Builders

Meet Giorgio 👋 Gio joined Builders as Digital Product Designer, ideates, prototypes, and craft digital solutions for our ventures. He matches rapid prototyping for early-stage concepts with pixel-perfect design for scale-ups. Giorgio has over 8 years of experience in venture building, helping corporates and ventures design tomorrow’s digital solutions. He prefers a rapid, iterative approach to design – ideal for ventures in their early stages. Beyond creating magical user experiences, he’s an avid non-fiction reader, a strong rationalist, and (when not in the Low-Lands) a passionate hiker 🥾. We are super excited to have you on the team and welcome 🤗

🎉 𝐖𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 As the year comes to a close, we can’t help but reflect on what an exciting journey it’s been at Builders Studio. Together with our amazing founders, team, and network, we’ve achieved some remarkable milestones. Here are just a few highlights from 2024: 🚀 Incorporated Everday with Estefania and Dylan, and successfully launched the product to first customers. 👷♀️👷♂️ Welcomed 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 Megan, Giorgio, and Jelmer, to the core team. 🎙️ Shared inspiring stories and insights through our 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐏𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬—have you tuned in yet? 🧇 Attended and participated in events, from speaking engagements to stroopwafel baking at DEVWorld Conference, EU-Startups Summit, SaaS Summit Benelux, PyData and more. 🌱 Incorporated Avery with Alisher and Marco—launch prep is in full swing! Stay tuned for more. 🇳🇱 Facilitated 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬 for Estefania and Alisher—supporting talent in building their dreams. 🏡 Hosted 𝟒 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬’ 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 a huge thanks to our incredible hosts, speakers, and sponsors, including VONQ, CM.com, Hodl Funds, Nils Beers, Upstream Festival, and Wijnkoperij Platenburg. 🧭 Launched 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, connecting experts to founders—more to come! This list could go on, but let’s keep it at this for now as we close out 2024. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built together and excited for what’s ahead. After some well-deserved holidays, we’re gearing up for an even bigger 2025. Let’s keep building! 💪

🎉 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡: 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐟! Estefania Hernandez, cofounder and CEO of Everday, has been featured on Silicon Canals as one of Rotterdam’s powerhouse female entrepreneurs to watch in 2025. Thanks, Up!Rotterdam. As a studio, we’re proud to be part of this journey and excited for what’s to come! This one is for you, Estef. 🥂 Check out the 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. It’s worth the read! 📖

✨ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴! Yesterday, at the celebration of Code-Vs 1-year anniversary, I had the privilege of signing on behalf of Builders, together with Michael, as one of 18 new partners joining this incredible initiative. Code-V is on a mission to close the funding gap for female entrepreneurs, and with 101 partners now united in this vision, the momentum is undeniable. 🚀 At Builders, we deeply believe in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, and we know that inclusion is the key to unlocking untapped potential. Joining Code-V’s community is a natural step for us to help empower female founders, build stronger ecosystems, and create lasting impact. Together, we can help move the needle toward equal opportunities for all. The event was more than a celebration—it was a moment of inspiration. Highlights included the presentation of groundbreaking academic research by Dr. Kathleen Stephenson (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam)) and Dr. Caroline Essers (Radboud University), outlining actionable solutions like: • Inclusive communication during funding applications. • Standardized evaluation processes to minimize bias. • Stronger allyship and mentorship programs. These are not just ideas—they’re a call to action. 💡 Thank you, Code-V Vrouwelijk Ondernemerschap (Marianne Bruijn) , for creating this platform, and to all the partners for their commitment to a more inclusive economy. Let’s build a future where talent, ambition, and innovation are what drive funding decisions—not gender. 💪 #InclusiveFinancing #FemaleEntrepreneurship #CodeV #TogetherWeBuild

𝗡𝗲𝘄 Builders 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟲! ✦ Do you have a venture idea you'd like to pitch? ✦ Need feedback on your revenue model? ✦ Stuck in getting your idea to market? Let me help you get to launch. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝟭𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 (𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟱 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲): https://lnkd.in/euMv2GEm

