Venture Studio Builders Raise €4.5 Million

Builders, a Rotterdam-based venture studio led by Michael van Lier, Sharon Klaver, Darko Marković, Julia Bramer, and others, has raised €4.5 million from a group of leading entrepreneurs, exit-founders, and family offices, including Wouter Holtslag, Eric Carbijn, and Invent Capital.

Builders, a venture studio focused on creating enterprise AI companies, partners with entrepreneurs from idea to launch, providing expertise in concept validation, hiring, funding, and growth.

After its first €1.5 million round, Builders developed Noon, Obeyo, and Influentials, with the latter successfully acquired. Its second €3 million round has fueled a renewed focus on enterprise AI, leading to new ventures such as Everday, Avery, and Cortena, all nearing seed stage. The new funding will enable Builders to expand operations and launch at least four AI companies annually, moving toward a self-sustaining model.

The funding was raised from, among others, family offices Den Breems & Schouten B.V., Invint Capital, Vajoinvest, Hedje Invest, Plott Invest, as well as angel investors Peter Kaas, Wouter Holtslag, Edwin de Jonge, Eric Carbijn, Richard Budding, Karol Wojtaszek and Emil Wojtaszek, Joeri van den Bovenkamp-Hofman, Ruud Vodegel, Hector Rodriguez, Wilbert Nederpelt, Steven van Houweling, Roland van Gulik, Herjan Meloen, Tristan Orzero, and Patrick Veldhuizen, Eliska Went, Theo Wieckardt, Patrick van de Werken, Sylvia Dekker. 

The new funding will fuel Builders’ European expansion, as the studio partners with other venture ecosystems to scale its proven model across the continent. This collaboration aims to boost the number of new AI ventures from four to ten annually.

To support this growth, Builders is also preparing a new €25 million fund that will invest across its AI ecosystem, backing existing ventures and new European partnerships. The fund’s first closing is expected in summer 2026.