Johan van der Poel

Founders: want to know what your company is worth? 📢 ➡️ Tomorrow torq.partners is giving a Valuation 101 workshop at Crossroads 2024 by Startup Utrecht Region at Dotslash Utrecht. At 13.00 at the Frontspace stage we will be giving founders (and other interested parties) a quick run through of how investors and acquirers value companies. So: 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝: 💰 Planning a fund raising round? 🤝 Thinking about your exit roadmap and curious what your company would be worth? 📈 Wanting to offer key personnel shares and in need of a market valuation for your business? We will provide you with a very practical "how to" and easy-to-apply valuation methods. So you can ensure that you will approach your fund raising round or exit well-informed and with confidence. Yori May Mitch Karsten torq.partners | Benelux #startup #fundraising #valuation #entrepreneurship #founders #venturecapital #capitalraise #exit #mergersandacquisitions

41

8 commentaren

Vijen Patel is the founding partner of The 81 Collection, a VC fund that invests in unsexy industries. Before that, Vijen founded Pressbox, a dry cleaning startup, in 2013 and sold it to Procter & Gamble in 2018. In our conversation, Vijen shared: → What defined his upbringing → Journey with Pressbox → Building The 81 Collection → Investing in Hard Industries → The Power of Patience and Purpose → India opportunity → Sports & family & much more! Listen now 👇🏼 Youtube: https://bit.ly/3XujEs2 Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Tjeah5 Some key takeaways: 1. Breaking the Mold: Coming from a family of physicians, I chose a different path—entrepreneurship. Sometimes, success means stepping out of the expected and embracing your unique journey. 2. The Power of Risk-Taking: American culture's risk-taking spirit played a crucial role in my career. Being the first in my family to venture into technology, I realized that risk is often the bridge between dreams and reality. 3. From Actuarial Science to Building an Empire: My entrepreneurial journey started with a failed attempt at being an actuary. Yet, that experience led me to finance and eventually to founding a dry cleaning startup that grew to 1200 locations. Don’t fear pivots; they might lead you to unexpected success. 4. Investing in ‘Unsexy’ Industries: While many chase the next big tech startup, I found value in overlooked sectors. Investing in what others ignore can yield the most significant returns, both financially and socially. 5. Purpose-Driven Success: For me, entrepreneurship isn’t just about profits. It’s about creating jobs, lifting communities, and making a lasting impact. When your work aligns with a deeper purpose, the rewards are far beyond financial. What risks have you taken that changed your life or career? Share your thoughts below! #investing #entreprenurship #indiandiasporas

16

2 commentaren

🚀 #Now in the Growth Stage: How to accelerate startup development with these 3 key steps, shared by Sharon Klaver , Founder & MD of Builders: 👾Data Gathering: Gather as much data as possible to inform your decisions and strategies. ⭐Validation: Ensure both your product and team are thoroughly validated through testing and feedback loops. ✨Intuition Matters: Trust your instincts and listen to your gut feelings when navigating the startup journey. #EUSS24 #Entrepreneurship #BuildingSuccess

35

6 commentaren

One of the top things that make entrepreneurship hard is when you lack a community of people who are all in the same boat. So, after years of working from cafe's, flex- and home office, Buster Franken and I deemed it the right time to take matter into our own hands and create a community of startup founders in Utrecht. Instead of an anonymous flex office or a co-working space, we want it to be a tight-knit group of people working seriously on their (impact) startups. Aside from work, there's also the important things that bring us together like shared lunches, drinks, community events and work-out sessions. The beautiful thing is that the community is for and by founders, where everyone will contribute to make it their own 🔥 Here's a video tour & intro: https://lnkd.in/ecvj88HZ (yes my face looks great on the thumbnail don't you think 🤣 ) Apply here: https://lnkd.in/efVF5Xm4 :) Even more info on the Notion page: https://lnkd.in/eEbyz5GX

