Explaining the 3 C's: who we are, what we do and why we do it.

There is a trend going on in the world of VC. We are not talking about the latest craze of investors jumping on online grocers, nor about the short-lived fling of VCs flooding clubhouse with pitch-competitions and techtalks. Ever wondered how your average VC brands itself? There is a big chance that you have been bombarded with buzzwords like innovative, entrepreneurial or - the most infamous of them all -  adding value.‍

At the Dutch Founders Fund, we are not too fond of using words like these. Not because we don’t believe in them, but because they have lost pretty much all of their significance. But then the question remains: how do you capture the essence of your fund without sounding like any other VC? 

We figured to keep it simple and understandable. We have summarised the very essence of our fund in three words: conquer, collaborate, contribute. Still too vague? Let us explain.

All of our portfolio companies can expect active guidance and help. We know what it's like to bump into unexpected hurdles when scaling your company. From hiring to firing and from pivoting to expanding, we sit down with our founders to conquer any challenge. We don’t add value, we enable potential. But what about collaborating?

‍During our time as entrpereneurs, we have built quite the network of investors, entrepreneurs, accelerators and VC’s. Would be stupid not to use this right? That’s why we gladly co-invest with our fellow VC’s, even with smaller tickets. From our friends at Octopus Ventures to our Austrian counterpart at SpeedInvest, we collaborate with VCs all over the world.

We like to invest for a sustainable future, and that goes beyond taking care of our environment. That’s why we have made the ESG-investment standard part of our DNA. We track and measure our portfolio companies by using our very own sustainability index. With Vintage Cash Cow, we helped to decrease the carbon footprint with 75% by enabling people to sell their old stuff. With Minimum, we provide everyone with clear insights in their carbon emissions. See the trend here? By investing in companies with a long-term sustainable focus, we contribute to a better tomorrow.