Dutch e-bike maker Stella has filed for court protection from creditors because it can no longer meet its financial obligations, the Financieele Dagblad has reported.

DMEP, the investment firm behind the brand, says it is “no longer responsible” to put more money into the company, the FD said.

Stella was founded in 2011 and grew into one of the best-known e-bike brands in the Netherlands. It has 48 outlets in the Netherlands and Belgium and a workforce of some 440.

The FD said that some 1,000 people have paid for a bike but have not yet received it, and that Stella and DMEP have both said they will try to find a way out for buyers.

In July 2023, Dutch e-bike maker VanMoof went bust after failing to find new money. VanMoof posted a loss of almost €80 million in 2021 and had never made a profit.