Graduate Ventures

Profile

Graduate Ventures is a venture capital firm based in the Netherlands, established to support university alumni startups. Founded by and for alumni, the firm is led by Managing Partner Auke van den Hout, with a team including Filip Cuypers, Victor de Leeuw, Sophie Heijenberg, Rui Li, Eva Post, Maiko Kamerbeek, and Jasper Wennink. Notably, they offer an extensive alumni network for support, distinguishing themselves with a focus on Dutch universities and medical centers.

Graduate Ventures invests in sectors such as AI, deep tech, climate tech, and digital health. Their check sizes range from €500,000 to €3 million in the seed stage, specifically targeting alumni of Dutch universities. They manage nearly €195 million across various funds, including the €125 million Dutch Alumni Seed Fund II and a €20 million evergreen pre-seed fund. The firm is backed by prominent individuals like Frank Slootman, Peter Wennink, and Michiel Muller, along with institutional support from Invest-NL and Oost NL.

Their notable investments include QuantWare - a quantum computing hardware firm, Workwize, Eddy Grid, and recent participation in Vitalfluid's €17.2 million Series A. Graduate Ventures' model leverages a closed alumni network, offering a strategic sourcing initiative that can't be easily replicated by generalist funds, providing a durable and unique approach within the Netherlands.