Having worked for seven years at various tech companies in Silicon Valley, I can confirm that part-time work there barely exists. The idea of working part-time and building a career simply isn’t a thing. While young employees in America sometimes don’t dare to leave their desks until their boss does, we in the Netherlands launch government subsidies to encourage part-timers to work a few extra hours. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care whether someone works full-time or part-time. What matters is that we should celebrate financially successful entrepreneurs more often, rather than criticize them.

Where things go wrong is that we often only see the visible rewards of financial success, not the effort, sacrifice, and risk that came before. Think of the 80-hour workweeks, the personal mortgages taken out in tough times, the stressful rounds of layoffs during downturns, the postponed plans for having children, sometimes never fulfilled, and the vacations skipped because the company came first. We also tend to forget how much value successful entrepreneurs create for others. Take Jeff Bezos, for example. Amazon’s current market value is roughly $2.3 trillion. Of that, Bezos’ share is around $200 billion. That means he’s created roughly $2.1 trillion in value for others, for shareholders and employees, yes, but also for the companies whose products are sold on Amazon, and the consumers who benefit from fast deliveries and low prices. And that’s not even counting the many startups and businesses that have grown thanks to Amazon’s platform and scaled faster and cheaper through AWS.

What if we took a different approach in the Netherlands? Imagine if Quote released a special edition of the Quote 500 that ranked entrepreneurs not only by personal wealth but also by the prosperity and jobs they’ve created. It would help foster a new narrative, one that shows financial success isn’t just an individual achievement but a driver of societal progress. We could put successful entrepreneurs in the spotlight, not to admire their luxury, but to recognize what they’ve contributed to society.

That awareness is crucial right now. Europe is facing economic headwinds, and the Netherlands must be careful not to get pulled down with it. We need entrepreneurship more than ever. The last thing we should do is discourage those who take the risks and create the jobs. By celebrating financial success instead of criticizing it, we can build a culture that encourages entrepreneurship, one that values it and sees it as a source of inspiration for the next generation. That change in mindset is exactly what will allow the Netherlands to thrive.

The most interesting people I come across have one thing in common: they’ve lived. Truly lived. They didn’t just chase a résumé, they looked left and right along the way. And they’re not done yet. You can see it in the entrepreneurs who aren’t just building something clever, but something the world actually needs.

Recently, I had a chat with our neighbor’s son, who sometimes babysits and asked me for career advice. My answer: mow lawns. Serve in a restaurant. Spend a summer on another continent. Volunteer. Travel without a plan. And meanwhile, start some side hustles or your own business. You can do what everyone else does and try to score a slightly higher grade than the person next to you, but you’re better off standing out in a different way. Be unique, do your own thing, and focus on the combination of skills or passions that only you can bring. But above all: live. Because with just a polished degree and a corporate internship, you might be technically brilliant, but you’ll miss the kind of life experience that makes the difference between a good and a great builder.

The problem? There’s hardly any room left to wander. Studies are tightly choreographed, performance pressure is sky-high, and the space for a gap year or time abroad has, compared to when I studied, shrunk dramatically. A shame, because if you only live inside the bubble, you’ll also build products inside the bubble.

And that’s exactly what bothers me so much about what’s happening in certain tech circles. What I see emerging is a growing group that not only feels entitled to everything but also simply knows too little about what the world looks like for others. That’s the difference between hustle and privilege: options. I increasingly miss empathy among tech leaders.

And let’s be honest: empathy isn’t just crucial in tech, but in something even more fundamental, our democracy. Because a healthy democracy isn’t just the sum of votes. It’s also the courage to make room at the table for those without a voice: for minorities, for future generations, for people whose situations are too complex, too uncomfortable, or too small to stand out.

Especially with the rise of AI, our challenge is to remain empathetic and human, even as we become more digital. I believe that a rich life, one full of failures, detours, adventure, and service, doesn’t just make for better entrepreneurs and better leaders, but for a better tech industry overall. We should value curiosity and empathy just as much as technical skill. My hope is that by doing so, we’ll build a future that’s not only smart, but human. Bonus: your life will be anything but boring. I’ll take that deal any day.