47

10 commentaren

Netherlands based Innovation Industries recently launched their third fund to back deep-tech start-ups and scale-ups. 💸 €500M Innovation Industries Fund III, with backing from PME pensioenfonds, Pensioenfonds Metaal en Techniek ( PMT ), bpfBOUW, Pensioenfonds ABP, KPN, Pensioenfonds TNO, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Athora Netherlands, Rabobank, Oost NL, InnovationQuarter, Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM), Wachstumsfonds, Invest-NL, European Investment Fund (EIF) and KfW Capital 💡 Innovation Industries Fund III invests in technology companies that offer innovative solutions to societal challenges, including #energysupply, #circularity, #healthcare, and #agrifood. The fund generally invests between €10 million and €30 million in each company over multiple funding rounds. 🌍 #Benelux and #Germany 📈 Innovation Industries has invested into more than 30 #deeptech companies including beeOLED, Battolyser Systems, EnOcean, Carbyon, Pharrowtech, Protealis, Onera Health, Axelera AI, among others. 💭 "Investing in deeptech is very attractive from various perspectives. Nevertheless, deeptech companies still face significant challenges in raising capital. With our third fund, combined with the Strategic Partners Fund, we are taking an important step in addressing this issue for Dutch deeptech companies." - Nard Sintenie, partner at Innovation Industries. 💭 “Our investment in the Innovation Industries Fund III underlines our commitment to highly innovative companies in the Netherlands.” - Nicolaas Heij, Senior Investment Manager, Invest-NL. 🗞️By Vigneshwar Silicon Canals - European Technology News https://lnkd.in/dabHmYQA 👏 For the #AudaciousInvestors unleashing innovation and empowering tomorrow🚀 Chris I Harm I Nard I Sander I Caaj I Tom I Vincent I Pleuni I Margherita I Rogier I Tobias I Tom I Claire I Team Innovation Industries … #venturecapital #vc #funds #startups #entrepreneurs #funding #tech #entrepreneurship #technology #innovation #Netherlands #dutch

52

We made it to WIRED’s Top 10 Hottest Startups in Amsterdam! Being featured in #WiredMagazine isn’t just a milestone. It’s a moment that reminds me why we started this journey with 10x.Team in the first place. Enabling fractional talent to build their portfolio careers and connecting them with companies that are struggling to find the right people for their transformation and growth journey has been our mission from day one. Why? Because finding the perfect talent isn’t just hard—it’s often the difference between scaling up and staying stuck. And in a world where agility and adaptability are the new currency, fractional talent brings the fresh, on-demand expertise companies need to thrive. Timing is everything in the life of a founder, and this recognition shows we’re on the right path—at the right time. Check the Wired article here: https://lnkd.in/dNbn6DWc So, to all the talented professionals and companies who’ve believed in our vision, this is for you. Thank you Mobility Concept B.V., ParkBee, Talk360, Bijles Aan Huis, Van Lanschot Kempen and all our other customers who are walking the fractional life with us. And thank you Megan Carnegie for including my team and I for the second time in this list. Let’s keep pushing boundaries and proving that the future of work is flexible, dynamic, and limitless. I couldn't be more proud to be featured along other awesome & sustainable companies like Overstory, Coolgradient, Monumental, Weaviate, Cradle, Carbon Equity, Bloom & Wolf, Solvimon, and Haaven. 🚀 Onwards and upwards! ⚡ #WiredTop10 #StartupLife #FractionalTalent #AmsterdamTech #10x #wired #startup #scaleup

137

46 commentaren

How many insights can you get from building 166 MVPs? 🤔 In the new episode of Business Savages a dear friend who also happens to be a seasoned product designer, facilitator, and innovation consultant, Charles Engelen shares quite a few, here's the top ones: 🤔 why failing in a startup can be a valuable experience 🎣 how creating new products is like fishing on Lake Geneva ⚡ best strategies for maintaining your composure while moving at breakneck speed 🔮 how to know if your innovative idea might be "too early" Curious to know more? Tune in: Spotify - https://lnkd.in/dtdS4PSa Apple Podcasts - https://lnkd.in/d5Wgq-GG YouTube - https://lnkd.in/dNXyJFfG P.S. What’s the best lesson you’ve learned from a failed project? Share in the comments! 🤓​ #Innovation #ProductDesign #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth

