Startup

Earlier this week I returned from the Nucleate Alumni 2024 Summit. I had high expectations, but the event did not disappoint and managed to meet them. Never have I ever been to an event where networking with a diverse group of prospective founders, investors and industry professionals was so seamless. I can’t wait to see the innovation and collaboration that these connections will spark and want to send out a huge thank you to the fellow members of Nucleate leadership, speakers and sponsors <3. ...

This is a summary and a transcript from panel discussion “Bridging Dutch Biotech Excellence with Global Entrepreneurial Opportunities”, that we hosted at the Nucleate Netherlands Launch Event, on 11th of June in Utrecht. The discussion was moderated (and transcribed!) by William Lake (WL). Panel Overview Panelists will compare the Dutch and American entrepreneurship cultures and discuss the differences, as well as challenges and opportunities this leads to. The panel also creates an opportunity to discuss if startup founders should think about going global from early on, and the mindset shifts this may require. The learning goal for this panel is to understand how Nucleate’s mission can translate at a national level, and how the ecosystem can best benefit from it. The panelists will highlight opportunities and programs that facilitate the mobility of biotech and entrepreneurial talents, companies and investment opportunities between the Netherlands and abroad. The panel will feature four panelists, including members from a Dutch globally diversified biotech VC firm, the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency and Health~Holland, as well as an early-stage entrepreneur with experience with the US bio-entreprenurial ecosystem. ...

This is a summary and a transcript from panel discussion “Strengthening and Connecting the Dutch Entrepreneurial Landscape”, that we hosted at the Nucleate Netherlands Launch Event, on 11th of June in Utrecht. Panel Overview Panelists will discuss technology transfer capabilities across the Netherlands and highlight challenges and opportunities for PhD and Postdoc entrepreneurs in the country. The discussion will address strategies to raise awareness among biotech researchers about the funding and acceleration programs available, and, more broadly, how to foster an entrepreneurial mindset in academia. Representatives from Biotech Booster, unlock_ , programs of technology transfer, and VC will comment on how they are contributing to fostering and supporting Dutch entrepreneurship and mention challenges they face. The session includes 4 panelists from these programs. Q&A will offer students and postdocs in the audience the opportunity to reflect on their experience and perceived strengths and challenges in the ecosystem. ...

Circular Forms. Sun, Moon, by Robert Delaunay, 1912-1931. Delaunay’s paintings are materializations of optimism. This attitude probably did not come to him naturally, as he labored on this painting for nearly 20 (!) years. Photo from Google's Arts & Culture. Introduction In the previous post we looked at the main challenges highlighted in the State of Dutch Tech report issued by teachleap.nl earlier this year. If you have not read the earlier post yet, you can check it out here. If you don’t do that, I applaud you for living by the adage “Rather than trying to change something old, build something new”. You are in the right place and should subscribe to this blog. However, here we will be talking about fiscal policy (brace for it). This is a slow-moving field and the knowledge of how things are now is therefore important. As a brief summary, the challenges were: ...

The Black Square, by Kazimir Malevich, 1915. One cannot help but wonder, did Kazimir Malevich have a premonition about the state of Dutch tech in 2024? Original photo from independent.co.uk. Introduction Are you thinking about starting a company in the Netherlands? Or are you already a founder with the dream to upend industries? Or maybe you are dreaming of a job in a high-growth company while biking along the endless canals on the weekends? ...

A photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash. Pre-revenue start-up valuation needn’t be a mystery! 🚀 💲 Here are the three most common start-up pre-money valuation methods: 💰 The Scorecard (aka Bill Payne) method Starts from average start-up valuation (for comparable stage, industry, size, …), and multiples it by a subjective weighted factor that considers team, timing, size of the opportunity, technology/product (e.g. IP, network effects, …), competitive environment (e.g. barriers to entry), partnerships/sales/rollout, … (and sometimes a bit more) ...

In the episode #385 of Lex Fridman’s podcast, Marc Andreessen talks about what makes a great founder and what advice he would give to young people. You can watch the excerpt here: I have lot of respect for Marc Andreessen. He is a techno-optimist and visionary as well as very clear and opiniated thinker. No one can predict the future, but he gives it a fair shot for some things, and I will listen when he tries. I suggest checking his archival blog for productivity and startup logistics resources, and some of his podcast appearances to learn more about how he thinks (e.g. Conversations with Tyler #152). ...

Photo by Bram Naus on Unsplash. Many of us out there in the tech and business world will consider pursuing an MBA at one point. While this can be a rewarding experience, it comes with a hefty price tag and equally significant opportunity cost. There are plenty of reasons for pursuing a full-fledged program (social capital and prestigious stamp are just a few), but for many, a shorter course and real-world practice will do well. I am a big proponent of self-reliance and thus was delighted to learn about the book The Personal MBA: A World-Class Business Education in a Single Volume. If you are interested in how businesses work, or even considering pursuing MBA, this book a is a great starting point. Below you will find a selection of my personal major takeaways. If you find these interesting, certainly check the author’s website at personalmba.com (it’s also a great source of witty quotes). Without further ado, some things I learnt about running businesses by reading this book: ...