Interview Machtelt Groothuis in Het Financieele Dagblad
We’re back in the Financieele Dagblad, this time with co-founder Machtelt Groothuis. The article highlights an unusual moment: in a year where European venture capital is slowing down, four Dutch VC funds raised more than €600 million.
In the interview, Machtelt reflects on what this says about the ecosystem and what still needs to change. Yes, investors are more cautious. Yes, fundraising takes more work than it did five years ago. But the need for innovation is only growing. And without enough growth capital here at home, European founders will continue to look abroad.
Her message is clear: Europe needs deeper pools of growth capital if companies working on climate and social solutions are to scale here rather than somewhere else. Families, entrepreneurs and institutional investors are stepping in, but long-term capital from pension funds could help anchor innovation at home rather than seeing it move to other markets.
The recent wave of new funds is encouraging. But as Machtelt also notes, a Just Transition needs far more than one fund or one moment of momentum. We need more capital and more talent flowing into this space, so the founders working on solutions for people and planet have the room to grow.
