Leading Progress — Netherlands

We work with organisations
that seek to scale their innovations

Novactum partners with organisations — large and small — with the ambition to achieve a lasting competitive edge to match real and hidden market needs. By bringing our know-how, experience, and network designed to scale fast and manage risks, we co-create success.

Our Focus How we work
NEW
InnovateSmart/Partnerships
InnovateSmart
/Partnerships by Mike Vermeer →
We invest. We take board seats. We build teams. We protect ROI. We create ecosystems.
NEW — 2025
InnovateSmart/Partnerships
InnovateSmart
/Partnerships

“In an era refined by rapid technological change and unseen global challenges, the power of collaboration has never been more decisive.”

by Mike Vermeer  ·  Novactum, 2025
Read more ↓
01 Philosophy

We invest where insight
precedes the market

Novactum occupies the intersection of deep innovation management, scaling expertise and entrepreneurial capital — with the networks and systems to lead progress.

Our conviction is that the most durable returns come not from chasing momentum, but from building genuine understanding of where technology, regulation, and human behaviour are converging. We bring more than capital — we bring pattern recognition, a curated network, and the willingness to commit before certainty arrives.

02 Investment & Partnerships Thesis

We back ventures where Tech & AI changes
what's possible — not just what's faster

Over recent years we have engaged with ventures that understand AI does not just create efficiency and speed in routines — if done right, it enables a new generation of possibilities. Solve real problems. Fill hidden needs in the world. Create breakthroughs that were simply not achievable before. Scaling these outcomes is a conventional challenge that we have been tackling for decades. We back the ventures with the ambition and the architecture to turn AI-enabled breakthroughs into lasting commercial value — and we partner with them to make it happen.

Strategy
We co-define the growth thesis, prioritise markets and structure the path to scale — from day one.
Commercial Scale
We open doors, build commercial pipelines and accelerate revenue — through our own networks and the NICE and InnovateSmart ecosystems.
Team Development
We develop the innovation and transformation skills and mindset — at personal, team and organisational level — through INNDUCE.me, so the human capability matches the ambition.
Partnerships
We design, govern and activate the commercial partnerships that create structural advantage — applying the frameworks from InnovateSmart/Partnerships directly to our portfolio.

Lasting Competitive Edge

The first question on every deal: does this venture own something structurally unreplicable at scale? We invest where AI-enabled innovation creates durable, defensible advantage — not a temporary lead that erodes the moment a larger player copies the feature. Proprietary data, network effects, regulatory moats, and deep domain embedding are the signals we look for.

Real & Hidden Market Needs

The best ventures solve problems the market has not yet fully articulated. We use deep intelligence from CREAX, NICE Collective and our own sector networks to surface genuine unmet demand before the crowd arrives. We are not momentum investors — we invest in demand that is structural, not seasonal, and verify it through direct commercial relationships before we commit.

Scale Velocity & Commercial Viability

Tech & AI changes which ventures can reach market scale in years rather than decades — but speed means nothing without a viable commercial model. We assess both simultaneously: the AI-native architecture that accelerates reach, and the unit economics, pricing power and channel strategy that make scaling financially sustainable. Ventures that can do both earn a structural competitive advantage that compounds over time.

Known & Manageable Risk

Risk we cannot map is risk we do not take. Before committing, we run a structured diagnostic across four dimensions: technical readiness, regulatory exposure, commercial assumptions, and team capability. We then structure our board and executive involvement to actively reduce each risk vector post-investment — not observe it from a distance. Risk management is not a filter at entry; it is an ongoing operational discipline.

ROI & Portfolio Governance

We manage return on investment with the discipline of a professional investor and the hands-on engagement of an operator. Board seats, decision-making frameworks, milestone governance and exit planning are built in from day one — not retrofitted when things go wrong. We measure ourselves on outcomes, not activity, and align our incentives accordingly through co-investment and performance-linked structures.

Co-Investment & Partnership Networks

We co-invest and partner alongside aligned PE/VC firms, family offices and corporate venturing arms — bringing both capital and active ecosystem access. Our value to co-investors is not just deal flow, but deep operational involvement that de-risks the investment after close. Through NICE Collective, InnovateSmart and our European network, we connect portfolio companies to the commercial partnerships that open markets, reduce go-to-market cost and create lasting strategic leverage.

03 How We Engage

Capital with conviction.
Execution with skin in the game.

Four engagement modes — each designed to protect the investment, accelerate growth, and manage risk at every phase of the scale journey.

