– Community highlight – Frank Tanke
In Conversation with Frank Tanke, CEO of Blue Inspect
In this series, we shine a spotlight on entrepreneurs, investors, and colleagues from our community. This time, we speak with Frank Tanke, who recently took the helm at Blue Inspect.
After his first 100 days as CEO, he reflects on this intense start-up period, shares his key insights, and explains how working with ECFG helps him and the company grow with confidence.
Your first 100 days as CEO are behind you. How would you describe this period?
“It’s been an intense but incredibly inspiring few months. In a short time, I’ve had many conversations with colleagues, customers, and partners. What immediately struck me was the energy and commitment within the team. Everyone wants to move forward, and there’s a tremendous drive to innovate and grow.
That energy quickly gave me the confidence that, together, we’re ready to realise our ambitious plans. There’s a solid foundation in place, and that allows me, as the new CEO, to make decisions quickly and with focus.”
You were also involved in the early phase of the collaboration with ECFG. How did you experience that?
“That’s right. Even before I officially started, I was already involved in some of the initial discussions about the partnership with ECFG Ventures III. Together with Niels Spitters, my predecessor and founder of Blue Inspect, I got an early impression of how ECFG operates and how they add value.
What stood out to me right away was how strategically and personally engaged they are. Even at that early stage, it felt like they didn’t just want to invest financially — they genuinely wanted to help build our growth. That gave me a lot of confidence to continue working with them after stepping into the CEO role.”
What insights have you gained during your first hundred days?
“In this initial phase, I’ve mostly listened and observed. It’s important to fully understand what’s already in place before steering change.
What I’ve seen is that we have a proven technology that delivers immediate value to our customers. International demand is growing rapidly, which creates enormous opportunities. At the same time, we need to ensure that our internal organisation grows in line with that demand. For me, that’s both a challenge and an exciting opportunity.”
How is ECFG helping with that growth?
“The collaboration with ECFG has been invaluable during my first hundred days. They bring much more than funding alone.
It feels like I immediately gained an experienced sparring partner. ECFG contributes ideas on strategy, growth, and internationalisation, and they bring calm and structure to this dynamic phase. They also open doors to valuable contacts and help us set the right priorities.
Personally, that gives me focus and confidence to make decisions — even when a lot is happening at once.”
What makes ECFG stand out as a partner?
“What sets ECFG apart is their long-term vision and personal involvement. They look beyond the numbers and are genuinely interested in what we want to achieve as an organisation.
It truly feels like they stand beside us — as a partner helping to build our success. That kind of relationship gives energy and allows us to move forward with greater speed and confidence.”
What are your priorities for the coming months?
“Now that the first hundred days are behind us, it’s time to create focus and direction. I’m concentrating on three key pillars:
- Strengthening the team – ensuring we have the right people and structures in place to continue growing.
- Accelerating international expansion – extending our presence across Europe and beyond, and entering new markets.
- Increasing scalability and efficiency – optimising our processes to enable sustainable growth.
With these priorities, we’re building an organisation that’s ready for the next phase.”
Finally – do you have any advice for other scale-ups considering growth capital?
“Find an investor that truly fits — not just financially, but also in terms of culture and vision. Capital is important, but the quality of the partnership ultimately makes the difference.
With ECFG, we’ve found a partner who understands where we want to go and actively helps us get there faster. That connection gives us the confidence and energy to look ahead with optimism.”
Want to know more about Blue Inspect?
Visit: www.blue-inspect.com
Mail Frank: frank.tanke@blue-inspect.com