Catalyst Impact Investment Club

Last week, our founder Annegien Blokpoel had the privilege of attending two transformative events in Brussels: the Empower Equity III Conference and sessions with the European Investment Fund (EIF) and European Investment Bank (EIB). The focus? Driving diversity in investing—starting with equality in representation for women and men in decision-making and selection processes within venture and private equity capital. It’s an inspiring cultural shift within EU policymaking, one that holds immense potential to benefit our investor community, European citizens, and society at large. At Catalyst Impact Investment Club, we don’t just talk about diversity—we act on it. With a community of more than 50 investors, equally split between men and women, and an Investment Committee of 6 members (3 men and 3 women), we are proud to lead by example. As far as we know, we are the only 50/50 gender-diverse business angel syndicate. Congratulations to Annegien for receiving the Golden Aurora Award for Female Business Angel 2024-2025 at the Business Angels Europe ceremony. A testament to her dedication to empowering female-led innovation and connecting ecosystems across Europe.

At Catalyst Impact Investment Club, we’re proud to celebrate the achievements of our incredible investors who are shaping the future of impact investing. A big congratulations to Andrea Piazza and Cyntia Mano for writing the groundbreaking book "Angel Investing Explained: Demystifying Early-Stage Investing." Andrea brings her unique cross border perspective to Catalyst, combining her background in software engineering, experience investing in over 30 Southern Europe tech startups, and her passion for advancing Femtech—a critical yet often underrepresented space in European innovation. This book is not just a guide—it’s a call to action. With more women stepping into the world of angel investing, we gain diverse perspectives that are essential for building a more inclusive and impactful future. 🌍✨ At Catalyst, we believe in driving catalytic impact, and it’s voices like Andrea’s that inspire others to join the movement. Let’s continue to support and champion women investors who are shaping tomorrow’s world.

Today, our founder Annegien Blokpoel is speaking at the Private Equity Insights Conference, contributing to a panel on "Creating a High-Performance Board" alongside industry experts Christine Kampinga, Lisette Barsingerhorn, and Freerk Smit 🎙 At Catalyst Impact Investment Club, we know firsthand how pivotal the right board structure is to a company's success—especially for those transitioning rapidly through Seed, Series A, and Series B funding rounds. 🎙️ The challenge? Moving from individual advisors to the CEO to a well-rounded, diversified board that aligns with both corporate governance and the company’s evolving needs. A high-performing board doesn’t just serve investors; it drives growth, builds resilience, and amplifies impact for all stakeholders. But let’s face it: managing these transitions isn’t just about strategy—it’s about navigating egos, economic interests, and even politics. 🌍 That’s why, at Catalyst, we see this as a critical success factor for our portfolio companies as they scale globally to deliver on their mission of healing the planet and society. We’re excited to see Annegien dive into this topic today and bring her insights back to our community!

At Catalyst Impact Investment Club, we’re not just investing—we’re piecing together a puzzle for a better future. Today, our founder, Annegien Blokpoel, takes the stage as a moderator at the Regenerative Capital Room in Amsterdam, part of WorldStartup and Capital House. Together, we’re building a chain for Impact Companies, supporting them from seed to Series B and beyond. Our focus? Companies with Catalytic Impact—healing and repairing the planet and humankind. At Catalyst, our piece of the puzzle includes cross-border capital, mindset, experience, and network. But this ecosystem is a collective effort. As Annegien puts it: “Which piece do you bring to the puzzle?

At Catalyst Impact Investment Club, we’re dedicated to driving meaningful, sustainable investments. But what separates a promising venture from a risky one? It’s not just the idea—it’s about the people, the strategy, and the execution. At Bits & Pretzels, leading investors—and even our own Annegien Blokpoel—shared their insights on the red flags that make them walk away. Annegien highlighted one critical factor: the coachability of founders. If the team isn’t open to advice or leveraging the network brought to the table, that’s a deal-breaker. Curious to uncover more red flags and lessons from top investors? 🎥 Watch the video now and take your investment game to the next level.

At Catalyst Impact Investment Club, we’re all about challenging assumptions for more meaningful, sustainable growth. Recently, our own Annegien Blokpoel was interviewed at the Bits & Pretzels Conference on the one startup myth she wished would go away. Her answer? “The Unicorn myth as number one.” Annegien emphasized that part of the needed societal change is to rethink investment paradigms and myths—especially those that are, by design, destructive. At Catalyst Impact, we believe in driving real value over mythical valuations. Curious about what other myths investors are busting? Watch the video for more insights, and let us know what startup myths you’ve encountered.

We are super proud of our founder Annegien Blokpoel winning the Golden Aurora Award of the Business Angels Europe for most influential Female Business Angel Europe ✨ Annegien: "I truly appreciate winning the award and it acts as a stimulant to keep on influencing on 2 major themes. On the one hand we need to invest much more in healing and repairing the planet and humankind. With the other hand we go much faster if we do that through the power of diversity, inclusion, cross border thinking and acting of the community. I am moved to see how many people contribute to our Club and it's purpose" In the Catalyst Impact Investment Club we currently have 50 angels, 50 % men and 50% women from 10 countries. Thank you to all the people that support in company, in scouting, screening and/or building the Club. Below a special thanks to: Lisa Petermeijer Johanna von Herman Michael Devoe Diana Krieger David Prais Arjé Cahn Rudy Kappert Sharon Rubin Adriaan V. Corina Kuiper Marleen Kappert Wouter Holtslag Kai Malkwitz Petra Euler Kim Oreskovic

We are joining the ChangeNow conference in Paris 25-27 March. Happy to meet with other purpose aligned impact investors and startups in scale up mode ✨✨

Happy to announce we have opened the Series A round syndicate in Tobe.green with the Catalyst Impact Investment Club. We joined in the Seed Round July 2023, this is the follow up round and last opportunity to invest in this amazing startup. Tobe.green brings an effective treatment for bees against varroa mite, the main cause for bee colonie illness worldwide. Bee friendly, using only 10% of current chemical treatment dosis, no residue in the bee, bee hive or honey ✨✨

Hi all, will be in Berlin next Thursday, Friday (Feb 29, March 1) Would love to meet with like-minded impact and femtech investors. Great if you can connect or introduce 😊