Laurens Vanryckeghem
About Laurens Vanryckeghem
Laurens Vanryckeghem serves as the Head of Plug and Play in Amsterdam, overseeing accelerator programs and fostering innovation by connecting startups with multinational corporations. He has a diverse background in investment management and consulting, with degrees in Civil Engineering Technology, Real Estate Management, and Private Equity.
Work at Plug and Play Tech Center
Laurens Vanryckeghem serves as the Head of Plug and Play in Amsterdam, a position he has held since 2023. In this role, he oversees accelerator programs that are part of a global network encompassing over 50 cities and 20 industries. He leads the Dutch subsidiary of Plug and Play, focusing on connecting startups with large corporations to foster innovation. Additionally, he engages with nearly 500 multinational companies to enhance their external innovation strategies through the Plug and Play platform. His involvement includes the investment in approximately 250 to 300 pre-seed and seed startups annually.
Education and Expertise
Laurens Vanryckeghem holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Civil Engineering Technology from Ghent University, which he completed from 2010 to 2015. He furthered his education at Antwerp Management School, obtaining a Master in Real Estate Management (MRE) from 2020 to 2022. Additionally, he studied Private Equity and Venture Capital at Università Bocconi from 2021 to 2022. He also earned a certificate in Judicial Expertise from Ghent University in 2019. This diverse educational background equips him with expertise in engineering, real estate, and investment.
Professional Background
Before his current role, Laurens Vanryckeghem worked at KPMG Belgium as Real Estate Sector Lead in 2021 and as a Management Consultant from 2017 to 2021. He also served as an Investment Manager at AMAVI Capital from 2021 to 2023. His earlier experience includes positions as an Account Executive and Cost Engineer at Willy Naessens Group and as an Intern Site Engineer at Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer. He briefly worked as a Partner Success Manager at Plug and Play Tech Center in 2023.
Investment Roles
In addition to his role at Plug and Play, Laurens Vanryckeghem is currently involved as an Investor at Throne Labs and Substack, both positions he has held since 2023. His investment activities align with his focus on fostering innovation and supporting startup growth through strategic investments.