50m committed toward a €60m target, broadening into Vertical AI and marketplaces.[1][3]
DFF Ventures rides the trend of digital transformation in underdigitized industries, where legacy sectors like logistics, agriculture, real estate, and energy lag in tech adoption, creating opportunities for marketplaces, vertical SaaS, and AI-driven efficiencies.[1][3][7] Timing is ideal amid rising Vertical AI and recommerce momentum, as DFF's Fund III targets these amid EMEA's growing startup ecosystem and post-pandemic digitization push.[1][3] Market forces favoring it include abundant dry powder for early-stage VC, regional entrepreneurship booms in Netherlands/Europe/MENA, and demand for tech-enabled services amid supply chain disruptions and sustainability shifts (e.g., recycling/timber investments).[6][7] It influences the ecosystem by empowering 30+ diverse founders, driving economic growth through localized support, and proving scalable models in non-digital verticals, contributing to a thriving Dutch and EMEA tech hub.[2][3]
DFF Ventures is poised to close Fund III at €60m and deploy into high-growth areas like Vertical AI and marketplaces, building on 36 active partnerships and recent deals like Firsty and Metycle.[1][3][6] Trends shaping its path include AI integration in verticals, recommerce sustainability plays, and EMEA's VC resurgence, potentially yielding more exits and larger funds. Its founder-led, execution-focused influence will likely expand, solidifying DFF as a go-to backer for gritty entrepreneurs digitizing the non-digital world.[1][3]