Direct Investment & Co-Investment

We invest directly in ventures that meet our thesis — lasting edge, market fit, scale velocity, manageable risk. We co-invest with aligned PE, VC and family office partners, and intermediate deal flow to our network. Investment always comes with active board involvement, not passive capital.

Board Participation & Strategic Oversight

We take Non-Executive Director and advisory board positions in our investee companies. Our board role goes beyond governance — active in strategic decision-making, risk management, partnership development and exit planning. We see after ROI from the inside.

Interim Executive Leadership

When a venture needs more than strategy — at moments of rapid scale, leadership transition, or post-investment transformation — we step in as interim CEO, COO or functional lead. Full executive accountability, clear mandate: close the gap between where you are and where the investment thesis demands.

Strategy, Team Building & Senior Recruitment

Every investment thesis depends on the team that executes it. We define the organisational architecture, recruit the right senior leadership, and — through INNDUCE.me — develop the innovation and transformation skills and mindset that make strategies executable. Personal, team and organisational capability as a structural investment edge.

We don't just watch from the sidelines. We integrate, execute, and deliver.

04 Readiness Scans

The first filter in
every partnership.

Before Novactum commits capital, a board seat or executive bandwidth, we need clarity. Our Readiness Scans are structured diagnostics that reveal where a venture stands — on strategy, opportunity, risk and readiness — and chart the path forward.

WHAT SCANS DELIVER

Quick, clear insights for all partners — on where the opportunities and risks lie, and what short and longer-term steps to take. Powered by the InnovateSmart toolbox: built on experience that actually works, not theory.

20+
Years scaling innovation across Europe and globally
100s
Of collaborations with corporates, scale-ups, investors and research institutions
€4bn
Of new business growth derived from our hands-on commercial and partnership work
A
Innovation & Opportunity Scan

Where are the breakthrough opportunities? AI capability, market signals, hidden needs, competitive gaps. Surfaces low-hanging fruit and updates strategy.

B
Scale-Up Readiness Scan

Are you structured to scale fast? Commercial model, team quality, operations, risk map and velocity indicators assessed against investor expectations.

C
Investor Readiness Scan

Are you investable at your stated terms? Narrative coherence, financial model, team credibility and due diligence positioning reviewed through an investor lens.

Indicative investment from €3,500 · Delivered within 2–3 weeks

Request a Scan

Tell us where you are. We'll propose the right scan and schedule an intake call — no commitment required.

We respond within one business day. Your data is never shared.

05 Participations

Where we invest &
build

Novactum builds and operates its own platforms alongside direct and co-investments — each a vehicle for a distinct strategic thesis.

Innovation Platform
Founder · Author

InnovateSmart.nl

AI-powered innovation management platform. 13 pillars, suite of tools built on academic fundamentals, curated knowledge library and AI Opportunity Scanner. Partnerships is the first pillar — published as a book and gifted to new members.

innovatesmart.nl →
Expert Collective
Co-founder · Chair

NICE Collective

New Ingredient Collective Europe. A networked collective of senior food technology and ingredient specialists delivering advisory, scanning, and commercial matchmaking across the European ingredients sector.

nicecollective.eu →
Development Platform
Investor · NED

Innduce.me

An enabler for personal, team and organisational development on innovation and transformation skills and mindset. The 4T framework — Test, Train, Team Up, Transform — builds the human capability that makes strategies executable and change sustainable.

innduce.me →
06 References

A few of the organisations we have worked with:

06 The Founder

Mike Vermeer —
Founder & Principal

A seasoned executive, investor, and Thought Leader with deep roots in international business development through innovation and marketing, AI-enabled innovation scale-up, and commercial partnership strategy.

Innovation, Organisational Growth, (Digital) Transformation and New Business Executive at Multinationals and Boutique Advisory
Master of Marketing & MBA — top Dutch universities
Based in the Netherlands · Active across Europe
Available for Ad Interim, Non-Executive and Entrepreneurial roles
Author — InnovateSmart/Partnerships (2025)
Mike Vermeer
Mike Vermeer
Founder & Principal, Novactum
Connect on LinkedIn
Work with Mike

“The companies that win the next decade will be those that build true partnership capability — not as a tactic, but as a structural competence baked into how they operate.”

Mike Vermeer — InnovateSmart/Partnerships, 2025
07 Book & Insights

InnovateSmart
/Partnerships

The Essentials of Innovation Partnerships,
how to create Success and manage Risks.

“In an era refined by rapid technological change and unseen global challenges, the power of collaboration has never been more decisive.”

A comprehensive 271-page guide across 20 chapters — from defining innovation partnerships to navigating VUCA environments and ecosystem leadership. Built on decades of hands-on experience, an Executive MBA research foundation, and insights from academia and industry across Europe.