But you don’t need to be in Silicon Valley to start investing. Online platforms like AngelList provide access to private startups starting at under €10,000. An alternative, if you have the money but lack the connections, expertise, or experience, is to invest in a venture capital fund. This is less risky because funds typically invest in 20–30 startups, spreading the risk even though the underlying startups are inherently risky. This way, you can allocate about 10% of your assets to this asset class, contributing to innovation and economic growth. More importantly, you’ll learn from it, build a new network, and give yourself the chance at a significant financial reward.

The truth is, we need this at a much bigger scale, and lack the kind of Super Angels that Silicon Valley thrives on—tech entrepreneurs who reinvest their success back into the ecosystem, at scale. Instead, the Netherlands boasts a wealth of highly successful family-owned businesses, with roots in manufacturing, industry, real estate, energy, and trade (think SHV, VDL Groep, Van Oord, Brenntag, Boskalis, Kloosterboer, Royal BAM Group and many, many others) My hope? That these family offices step up to the plate, embracing the role of Super Angels by exploring early-stage investing. Allocating even 10% of their portfolio to this asset class will unlock innovation, fuel the startup ecosystem, potentially become a great design partner early on in the startup journey and drive the next wave of Dutch entrepreneurship.

The Netherlands but also Europe is poised for a new Golden Age—one fueled by innovation, collaboration, and smart investments. The question is: Are you ready to own a piece of the future? 🌟

At this edition of Foundry Meetups, we will explore what it will take for Europe to not only participate in but lead the next industrial revolution. 

Here’s a look at the groundbreaking companies and leaders who will be in the room:

• Monumental: Co-founded by Salar Al Khafaji, Monumental is transforming the construction industry with AI-driven robots. These autonomous machines tackle labor shortages and reduce costs on-site by assisting in tasks like bricklaying, making construction faster, safer, and more sustainable. Monumental’s mission is to reshape how we build—making it more efficient while solving labor shortages that affect Europe’s infrastructure projects.

• Farmless: Led by Adnan Oner, Farmless is pioneering land-free fermentation technology to produce protein without the need for farmland. This approach could revolutionize food security and environmental sustainability, providing a more resilient solution to global food production challenges. Farmless embodies the spirit of European Dynamism by solving critical global problems, such as sustainable agriculture, without relying on traditional resources.

• Cradle: Jelle Prins and the team at Cradle are pushing the boundaries of bioengineering with a platform that uses generative AI to speed up the design of proteins. Cradle is advancing breakthroughs in everything from medicine to sustainable materials, showing how Europe’s scientific expertise and cutting-edge technology can work together to unlock bio-based innovations with global impact.

• ASML: Represented by Evelien de Vries, ASML is not just a tech company—it is a cornerstone of Europe’s industrial ecosystem. ASML produces advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, critical for powering technologies from smartphones to electric vehicles. By holding a key role in the global chip supply chain, ASML is a true enabler of European Dynamism, helping Europe maintain its technological leadership in the face of global competition.

These founders, along with other visionaries, will share their insights, challenges, and ambitions at the Re-Industrialize Europe Edition, Oct 3rd '24. The discussion will center on how Europe can take the lead in the next industrial revolution—by investing in deep-tech infrastructure, scaling innovative solutions, and building industries that contribute not only to economic growth but also to societal well-being.

Unlike the American tech model, which often focuses on scaling at all costs, European Dynamism is rooted in sustainability, long-term growth, and cross-sector collaboration. This next wave of industrialization will require a careful balance between technological advancement and responsible innovation—something Europe is well-positioned to achieve.

Join us at Foundry Meetups to connect with the people building the future of Europe, where innovation and industrial strength come together to define a new era of progress.