37

2 commentaren

scale up: The Systematic Approach to Breaking Growth Barriers for High-Performing Companies Recently, I came across a post that questioned the innovation behind frameworks like the 4D Scaleup Framework. Here's a quick summary of the post: "The framework consists of four steps: Direction, Design, Delivery, and Development. While this sounds familiar — goal setting, strategy, execution, and continuous improvement — is this really innovative? I’ve approached challenges similarly before." I love this kind of discussion, so I wanted to share my take, particularly in the context of how we help companies at scale up. While the steps themselves may seem familiar, the real innovation lies in how we execute them at ScaleUp. Our approach isn’t just theoretical—it’s practical and designed to help already successful companies break through the barriers they face when scaling. We focus on: 1) Data-driven diagnostics to pinpoint exactly where the bottlenecks are and prioritize impactful actions. 2) Live interaction with experienced entrepreneur coaches who have faced the same challenges and provide real-world insights. 3) Turning strategy into daily operations, ensuring that it’s not just a leadership conversation, but one that’s lived by the whole team. 4) Building scalability into your core, making sure your teams, culture, and processes grow smoothly, without friction. Sustainable, long-term solutions, so you don’t just fix today’s problem, but create lasting growth without constant fire-fighting. At ScaleUp, we work with businesses that aren’t failing—they’re successful, but they hit a ceiling. Our process helps them break through that ceiling with a systematic and repeatable approach that works across industries. It’s not about intuition alone; it’s about executing growth through a structured, proven method.

5

2 commentaren

𝐈𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝗶𝐭? Just recently came across the mentioned post from Mads Oscar Haumann pointing out that nice little fact that scaling for profit as the sole goal is often shortsighted. Companies like VanMoof could have taken a step back to focus on product quality, customer satisfaction, and sustainability. Addressing not just profit but also environmental impact as well as customer needs, they might have had the chance to avoid a downfall and turn into a more long-lasting business impact and success. 𝗛𝗼𝘄? Prioritizing the triple bottom line - 🌱 planet, 🙌 people, 💸 profit - offers a more holistic approach towards business success, leads to greater resilience and focus on social and environmental impact. At Studio Y-si, we take that balanced TBL approach to create regenerative futures together with the brands and allowing them to thrive without endless growth. 𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙋𝙨? 𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. #planetpeopleprofit #studioysi #regenerativefutures

3

1 commentaar

Quick personal anecdote: I recently became the happy owner of my first apartment in Amsterdam. 🔑 As a homeowner, I couldn't wait to become a member of the HomeExchange community, which reminded me that they have been long-term customers of Livestorm. #Webinars are the cornerstone of their conversion strategy; every single new member is invited and qualified through Livestorm. I met Alice Lorenz, their CMO, this week to talk about their strategy, usage, what's working, and how we can help go above and beyond. Alice's team captures THOUSANDS of leads per month (proof that webinars can also be useful in a B2C environment, as long as there is volume) across different countries 🌍 The only way to push them down the funnel at scale is through webinars. Their conversion rate is insanely good; it's actually at the level of an average win rate on a B2B deal 🔥 They share customer stories, results, and financial incentives for leads to become paid members. It's just textbook best practices 👏 -- You can steal this and apply it to whatever business/use case: 1️⃣ Find a stream of audience that you need to convert (sell or train) at scale (1:1 would be inefficient time- and money-wise). 2️⃣ Set up a recurring webinar (same theme every week or month, depending on size) to push them down the funnel (e.g., create an account, have a call with someone, get a certification, apply for partnership, etc.). 3️⃣ Depending on size, take the delta that did not convert and invite them to a follow-up webinar or a 1:1 call. This should be about reassurance. 4️⃣ Repeat step 3 until you reach the end of the bell curve of conversions. -- Thank you again, Alice, for having me. I'm proud to be supporting such an amazing brand. 💙