Partnerships is the first published pillar of the InnovateSmart innovation management platform. New members receive the book as a welcome gift. Featuring real-world cases from Heineken, Novo Nordisk, IKEA, Philips, Unilever, Stellantis, ServiceNow, ASML, Lamb Weston, Cosun and more.

79%
of CEOs agree companies must collaborate externally to drive innovation — PwC
5×
more likely to achieve significant results through collaborative innovation — WEF
50%
more likely to introduce successful new products via open innovation — HBR
35%
increase in innovation success for collaborative strategy — Deloitte
AuthorMike Vermeer MBA MM
PublisherNovactum, 2025
ISBN978-90-9052-6421
Pages271 · 20 Chapters · 15+ Cases
Platforminnovatesmart.nl
Request a copy →
InnovateSmart/Partnerships

Free Library

A selection of case studies and research insights from inside the book. Full library access is available to InnovateSmart members at innovatesmart.nl.

Case Study Chapter 12

ASML: Growth and Competitive Advantage by its Innovation Network

Founded in 1984 as a Philips spin-out, ASML became the global leader in photolithography equipment through a systematic evolution from bilateral partnerships to a full innovation ecosystem — rooted in the Brainport region of Eindhoven.

Read full case ↓

ASML's most significant early partnership was with Carl Zeiss AG, whose precision optics were critical to developing Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography — enabling smaller, faster, more efficient microchips. Alongside this, VDL provided essential manufacturing components while Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) supplied a continuous pipeline of talent and research.

Former CTO Martin van den Brink championed the shift from isolated partnerships to an integrated Innovation Network — linking suppliers, customers, universities, and research institutions in a shared ecosystem. Major semiconductor customers including Intel, TSMC and Samsung became co-developers in the process.

Competitive outcomes: Technological leadership in EUV, high barriers to entry for competitors, deep two-way partner loyalty, and sustainable growth as the industry moves toward 5nm chips and below. ASML's case exemplifies how collaborative ecosystems can become the most durable form of competitive advantage.

Source: InnovateSmart/Partnerships, Mike Vermeer, Novactum 2025

Introduction Pages 11–15

Why Innovation Partnerships Are a Strategic Necessity

Innovation is no longer confined to internal R&D. In today's complex environment, it thrives in an ecosystem of collaboration — where diverse stakeholders co-create solutions that no single organisation could achieve alone.

Read more ↓

The pace of innovation adoption has compressed dramatically. Where the automobile took decades to reach mass adoption, AI-driven transformation unfolds in years. This acceleration makes the ability to collaborate — quickly, selectively, and with risk-awareness — a strategic necessity rather than an option.

Europe faces unique pressures: limited venture capital compared to the US and China, fragmented markets, and complex regulatory environments. Yet Europe's collaborative culture — rooted historically since the Middle Ages — is itself a structural advantage. Smaller organisations and economies can pool resources, share risk, and co-create value in ways larger, more bureaucratic economies cannot.

The book provides a stepwise framework: defining objectives, selecting partners, establishing governance, measuring outcomes, and scaling. Each chapter features real-world cases and actionable insights applicable immediately.

"InnovateSmart / Partnerships is not just a book — it is a leadership philosophy and a call to action for leaders and organisations to harness the power of collaboration in driving innovation and execute for a sustainable future together."

Mike M.A.J. Vermeer MBA MM — Breda, November 2025

Research Insights Foreword

The Evidence for Collaborative Innovation

Seven major research institutions — from PwC to Bain — converge on the same finding: organisations that collaborate consistently outperform those that innovate alone.

See all data ↓
79%PwC Global Innovation Surveyof CEOs agree companies must collaborate with external partners to drive innovation effectively.
50%Harvard Business Reviewmore likely to introduce successful new products when pursuing open innovation strategies.
+20%MIT Sloan Management Reviewhigher innovation success rate for firms leveraging external partnerships.
81%European Commissionof collaborative SMEs report product innovations vs 58% of non-collaborative firms.
5×World Economic Forummore likely to achieve significant business results through collaborative innovation.
+35%Deloitte Insightsincrease in innovation success rates for organisations pursuing collaborative strategies.
+30%Bain & Companyincrease in innovation productivity for companies engaging in partnerships and alliances.
Access full Insights at InnovateSmart.nl →
08 Connect

Start a conversation

Whether you are a founder seeking investment, an executive exploring partnership, or an organisation looking for senior advisory — we welcome the introduction.

Based in
Netherlands — Europe
Telephone
+31 (0)76 850 8080
Platform
innovatesmart.nl
Community
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