#ReIndustrializeEurope #HardTech #DeepTech #TechBio #FoundryMeetups #Innovation #TechCommunity #NPhardVC

1) You don’t need to know how to program or be a graphic designer to start a tech company. An AI agent does the work for you. You tell your agent what you want, and it will write the code and create the look and feel of your product. AI will automate many crucial aspects of a business that traditionally required (large) teams of people—think of customer service with chatbots, financial management with AI-driven tools, language models (GPTs) for content creation, etc.

2) Thanks to AI's ability to process and analyze vast amounts of data, entrepreneurs can gain insights into market trends, customer behavior, and potential opportunities much faster than traditional research methods. It can also analyze data on a scale that no human team could, offering personalized experiences to customers, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty, which are crucial for rapid growth.

3) As an early-stage investor, I see pitch decks with AI-driven design tools for product development and machine learning for product testing and feedback analysis passing by constantly. The speed at which these tools are improving is astonishing. With these AI tools, an ambitious soloist can develop innovative products at a fraction of the investment in time and resources. These AI tools can enable one individual to develop innovative products with a fraction of the traditional time and resource investment.

In short, the startup of the future scales even more and faster with computing power instead of people. Good news for the lifestyle entrepreneur; thinking big and building a billion-dollar company without building large teams.

A thought experiment I've been pondering lately is how these lean companies will scale as fast as possible and what their funding routes should look like. Recently, I had a call with a 2 person team, who launched multiple 1M+ EUR businesses these past few months and were contemplating what a next step should look like. Should they keep bootstrapping? Opt for an angel round only to hire the first few top engineers and take it from there? Avoid the VC route as VCs have timelines for expected returns and founders might not even want to sell as it's a lucrative business and they rather pay out dividends over time?

One thing is clear: the future of startups will rely more on computational power than human resources. In a world where technology and digital tools have leveled the playing field, it's not about the size of the team, but the impact they can create. Curious to hear your thoughts how this will shape out and love seeing examples you've seen working well.

I looked at him in surprise when he said: “You flew from the other side of the ocean to build a new life here. That shows courage and entrepreneurship; perfect ingredients for a startup founder.” I realized, hell yeah, maybe he's right. But also that this man's opportunism and openness actually appeared in every conversation I had here.

Many of the people I met had a day job during the day, built their startup in the evening and in the meantime attended the meet-ups that took place all-the-time. That's how I got to see just about every renowned tech company, from Airbnb, which organized panels on disrupting regulated markets, to LinkedIn, which offered their lobby as a co-working space.

These tech companies facilitate the meet-ups, panels or hackathons because it is a great opportunity to spot talent and perhaps discover a possible acquisition target. This also allows them to keep an ear on the ground about what is happening with the new generation of entrepreneurs. One day I was sitting in a government building with 100 others listening to Elon Musk about the energy transition. The density and accessibility of this ecosystem of top companies, first class entrepreneurs and creative thinkers was astonishing.

What I have known since then is that in the pay-it-forward startup system of Silicon Valley, founders and dreamers regularly encounter each other. They discuss each other's ideas, frustrations and become each other's first paying beta customers. Here and there, thousands of dollars are invested in the next friends & family round. This creates an ecosystem in which people not only wish each other success, but also have a mutual interest. This opens up networks and allows companies to grow even faster. Instead of operating in silos, there is a melting pot of driven people who are completely absorbed in each other's startup adventure.

After 10 years in the US, I moved back to the Netherlands with my family last year. How we would benefit greatly from San Francisco's opportunistic hustle mentality and cross-pollination. Let's put an end to the Dutch small closed circles and see what can be gained, instead of being afraid of losing something. Tech companies; open the doors a few times a year to bring the ecosystem together. Venture capitalists, order pizzas more often and facilitate that startup founders regularly meet with their peer group to test each other's products and share horror stories.

The life of an entrepreneur can feel so hard and lonely. Starting something new is scary, but especially if you gather the right community and energy around you, it can be “fucking amazing”.

(Original post in Quote Magazine here - Dutch only)