Operating Partners for Investor-Backed Tech Companies

Let's build the future!

We help CEOs & investors to build tech companies that solve today's pressing issues

We are experienced professionals who have built and exited PE/VC-backed tech businesses. We partner with investment funds to bring their portfolio companies to the next level.

Sales & business development

Commercial strategy and execution for highly technical products on a global scale. Our track record ranges from semi-conductors to cyber security, from robotics to waste treaments.

Managing for exit

We know first-hand what it takes to grow an organisation to 300+ FTE and realise an exit.
We join the MT for 1 to 2 years to make the company exit ready on an operational level, create the strategy for the next five years and realise a stellar exit.

Buy & build / fundraising

We have acquired, sold and funded 20+ tech companies. It's all about attracting the right partner with the right equity story.

About us

Entrepreneurial
professionals
who
worked
on
both
sides
of
the
table
Matti van der Gronde
Founder of Companion
Former B2B sales manager who joined tech fund Vortex Capital as employee nr.1 and helped grow the fund to €100m+. Master's degree in physics.
‍Sam Meessen
Senior Associate
Ex ASML strategy analyst who did 4 years of strategy consulting at Monitor Deloitte for technology companies.
to
build
€100m+
companies.
Our team consists of experienced C-level professionals who have scaled technology companies in an investor-backed setting. Complemented by our MBI Collective, a network of buy-in managers who provide immense execution power.
Matti van
der Gronde
Barry
Wissink
‍Sam
Meessen
Vacancy

Companies & investors we partnered with

Selection of our projects

Buy & build in the IT sector

Matti & Barry met at Hallo as investment manager (Vortex Capital) and CEO respectively. Together with the team we transformed the company from a €15m VoIP reseller to a €80m+ IT managed service provider, headquartered in Amsterdam with 300+ employees after 12+ acquisitions. Resulting in an incredible €200m+ exit (>10x money muliple).

Breaking through the revenue plateau

A maritime tech company that robotically cleans the biggest ship hulls on earth. Their investor introduced us to solve the root cause of their revenue plateau. Within several months, we helped to reset the sales organisation so everyone could play to their strengths again. Revenue growth restored!

Expanding to Asia?

Anvil Industries (€100m+ revenues) develops high-end metal components for a.o. the lithography machines of ASML. Global semi-conductor supply chains are moving to Asia and Anvil needed to formulate its own Asia expansion strategy. Together with the management and PE we created the clarity to move forward.

Technology + design

At Invesdor, Matti van der Gronde helped Taco Carlier, founder & CEO Vanmoof, to raise €2.5m in convertible loans. It was crucial to convey the fine balance between their complex technology and their appealing design. Matti was the first to put in his own money. This funding round bridged Vanmoof to a series B round of €128m led by Balderton Capital.

From investment to strategic exit

At Vortex Capital Partners, Matti van der Gronde invested in a startup cyber security company and helped it grow through ups & downs, ultimately realizing a great exit to Darktrace (UK stock-listed; €0.5bn turnover) at a great valuation of 12x annual recurring revenues (ARR). The journey with founders Pieter & Maarten was intense and fun!

Semi-conductor innovation

This carve-out from Philips has developed a nano-imprint lithography machine that outperforms ASML's lithography machines in certain niches. With several millions in revenues, it needed to make the next step commercially. We analyzed the needs of the complex value chain and presented a clear plan forward to the supervisory board.

About us

Entrepreneurial professionals  who worked on both sides of the table to build €100m+ companies.

Our team consists of experienced C-level professionals who have scaled technology companies in an investor-backed setting. Complemented by ex-strategy consultants who provide immense execution power. We know what it takes to grow a tech company to a stellar exit, yet we all share the modesty of knowing that each new adventure starts with proving your worth on day one.
Matti van
der Gronde
Barry
Wissink
‍Sam
Meessen
Vacancy

Operating Partners with skin in the game

We are buy-in managers who invest their own time and money into the companies we work with. We love to partner with great investors and ambitious CEOs who share our people-first mindset to building tech companies.

Get in touch