Our History

In 2009, Maarten van Kroonenburg stepped into the music industry with big dreams, only to discover that the available contracts benefited labels far more than artists. This turning point caused him to start his own music venture, pushing him into the startup world. There, he gained invaluable insights from the common challenges startups face. 

By 2016, armed with a mixture of formal education, experience and a deeper understanding, Maarten created BW Ventures, this time with the mission to transform the approach to innovation and provide a platform for small companies to carve out their own niches, rather than being viewed as smaller versions of large corporations. Yet, even the most innovative ideas and businesses encountered obstacles at the sales phase. That's when Frank Lautenschutz came into the picture, a sales expert with experience at renowned companies like ING, Cisco, Salesforce, and a background in startups. 

Frank's expertise in sales and his data-driven mindset were a good combination with Maarten’s vision. Together, they have transformed BW Ventures into a force, overseeing more than 100 projects to completion. Motivated by Maarten’s journey through highs and lows and Frank’s understanding of sales dynamics, BW Ventures exemplifies the belief that innovation success is driven by strategy and a willingness to experiment. 

At BW Ventures, ourfocus extends beyond the present towards building businesses capable of sustained growth, supported by solid data and data-driven insights