Last night, our Builders team joined the Dutch Startup Conference 2024 at Lucid Software's Amsterdam office, which brought together 200 startup founders, CXOs, investors, and other key players from Amsterdam and across the Netherlands. A big thanks to Adam Fulham, Founder of Startup Network Europe, for organizing this inspiring year-end event. We gained valuable insights from two engaging panels featuring Alexander Odinsson, EMEA Director of Enterprise Sales at Lucid; Judith Huisman, Founder & CSO at Meetingselect; Barbra Gago, Founder & CEO of Pando, former CMO at Miro; Soukaina Adnane-Murphy, Investment Manager at DeepTechXL; Lucien Burm, President of Dutch Startup Association; Sohrab Hosseini, Co-Founder of orq.ai; and Dennis van de Wiel, Founder of Tidal Control. The discussions tackled the complexities of launching and scaling startups, highlighting the importance of strategic investors, impactful branding, and effective marketing. Panelists shared experiences on navigating funding, regulation, and market dynamics while contrasting the European and US ecosystems. With the Netherlands spotlighted as a growing startup hub, strategies for international growth and sustainable scaling were explored. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 ✦ Strategic Partnerships: ✧ Founders should look beyond money when seeking investors. Cultural and strategic alignment with investors is crucial for long-term success. ✧ Understanding an investor's decision-making process and researching their track record is key to finding the right fit. ✦ Vision alignment: ✧ A clear and shared vision between founders and investors fosters trust and collaboration, enabling smoother growth. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬 ✦ Brand Matters: Build emotional connections with a strong, relatable brand. ✦ Dual Approach: Blend metrics-based strategies with brand-building for sustainable growth. ✦ Hybrid Marketing: Combine grassroots marketing (SEO, content) with enterprise tactics (events, sales). 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ✦ Host workshops and events to engage customers and demonstrate innovation. ✦ A customer-centric approach strengthens loyalty and trust, particularly in B2B. 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦ Educate customers on new methodologies to position your startup as a thought leader. ✦ Small gestures, like personalized letters or unique content, can make a significant impression on potential stakeholders and customers. 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 ✦ Leverage startup communities to network, share insights, and grow. ✦ Transparent communication builds trust in competitive markets. 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 ✦ Focus on sustainable growth that balances scalability, quality, and compliance.

❇️ 💠 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗽 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Let me share some thoughts on how studios can evolve into more favourable equity partners than ever before. Recently, I visited studio hero Hexa during a Paris trip with Arches Capital. Our group of experienced exit entrepreneurs visited some big venture funds, but Hexa stood out. Why? It doesn’t feel like the typical fund office—it’s vibrant (even though everyone works in silence; must be a French thing) and entrepreneurial, closest to what entrepreneurs know as a business. Builders not bankers, is a phrase I drop more than I’d like to admit. 𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿, we’re constantly challenged on our model, so it was fascinating to see the questions fired at Amaury Sepulchre. Which he, by the way, expertly handled without even pulling out the famous growth-over-year slide.The kicker? Hexa is switching to a sidecar fund to evolve the studio model and create sustainability. A model we’ve been advocating for, in slang a sidecare fund, is finally institutionalising in a way that works for all partners. Let me explain: Studios typically hold 30–40% on the cap table in common stock (let’s assume 30% for now). When VCs invest, studios transfer operations to a dedicated team, staying on the board as early investors. Sounds great, right? But the 30% stake often feels too much, no matter the explanation (yes, team bootstrap, we also have love for you). 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱. When a venture reaches the seed stage and secures a lead investor, the fund buys 7.5–10% of the studio’s stake, let’s say 10% (I know in Hexa’s case, there's also a studio partner, but let’s keep it explainable). This structures the cap table into four clear lines: CEO, CTO, Fund, and Studio. It also creates a sustainable model for studios—covering costs while allowing them to keep building. This is not a given; studios still need to validate, launch, and finance ventures. The remaining 20% studio stake is easier to explain for value past and future, improving gutfeeling and attracting more VCs. 𝗦𝗼, 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹? Seems a bit like banking, not building, right? Well, yes, it’s still building—but it’s evolving into something more like an investment firm or platform. A great evolution, if you ask me. Next big thing will be to elevate to build out the brand around the platform eh Sarah Barron. Agree? Is this the way? Let me know. 🖖🏻 Thanks for the inspiring moments and conversations Quentin Nickmans, Thibaud Elziere and Amaury Sepulchre, Sarah Barron and my wonderful travel companions Edwin, Walter, Frank, Rob, Paul, Monique, Eliska, Karianne, Rudy, Jerome, Michel, Leopold, Jan, Diederik, Jan Maarten, Wouter, Willemijn Maria, Ties, Michelle, Nico.

𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫 ✦ Building that next big thing and wondering if a studio makes sense? ✦ Domain experts, do you have the urge to solve a hard problem? ✦ Second-time founder looking for that momentum from day one? ✦ Just a casual chat? Book a slot with Michael or Sharon or Jelmer during our office hours on December 9 or December 16 from 5-7 PM. 🔗 Mike: https://lnkd.in/gcEA8FDs 🔗 Sharon: https://lnkd.in/gEu4TgC9 🔗 Jelmer: https://lnkd.in/gtfyFXnC

𝗕𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀, 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. 🚀 When I first met AJ (Alisher), his energy and ambition were impossible to miss. His vision? “𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.” That mindset resonated immediately – because it aligns with everything I believe in. AJ joined us as an Entrepreneur in Residence and has since stepped up as the CEO of Avery, leading this incredible new venture with determination and heart. 💥 With Marco joining as CTO, we’ve built a team ready to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in recruitment: how to make hiring faster, smarter, and more human. Avery is here to transform the recruitment process – automating repetitive tasks, accelerating decision-making, and enabling recruiters to focus on what matters most: finding the right talent for the right roles. 🌍 Our platform is already delivering on its promise to help recruiters manage three times more roles while cutting time-to-hire by 65% and automating 85% of admin tasks. This is just the beginning, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what we’ll achieve together. We’re not launched yet, but it’s around the corner. In the meantime, check out www.getavery.ai for a sneak peek, and don’t hesitate to connect with AJ on LinkedIn – he’s always happy to share more about what’s brewing behind the scenes. Here’s to redefining recruitment, one hire at a time. Let’s go, Avery! 💪

🚀 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤. At Builders, we know the journey to scaling groundbreaking ventures isn’t a solo voyage - it’s a team sport. That’s why we’re thrilled to officially launch the Builders Navigators network: bringing together accomplished entrepreneurs, operators, engineers, and enterprise sales expertise. From solving profound technical challenges in AI to unlocking invaluable market connections.💡🌍 𝐀 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 To the incredible Navigators already sharing their time, expertise, and insights - Joeri van den Bovenkamp - Hofman, Richard Budding, Patrick Veldhuis, Roland van Gulik, Eric Carbijn, Karol Wojtaszek, Wouter Holtslag, Dirk Jan Dokman, and there's much more to come, and yes, there are many female exited entrepreneurs too. 🚀 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬? ✨ 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝. Navigators are exited founders and seasoned investors who’ve been in the trenches - whether it’s scaling complex systems, leveraging AI and LLMs, or mastering enterprise sales. They’re here to share actionable insights, helping Builders’ founders tackle their toughest challenges. ✨ 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬-𝐨𝐧, 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭. This isn’t your typical advisory network. Navigators roll up their sleeves, offer direct support, make introductions, and transfer know-how that moves the needle. Decades of experience, no fluff - just real value. ✨ 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐛𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬. Forget generic advice. Navigators have been through the grind, faced adversity, and built success. They’re here to pay it forward, making sure every moment of engagement fuels growth and innovation. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬! If you’re an exited founder or investor eager to help build the next wave of transformational ventures, we’d love to have you aboard. Or, tag someone who’d thrive as part of this pioneering network! 🚢 A special shout-out to our visionary collaborators, Amish P. and sanford william spivey, for showing us the incredible potential of a network like this in a studio setting. 💪 Let’s build greatness - together!