In 2021, Jeroen Venema (59) sold a majority stake of 60 per cent in his company Ventraco. He will remain involved in the company until 2023; he will step down gradually. But he doesn’t like to sit back and do nothing. Jeroen likes looking ahead, he is always thinking about the future. Through Marktlink Capital, he now invests in private equity. Not necessarily for the long-term returns, but mostly because he just wants to help other entrepreneurs and start-ups grow.
When Marktlink Capital asked him whether he was interested in investing, he became curious. “Private equity always sounded like a dirty word to me. My first thought was always: those guys, out to make a fast buck, without looking at the consequences for the companies. I already knew Marktlink from when I sold my company; a fun, young organisation with a lot of gusto. With people who know what’s going on in the world. The same turned out to be true for Marktlink Capital, when they told me more.” Jeroen learned that private equity is much more than earning money, that you can help companies become stronger through buy-and-build. “In fact, exactly what I did with my own business. That sounded much more positive and fun than what I had been imagining.’
Supporting Young Entrepreneurs and Startups
The fact that Marktlink Capital's own employees are also investing in this way gave Jeroen the confidence to invest. “I am happy about the fact that we do it together and close attention is paid to where the money is invested in.” He is not in it for the money, however. “Private equity is usually only profitable in the long term. In ten years, I’ll be almost 70. Of course, I want long-term returns, but that was not my main goal. I participate because of diversification, but mostly because I really like it. Entrepreneurship is in my blood. I think it’s great to help young entrepreneurs and support start-ups. Private equity is an important tool to help companies grow further. That is precisely what gives me energy."
Expanding the Network
Jeroen invests through Marktlink Capital Fund I. That provides him with valuable contacts. “Of course, I already have many business contacts, but the collaboration with Marktlink Capital allows me to increasingly exchange views with like-minded people. Especially with young entrepreneurs, I have interesting conversations about investments; they view things very differently. Very refreshing and informative. For example, we were in Switzerland, at a rally organised by Marktlink Capital. There are worse places to be. For me personally, the story around investing is as much fun as investing itself.