135

3 commentaren

ImpactBuying is growing and expanding. And we have some exiting news: Marjan De Bock-Smit and I are very happy to have Moniek van Roon at our side as business partner and shareholder. 🎉 We are full of ambition to bring our #Bcorp to the next level. It was such a wonderful decade working side by side with Marjan as Co-CEO. As off today her role will change into non-executive director so she can focus on international expansion and strengthening our innovation ambitions. We are always moving, always focusing on making things better and enabling sustainable growth with our stellar ImpactBuying team. And just like the legal context for our clients is changing dramatically (#CSRD #CSDDD #EUDR #GCD); we are gearing up as well to help our clients meet all these demands in the right way. All fun and games 😍 Step by step…. Today the press release went out. Details: https://lnkd.in/erAVYSqv #CSRD #dataverification #supplychain #CSDDD #exited #determination #expansion #compliance #positiveimpact

203

10 commentaren

Did you see a lot of innovation at PLMA last week in Amsterdam? This question came up several times during the inspiring meetings we had with some of our clients and other ambitious entrepreneurs. Actually, we had similar thoughts... To be honest, the answer is no, not really. We didn't see much innovation, let alone groundbreaking ones. Is that a negative thing? Maybe not. What we do know is that PLMA is still a great trade show to network! Cibus Nexum #PLMA #privatelabel #comanufacturing #foodinnovation #foodtechnology #ingredients

6

Riding the AI wave or risk being left behind?🌊 AI is everywhere: making headlines, sparking debates, and transforming industries. But Rick van Esch, CEO and co-founder of StructuredAI, thinks too many companies are still just talking about it instead of taking action. During his session at SaaSiest Amsterdam, Rick shared powerful truths about where AI stands today and how we can embrace it strategically. Here are some of Rick’s most eye-opening insights: ↪ If your company doesn’t have an AI strategy, you risk becoming irrelevant. We’re at the start of an innovation wave that will change everything, and those who prepare will thrive. ↪ The AI hype is real, but so are its challenges. Sure, AI has made stunning advancements, like GPT-4 outperforming 90% of law students on exams. But it still struggles with tasks that require human-like reasoning, like understanding complex cause-and-effect situations. ↪ Picture AI that can seamlessly interpret speech, text, and images to make technology even more accessible. While breakthroughs are happening, we’ll still face limitations, and the journey will have plenty of twists and turns. Rick’s message was clear: as AI continues to evolve, our human skills like empathy, creativity, and the ability to connect will only become more valuable. Want to dive deeper into Rick’s vision and see why he’s so optimistic about AI’s impact on humanity? 📖 Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dg5v7cuY

5

🚀 Entrepreneurial Insight: Build a Painkiller, Not a Vitamin 🚀 One of the key lessons I shared in my recent keynote speech at the University of the Witwatersrand was all about focusing on solving real problems. Here’s why it’s crucial: 🔍 Painkillers vs. Vitamins: In the world of startups, your product or service should address a pressing need—a "pain" for your customers. A painkiller provides immediate relief, while a vitamin is a nice-to-have but not essential. 💡 Why It Matters: When you solve a significant problem, you create real value and a strong demand for your solution. This approach not only drives growth but also ensures you’re meeting a genuine need in the market. 🔥 Actionable Tip: Always ask yourself, “What problem am I solving?” Make sure your solution is indispensable, not just an enhancement. Stay tuned for more insights from my keynote! For a deeper dive into this and other key lessons, check out the full video https://lnkd.in/d34JfAFY ! #Entrepreneurship #Startups #Innovation #BusinessAdvice #PainkillerNotVitamin

