Since 2024, we have been an exclusive partner of Fresh in the Netherlands. From that partnership, we help organizations realize a powerful, future-proof intranet within Microsoft 365. Sometimes we get the question from customers “Fresh is a third-party product. Doesn’t that create risks? How can we be sure it’s future-proof? Do you, as a partner, actually have influence? And how closely do you really work together?”
Logical questions. Especially if you choose an intranet that has to last several years and is an important part of your digital workplace. That’s why we sat down with Leon Bent (Partner Success Manager) and Jarbas Horst (Senior Product Manager) of Fresh Intranet. In this blog, we will take you through our collaboration, how Fresh looks at the partnership and also share our own experience.
From Fresh, Leon explains:
“In 2024, the partnership officially started. We already knew I4-YOU because they were a partner of Valo. Our Head of Partnerships, Jarmo Kuusinen, previously worked at Valo and had built a long-standing relationship with I4-YOU. When Valo reached end-of-life, we saw this as the perfect moment to explore their partnership with Fresh. From there, conversations started about how Fresh and I4-YOU could build something strong together.”
From I4-YOU, Peter explains:
“We were a Valo partner for many years. When Valo stopped, we genuinely found that disappointing. For many organizations, standard SharePoint alone is not always enough for a full-fledged intranet. Valo provided that extra layer needed to truly elevate communication, structure, and usability.
When Jarmo approached us to explore a Fresh partnership, we were immediately enthusiastic. We felt responsible toward our existing Valo clients and wanted to offer them a strong, future-proof alternative. We found that in Fresh.”
Leon shares his experience:
“What sets I4-YOU apart for us is how hands-on they are. They truly guide customers step by step and work closely with organizations to ensure clients are fully supported and never left behind. They are also very engaged toward us. They share ideas, actively think along, and explore new possibilities. That makes collaboration enjoyable. We see it reflected in the joint events we organize, the effort they put into marketing, and how we guide new leads and customers together. It’s very positive.”
Jarbas adds:
“From my side, I experience that I4-YOU consistently brings new ideas. They create strong blogs that are not only valuable for marketing but also for existing customers, showing what Fresh can offer.
They bring innovation into the partnership and have deep expertise. They also stay very close to customers. That’s beneficial for customers, but also for us. It truly feels like we are one team. That mindset and personal touch, both toward us and toward customers, aligns perfectly with how we work.”
Peter describe the cooperation as very good:
“We are very happy with Fresh as a partner. If we have questions, we can reach them quickly and receive immediate responses. When we need to switch gears or require support, they are there. And perhaps most importantly: they genuinely listen. If we hear from customers that there is a need for a new feature or that something could be improved, they take it seriously. They assess whether it adds value and actually incorporate it into the product.
The feeling of being one team is something we truly experience. We speak regularly, keep each other informed, and collaborate openly and closely. Fresh brings energy and engagement. That makes the partnership both strong and personal.”
From Fresh, Jarbas explains:
“Of course, as Fresh, we build the product. That’s essentially the only thing we don’t do together. Around that, we collaborate on almost everything: customer guidance, support, marketing, sales, and especially gathering feedback. I4-YOU is close to customers and hears many signals from the field. That input is extremely valuable to us. That’s why we regularly organize Partner Voice workshops where we review the roadmap together and validate what is truly relevant.
It’s not one-way communication. We share plans, I4-YOU adds insights from customer perspective and experience, and together we strengthen ideas. A large part of recent releases is directly based on feedback received through partners.”
Leon adds:
“We have fixed monthly partner calls to discuss what’s happening and what is needed. The collaboration is direct and approachable. We support where necessary, from technical questions to thinking along in complex customer cases or new releases. Our team is ready to help partners so they can optimally support their customers.”
Peter’s experience from I4-YOU:
“The lines are short, we move quickly, and there’s always room to brainstorm. What we especially appreciate is that Fresh actively involves us in developments. We are included in the roadmap and given the opportunity to contribute ideas. Not as a formality, but because our input truly matters. Customers notice that as well. Feedback doesn’t disappear into a system; it visibly returns in the product. Open, transparent, and engaged — that’s how we experience this partnership.”
Fresh offers multi-year licenses. As an organization, you want certainty: Will this still work in five years? Will the product continue to evolve? How stable is the partnership?
From Fresh, Jarbas explains:
“That’s a fair question. Fresh originated from Advania. We helped many customers with intranets and saw the same requirements keep coming back around SharePoint. Instead of building this as custom work each time, we bundled everything into one complete add-on.
We built Fresh based on real-world experience, for our own customers. Today, we serve organizations worldwide, including large international names such as KPMG with multi-year contracts. We are not a startup dependent on one or two customers. There is a large, stable organization behind Fresh. Being future proof is not just an ambition for us, but a responsibility towards our customers.”
Leon adds:
“That makes the risk for customers low. There is an international organization behind Fresh with hundreds of customers and partners across multiple countries. We work with exclusive partners per country to safeguard quality and continuity. Looking at the partnership with I4-YOU, we’ve seen strong growth in a short period. That gives us confidence in a long-term collaboration.”
How Peter of I4-YOU looks at this:
“We have no concerns about the future-proof nature of Fresh. This is a completely different situation compared to Valo at the time. There is a large, stable organization behind it, with a clear focus on international growth. We see increasing demand for intranet solutions and experience firsthand how much value Fresh adds. For us, it’s clear: this is a solution and a partnership we confidently stand behind. Now and in the future.”
From Fresh, Jarbas explains:
“Fresh focuses fully on the product. We continuously invest in development, innovation, and improving the user experience. Over the years, we have built extensive knowledge around intranet, governance, adoption, and what organizations truly need. On the other side, there is I4-YOU. They have deep expertise in Microsoft 365 and SharePoint and stay close to their customers. They guide organizations step by step and go the extra mile. That combination is powerful.”
Leon says from Fresh:
“Within Fresh, we have a dedicated team fully focused on supporting partners. Our role is to stand next to them and provide support where needed. And it doesn’t stop after go-live. We keep developing and improving, so partners like I4-YOU can continue to optimally support their customers.”
Experience from Peter of I4-YOU:
“For customers, this means the best of both worlds. You get a mature, continuously evolving product. At the same time, you work with a local partner who understands your organization’s needs and guides you from strategy to adoption. We stand next to our customers. Fresh stands next to us. That combination allows us to truly make an impact within Microsoft 365.”
An intranet is not a temporary choice, but a foundation under your digital workplace. Then you want to have confidence in both the product and the collaboration behind it.
What makes this partnership strong is the combination of international product development and local involvement. Fresh continues to invest in innovation within Microsoft 365, while we guide organizations from strategy to adoption and ensure that the intranet actually works in practice.
