ABOUT US

A unique combination of alumni, students and professionals


Our dedicated team of experienced professionals and ambitious students work together daily, committed to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. We are supported by our alumni network, who generously contribute their time and expertise.

Fund management

Highly experienced professionals with startup and investing expertise manage our organization and seed fund.

Auke van den Hout

Managing Partner

Julia Knoeff

Head of Platform

Filip Cuypers

Principal seed

Daan Keizer

Finance Director

Rui Li

Associate Principal seed

Eva Post

Investment Manager pre-seed

Isabelle Johri

Analyst seed

Ileana Geueke Garcia

Analyst seed

Sophie Janssen

Platform

Student board

Our student board leads our pre-seed fund operations and brings a fresh, approachable outlook.

Aukje Land

Bouke Hoekstra

Emma Dekker

Hannah van de Mast

Louis Euverink

Nina de Bruijn

Steven van Leur

Tijs de Vries

Vince Goelst

Our backers

At the core of Graduate Entrepreneur are alumni who founded this initiative, having walked in your shoes, and are now eager to give back.

Founding Alumnus
Coen van Oostrom

You have to be the biggest optimist that life can be because you have to wake up every morning and say yes I can do this! But you also have to wake up every night and be scared shitless of what can go wrong.

Foundin Alumnus
Dian Besseler

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Founding Alumnus
Menno Antal

Don't be afraid to fail. Be afraid to miss the opportunity.

Founding Alumnus
Sandro van Hellenberg Hubar

Start your business for the right reason, not money or ego. I love straightforward, professional, passionate, purpose-driven team-players.

Founding Alumnus
Merlin de Graaf

Having the right team in place is the key to success!

Founding Alumnus
Gert Jan van der Hoeven

Investing in your vision isn’t about predicting the future, but building it. Stay resilient, adaptable, and remember: the best returns come from the risks few dare to take.

Founding Alumnus
Frans van Houten

1. Get the right people on your team 2. It's all about learning fast. 3. Customers, customers, customers!

Founding Alumnus
Joost Romeijn

Make sure that in your business plan your product is not only well defined, but also think of how to sell it. Who is my client and how will I reach that client?

Founding Alumnus
Eline van Beest

Eline founded MedTech scale-up NightBalance in 2009 with a new therapy for sleep apnea. Currently, she is the CEO of Hybridize Therapeutics.

Founding Alumnus
Machtelt Groothuis

Surround yourself with diverse people, be flexible to adapt your plans and just go for it!

Our mission and values

We empower alumni to become world-changing entrepreneurs

We offer early-stage startup capital, a strong network of accomplished entrepreneurs, and mentorship to help build innovative companies driving positive societal change.

We aim to foster a collaborative community of entrepreneurs who learn and grow together.

Empowerment

We enable entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life, providing the necessary resources for success.

Approachability

We create a culture of openness and approachability, where entrepreneurs can easily access the support they need.

Community

We believe in the power of community. We facilitate events where alumni and founders meet to share and connect.

Inclusivity

We are firm believers in equal opportunities for all, regardless of background or gender, and ensuring fair access to entrepreneurship.

Join us for coffee at our offices

Rotterdam

Main Office

CIC Rotterdam, Stationsplein 45, unit A4.004
3013 AK Rotterdam

Delft

Office

YES!Delft, Molengraaffsingel 12, 2629 JD Delft

Amsterdam

Office

Oosteinde 19, 

1017 WT Amsterdam

Founding universities

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