10

2 commentaren

Is Monumental the hottest construction robotics company in Europe? Are they even a robotics company? 🤔 **Announcing - Super Series #2 with Monumental.** In this series we sit down with Salar al Khafaji, Sebastiaan Visser, Stijn van Krimpen, Wouter Gort and Lottie Liebling to dive deep into Monumental’s story. Episodes: 1. Salar’s Origin story 2. Why Construction Needs Robotics 3. How To Build A Robotics Company 4. Monumental’s Destination 5. Investing In Robotics w/ @Wouter In this series you will learn: ‣ How a software engineer with no construction experience is changing the bricklaying industry with robots that can lay bricks with sub-millimeter precision. ‣ Why investors initially shied away from this robotics startup, and how it's now poised to disrupt the $14 trillion construction industry. ‣ The unique "outcome as a service" business model that's allowing this startup to penetrate the conservative construction market faster than anyone expected. ‣ How this company is tackling the severe labor shortage in construction by developing robots that can work alongside human masons. ‣ Uncover the founder's ambitious vision for the future of construction - will we see fully automated building sites with robots constructing entire houses in just days? + So so so so so so much more Back to my question. Robotics company, or bricklaying company? Watch the series and decide for yourself. Mark your calendars! October 16th 2024.

133

9 commentaren

Since 2019 more than 250 startups and scaleups have prepared their company for raising external capital by doing The Investment Readiness Process by Beels®. Our data shows that no-one has chosen a smaller ticket size than € 5K. What consequences does the ticket size have for you as a Founder? AND what does it mean for you who are an Angel Investor? 💡 If you are a Founder and want to learn more on why it is more important than ever to plan you financial journey - watch our introduction video here: https://lnkd.in/djK-5VdA 💰 If you are an Angel Investor and want to elevate your skills on financial design when investing in startups - watch our introduction video here: https://lnkd.in/dMFjKDuM #startup #investments #raising

20

Which problems should founders NOT try to solve? How to decide if you should join an accelerator? These are some topics in the podcast I did with Florian Hoornaar. Thanks for having me. https://lnkd.in/emC3jRYt

3

The Netherlands Consulate brought female founders to LA last week to share awesome elevator pitches as consumer product, media and social network entrepreneurs. We also shared insights on LA's business environment; and some of our favorite secret spots with them.   Many major differences in the business landscape here compared to European countries like the NL (or my native UK) reflect the sheer scale and financial firepower of LA, California and the US. The 2024 EU population is ~450m across 27 countries, vs. ~333m in the US alone. The valuation of Nvidia is about the same as that of the UK's entire FTSE 100. And the median salary in LA is ~$72k vs. ~$59k in London. This means in LA: 🚀 It can be expensive for EU companies to launch. 💸 Business valuations are significantly higher (7x European early stage) in the US, and in California vs. the US, so you can raise higher funding rounds. 💄  Consumer companies often charge more for products. 🎯 Antonia Tritthart helps LA businesses stay relevant by knowing their customers in target niches - this is made possible by the large consumer pool here. 🤗 Professionals in LA are pretty open to newcomers and mutual collaboration vs. Europe; I find it 10x easier to build community here than London.  😇 There are many funds, angel investors, communities and grants focused on underrepresented founders and investors (including women) in California. Thanks you Rachael Kim for organizing & moderating the panel, the Netherlands Consulate & the founders who pitched for the inspiration and goodies from all of the companies including Aroma Skincare Bon Ton Toys (B Corp) Female Leaders Club O My Bag Amsterdam Pasper B.V. ⭐ This Friday 12-3pm I'll be leading a meditation at The KINN in Venice Beach for their open Kinnship Day event, with yoga, an IR sauna, ice baths & a sustainable marketplace. The KINN is my favourite event space in LA for conscious entrepreneurship and launches 💫 #femalefounders #venicebeach

87

3 commentaren