Arnout Schuijff, the co-founder of the European payments giant Adyen, has ventured into a new entrepreneurial journey with Tebi, a fintech startup targeting small businesses. Known for his role in helping Adyen become a $50 billion powerhouse, Schuijff has shifted his focus to Tebi, an employee-owned company offering an integrated payments and management solution tailored for small business owners. Tebi’s innovative approach combines essential tools, including payment processing, accounting, and point-of-sale systems, into one platform. This move reflects a growing trend among Adyen alumni, who are increasingly launching their own startups to fill gaps in the ever-evolving payments sector.
Background on Arnout Schuijff and Adyen
Arnout Schuijff co-founded Adyen in 2006 alongside Pieter van der Does, helping to transform the Dutch startup into a global leader in payment technology. Known for its versatile, scalable payment platform, Adyen supports businesses of all sizes, from startups to global enterprises, in processing online, in-store, and mobile payments. Schuijff was instrumental in developing the technical backbone of the company, which differentiated itself by offering a unified platform for merchants to manage payments, risk, and data analytics in real-time. Following Adyen’s IPO in 2018, Schuijff chose to step down from the company in 2020, aiming to explore new ventures and invest his expertise in addressing specific challenges in the fintech space. His departure came as Adyen’s influence expanded globally, underscoring the impact of his contributions to the company’s growth and innovation trajectory.
About Tebi: The Vision and Mission
Launched in 2021, Tebi is Schuijff’s latest venture into the fintech industry. In partnership with Rob Vonk, another former Adyen engineer, Schuijff aims to make business management easier for small business owners by integrating three essential functions—payment processing, accounting, and a point-of-sale interface—into one cohesive platform. This approach allows small businesses to manage their finances more efficiently, reducing the need for multiple software solutions. Beyond its functional benefits, Tebi stands out as an employee-owned company, which aligns with Schuijff’s vision of fostering a more collaborative and inclusive corporate culture. This model, relatively rare in the fintech world, has the potential to boost employee engagement, innovation, and loyalty, differentiating Tebi not only as a service provider but also as a workplace.
Market Potential and Tebi’s Competitive Positioning
Tebi enters a competitive fintech market where many companies already offer point-of-sale and payment solutions for small businesses. However, Tebi differentiates itself by providing a fully integrated platform that encompasses payment processing, accounting, and point-of-sale functionalities. By targeting small businesses, Tebi aims to simplify operational processes, making it easier for entrepreneurs to handle finances, manage inventory, and accept payments—all from one streamlined interface.
The small business segment represents a significant market opportunity, as owners often struggle with adopting multiple systems to manage various aspects of their businesses. Tebi’s approach reduces the burden of coordinating disparate systems, offering cost-effective, scalable tools with user-friendly features. Its unique Tap to Pay functionality, for instance, allows users with iPhone devices to accept contactless payments, eliminating the need for a dedicated payment terminal. This feature is particularly appealing to small-scale operators and new business owners who may be discouraged by the setup costs associated with traditional payment systems.
In addition to its technological features, Tebi is employee-owned, which is a distinctive characteristic in the fintech industry. This structure aligns employee interests with company performance, potentially fostering greater innovation and customer service. As Tebi grows, its employee-ownership model may also appeal to clients who prefer working with companies that emphasize shared success and accountability.
Funding and Future Prospects
While Tebi has been largely bootstrapped thus far, industry analysts expect it to attract substantial interest from venture capitalists as it continues to expand. Investors are increasingly drawn to companies with unique operational models and strong leadership. Tebi, under Schuijff’s direction, represents both. Tebi’s focus on the small business market, combined with its integrated platform, positions it well for growth, especially as small businesses increasingly seek solutions to simplify their operations and reduce costs.
Future plans for Tebi involve expanding its platform capabilities, adding new features based on user feedback, and possibly pursuing international expansion. The company’s modular pricing approach, which aligns fees with business revenues, makes Tebi accessible to a wide range of businesses, from startups to more established small enterprises. This pricing model, along with Tebi’s all-inclusive feature set, could make it a go-to solution for small businesses globally.
Conclusion
Arnout Schuijff’s move from Adyen to Tebi signals his continued commitment to innovation in the payments industry. Tebi’s emphasis on integration, simplicity, and affordability speaks to the needs of small business owners and aligns with the broader trend of employee ownership in tech startups. As Tebi gains traction, it has the potential not only to reshape small business operations but also to inspire new fintech business models. Schuijff’s legacy at Adyen now serves as a foundation for his ambition with Tebi: to create a platform that empowers entrepreneurs and simplifies the complex world of business management.
