Firesides, fast-format collisions, and a founder story that proves speed (still) beats symmetry.

What started as a side experiment, to cut through the noise and truly connect founders with funders, has turned into a high-signal tradition. No name tags. No slow meals. Just real founder stories, fast-paced formats, and a room full of people who want to build.

This edition was part of Upstream Festival, and it brought the exact kind of momentum we aim for. Sharp ideas, honest reflections, and a sense that everyone in the room was leaning forward.

🔥 Fireside: Hervé Huisman (CEO of Gradyent)

Our fireside guest this time was Hervé Huisman, founder and CEO of Gradyent, a company transforming Europe’s outdated heating systems with digital twins, data, and a deep sense of purpose.

You may know Gradyent as a climate tech leader that raised €28M. But what came before? A bike rental startup called OpDieFiets.nl. Hervé left it behind—only to watch Swapfiets explode right after. Timing, as he put it, “can be brutal.”

From that early detour to now leading one of Europe’s most promising energy ventures, Hervé shared a refreshingly raw account of building under pressure. A few highlights that stuck with us:

🚀 Go-to-market truths

• Move before you're ready. Most GTM mistakes happen because teams wait too long to hire, sell, or scale. “By the time you feel ready,” Hervé said, “you’re already behind.”
• Purpose matters. Young talent isn’t just ambitious—they’re demanding. Gradyent’s team pushes hard because the mission resonates.
• 10–15 year contracts. When you're selling infrastructure, you're not pitching hype. You’re selling reliability, trust, and real, long-term impact.

From red dots to real deals

Gradyent’s tech maps out heating networks in real-time, think SimCity for CO₂ savings. On-screen, each red dot represents heat loss. But zoom out? Those dots are leads. Opportunities. Real conversations with giants like Shell and Tata Steel. It’s data as narrative, not just analytics.

One of the most powerful insights from the night: After raising €28M, they slowed down. Not to coast, but to get the product right. To clean up. To focus. Growth without clarity wasn’t the goal, building with intention was.

A final note on balance

Among all the strategy and scale talk, one line landed quietly but powerfully: Hervé’s proudest win wasn’t a contract or a round. It was walking his kids to school in the morning.

That’s the kind of founder story we love: ambitious, imperfect, and deeply human.

Thank you

A huge thanks to Rabobank for sponsoring this milestone edition, and to everyone who joined us in the room. Your energy, curiosity, and candor are what make Investor House work.

Here’s to the next ten.