WE FUEL FOUNDERS TO FIX THE FUTURE
Unknown Group supports entrepreneurs to scale their solutions that contribute to a better world: “fuel founders to fix the future”. We believe the future is broken and founders have the solutions to fix it as they turn the world’s problems into opportunities.
Health
Chemicals
Food
Energy
Education
Manufacturing
We go all-in with entrepreneurs
We contribute by developing more and better entrepreneurs, creating environments to increase the success rate of startups and increasing the impact of startup solutions.
Unknown Solutions
Find, fund and, unite startup solutions together with the industry to solve global challenges.
Unknown Spaces
Provide the right environment for impact startups to work, connect and test their solutions.
Unknown University
Develop skills and mindset to create and scale impact solutions.
A dedicated team of explorers
We are a group of explorers with the same ambition: to fuel founders. Our team represents over 20 different cultures, speaking 12 languages with different expertise such as startup scouting, corporate venturing and investment. You can find us at Titaan our HQ in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Noah Paul
Investment
Giels Brouwer
CEO Akela
Petra Cafnik Uludag
Unknown University
Martin Luxemburg
Unknown Campus
Thomas Blekman
Unknown University
Nazanin Jabalameli
Unknown Campus
Max Dekker
Unknown Campus
Carley Panjer
Unknown Campus
Roos Bijl
Finance
Joëlle van der Veen
Unknown Campus
Hendrik Halbe
CEO
Madelon Bangma
CFO
Angelique Schravendijk
Finance
Edward de Jager
Chairman
Joost Bax
Beyond Real Estate
Ester Wojasová
Unknown Campus
Jurgen Nieuwenhuijsen
COO
Giedre Birmontaite
Unknown Campus
Load all 24 team members
Global reach, local presence
Innovation can come from everywhere. That is why we have a global presence to engage with founders and innovators around the world. We have 300+ network partners in 110+ countries.
Our strategic partners
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- Equals
- Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE)
- Get in the Ring
- Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN)
- HighTechXL
- ImpactCity
- Innovation Agency Lithuania
- Maritime Sisters
- Oneplanetcrowd
- VENGEAN
- We Share – Revolving funding for impact
Equals
Committed to equality and more diversity in the workforce, EQUALS is supporting women in the growth and development of their careers.
Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE)
Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE)
Founders of Unknown Group supported the Erasmus University with their valorisation activities. This resulted in the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE). Unknown Group managed and grew ECE into Europe's leading entrepreneurship centre until 2021.
Get in the Ring
Get in the Ring is a global startup competition active in over 200 cities. We give opportunities to unconventional solutions in all corners of the world, to prove their solutions and solve 21st century challenges. Working alongside industry leading partners, we support the scale and impact that startups make across the globe.
Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN)
The Global Entrepreneurship Network operates a platform of projects and programs in 180 countries aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business.
HighTechXL
Venture-building accelerator that builds teams of entrepreneurs and tech talents around the most advanced technology in the world.
ImpactCity
The Hague is the city for entrepreneurs who want to build a better world. As ImpactCity, The Hague offers a wide range of opportunities and services to entrepreneurs and other impact makers with innovative solutions.
Innovation Agency Lithuania
Lithuania’s business competitiveness partner in a global world
Innovation Agency Lithuania is responsible for the Lithuanian innovation ecosystem and the promotion of innovation at all stages of business development – from developing ideas to delivering products and services to end-users. Our clients range from startups to small- and medium sized businesses with tailor-made services.
Maritime Sisters
Maritime Sisters
Working towards a futureproof maritime future. Innovation partner for a rock-solid strategy, appealing projects and impactful collaborations in the maritime sector. # Getpropelled
Oneplanetcrowd
Going beyond crowdfunding
The leading European sustainable crowdfunding platform, Oneplanetcrowd matches sustainable and social enterprises to impact investors
VENGEAN
A creative branding engine
A creative branding engine on a mission to energise enterprise, with a vengeance.
We Share – Revolving funding for impact
Fostering a community mindset that prioritize impact over profit, becoming the go-to funding platform supplying funding for education and social entrepreneurship.
Our Story
2022
Opening of Titaan campus
Titaan will be developed as a state-of-the-art 13,000 m² campus to house Europe’s most impactful scale-ups that are working on creating the world of tomorrow. A powerhouse of positive impact.
2021
Introduction of the Venture Engine® Investment model
Unknown developed the Venture Engine® methodology; a corporate venturing model that effectively turns venture collaborations into bottom line results.
2021
Merge with VenturesOne
Unknown Group merges with investment firm VenturesOne adding investment expertise to the shared ambition to fuel founders to bring their solutions to scale.
2019
Active in +110 countries
Get in the Ring competition is active in 110 countries worldwide, offering a platform for thousands of founders every year to validate, test and scale their solutions.
2018
Founding of Unknown School offering continuous learning to founders
Global School for Entrepreneurship is initiated to shape founders with the skills and mindset to launch and scale impact solutions. Offering continuous learning to founders in all stages of their growth.
2012
Launch of Get in the Ring
Unknown Group launches the Get in the Ring Foundation. The first global start-up competition.
2008
Europe's leading entrepreneurship centre
Founders of Unknown Group supported the Erasmus University with their valorisation activities. This resulted in the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE). Unknown Group managed and grew ECE into Europe's leading entrepreneurship centre until 2021.