For me it’s all about flow—about being in the moment, making decisions quickly, and having the courage to keep moving forward, no matter how rough it gets.

Since my late teens, white-water kayaking has been my passion, outlet and source of inspiration. Navigating steep rivers in remote corners of the world, pushing my limits, and learning to trust my instincts. The stakes are high, the risks are real, and the rewards come when you can stay focused under pressure, just like with startups.

I thrive when I’m working with passionate founders—people who aren’t afraid to disrupt the status quo, to challenge the conventional and create something radically innovative. The excitement of seeing them take their ideas, often against all odds, and turn them into reality is what gets me up in the morning. It’s a fast-paced, relentless pursuit, ready to plunge into the unknown and face whatever lies ahead, is the kind of work I live for.

At LUMO, the entrepreneurial spirit runs deep, which is something I deeply value. It’s rare to find VCs who truly understand the daily grind of a startup founder and the sheer grit and resilience required to build something from the ground up.

Somebody once introduced me by saying, “Martijn is a diplomat with a baseball bat.” At first, that may seem like an odd combination, but I’ve grown to love that description. It’s the combination of respect and candor that I believe helps create the trust needed to move fast and make bold decisions. That’s how we’ll get results together.

My promise to founders is that I’ll be brutally honest with them and that I will work hard to stay ahead of the curve on everything technology and most definitely also on scaling up and preparing your team to scale.

One of the most formative experiences both personally as well as professionally, was being a white-water kayak instructor and trip guide for groups of senior executives twice my age. Those days were about more than paddling; they were about leadership, about influence, and about learning how to communicate effectively with a team in high-pressure situations. I think that foundation has served me well in managing teams and navigating the challenges of building startups.

I’m most proud of standing at the foundation of a startup three times and building and scaling teams that are recognized as some of the best in the business. For me building teams is about creating an environment where people can thrive, learn, and grow, and about hiring top talent.

However, not everything has been a straight line. My first startup going belly up was not pretty, but certainly a powerful learning experience. Looking back though, it taught me humility, resilience, and the importance of learning to transform losses into lessons for future wins. It has also brought me grey hairs. That is not a bad thing, they make me look a little more serious—especially for a techie with a ponytail.

Looking ahead, I’m most curious about the future of AI and its potential to reason, create, and transform fields like medicine. I’m excited to see how emerging technologies shape the world and working with visionary founders to build something truly impactful.

To me, an idea is just a spark, the real magic happens in the execution. Many can have a good idea, only the exceptional can bring that idea to life. I’ve seen many startups struggle because they take too long to make decisions. Time is precious, and execution matters more than anything. I am especially looking forward to forward to working with founders who are both smart and action-oriented.

And when it comes to impact for me it is not about the technology itself, but about the lives it touches. In the words of my first corporate employer: “Let’s make things better”.