Operating Partners for Investor-Backed Tech Companies

Let's build the future!

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

Building a technology business that really solves today's pressing issues requires not only technical know-how, but also great business acumen and experience in working with investors. We provide premium business expertise to growing tech companies of €5-150m revenues.

Commercial strategy

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

M&A and funding strategy

We have funded and acquired 20+ tech companies. It's all about attracting the right partner.

Exit readiness

We realized successful exits ourselves and know what it takes.
We help you in the year prior to exit by bringing the company in excellent shape, defining the strategy for the next 5 years and striking partnerships with strategic buyers before you start your M&A process.

Revenue intervention

Revenues are down and you need a clear plan: How soon can the topline recover? What is our competitive position? Is it the right team, working on the right things? We helped many companies out of a tight spot.

Scaling the organisation

We know first-hand what it takes to grow an organisation to 300+ FTE under PE ownership.

Companies & investors we partnered with

Selection of our projects

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!

Buy & build in the IT sector

At Vortex Capital, Matti van der Gronde led a buy & build of IT companies under the brand Hallo. It started as a local 10-person voice-over-IP vendor and transformed into a €70m+ IT managed service provider, headquartered in Amsterdam with 300+ employees after 12+ acquisitions. It was an incredible ride together with founder Marc and co-CEO Barry, and we still keep in touch!

Expanding to Asia?

Anvil Industries 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.

Chief of everything

Aiden faced a challenging financial situation combined with a managerial issue, just after fully leveraging the company for two recent acquisitions. Matti van der Gronde, in his role as chief of staff, had to fix the internal issues while communicating transparently to its PE shareholders and banks to maintain their trust.

About us

Entrepreneurial
professionals
who
worked
on
both
sides
of
the
table
Matti van der Gronde
Founder of Companion
Ex-Roland Berger consultant 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 tech 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 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
Floor
van Werven
Vacancy

About us

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

Our team consists of ex-strategy consultants and ex-investors who also have hands-on experience at technology companies. 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
Floor
van Werven
Vacancy

Operating Partners with skin in the game

We're entrepreneurial professionals with a track record of investing our money in the companies we work at. We always start off working on a project-basis for the first months. If there is a mutual fit we partner with great investors for the long term to bring their companies to the next level.

Get in touch